COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Blend Avdili nailed a three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to lift the University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team to a 77-74 home win over Dixie State University Friday night in Gallogly Events Center. 
 
The win marked the Mountain Lions fifth straight win as they improve to 7-5 overall and 4-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  DSU moves to 4-6 overall and 2-4 in league games.
 
UCCS trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half with 9:58 left in regulation.  The Mountain Lions cut the lead by five after sinking 5-of-6 free throws while holding DSU scoreless.
 
Down six points, 74-68 and 1:55 left in regulation, DaRaun Clark finished a three-point play.  DSU missed a jumper on the next trip down the court but Ian MacDonald secured one of his four rebounds in the game.  MacDonald added another rebound on Clark's missed three-point attempt to keep the ball on the Mountain Lions end of the court.  Padiet Wang found Brandon Malone for a trey that tied the game, 74-74, with 47 ticks remaining.
 
After a timeout, MacDonald secured his third rebound within a 41 second span.  UCCS kept control of the ball on their end of the court as Avdili hit the game-winning trey.
 
Avdili scored a game high 27 points.  He made 9-of-15 field goals, 5-of-9 from three-point range and 4-of-5 free throws.  He added five rebounds, an assist and a steal. 
 
DaRaun Clark netted 19 points on 8-of-15 field goals.
 
Padiet Wang led the defense with three blocks and two steals. Offensively he scored 13 points and dished out five assists.
 
UCCS shot 46.4 percent from the floor on 26-of-56 field goals, but only 62.5 percent from the charity stripe (15-of-24).
 
Dixie State hit 24-of-52 field goals for 46.2 percent and 22-of-29 free throws (75.9 percent).  Matt Conway led the Trailblazers with 24 points and six rebounds.
 
UCCS will play host to Westminster College Saturday at 7:30 p.m.