THIS WEEK'S GAMES
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team will ring in the New Year when they travel to Utah to play Dixie State University and Westminster College Jan. 3 and Jan. 4.

• Jan. 3 | 5:30 p.m. at Dixie State University (8-3, 3-2 RMAC)
• Jan. 4 | 5:30 p.m. at No. 12 Westminster College (10-1, 5-0 RMAC)
   

GAME COVERAGE
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/uccs/
DSU Live Stats:  https://dixiestateathletics.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
WC Live Stats: https://westminstergriffins.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Mountain Lions closed out the 2019 year with a three-point setback at Colorado School of Mines on Dec. 21, 64-61.  The loss is the second straight setback for the Mountain Lions by five or fewer points.  
 
Abby Feickert and Makenna Baker led the Mountain Lions with 13 points each.  Feickert earned a double-double with 10 rebounds after pulling down five on each end of the court. Madi Gaibler added 12 points and eight rebounds, while Anna Davern collected nine rebounds, six points and tallied three of the Mountain Lions five blocks. 
 
UCCS shot 32.9 percent from the floor (23-of-70), 17.6 percent from behind the arc (3-of-17) and 63.2 percent from the charity stripe (12-of-19).
 
THE SERIES
Friday's game at DSU will only be the second matchup between the Mountain Lions and Trailblazers.  UCCS won the inaugural meeting, 59-54, on Jan. 4, 2019 in Colorado Springs.
 
Against the Griffins, the Mountain Lions lead the series, 3-2.  UCCS won the first three games but have dropped the last two games.  UCCS is 1-1 when playing WC on their home court.
 
SCOUTING REPORT
Dixie State enters the weekend in a five-way tie for fifth place in the RMAC standings (8-3, 3-2 RMAC) and they are currently on a three-game winning streak. DSU is one of the top shooting and rebounding teams in the league.  DSU has made the most three-pointers in the RMAC (91) and rank second in three-point field goal percentage (35.4 percent), scoring offense (71.3 ppg) and are third in field goal percentage (42.4 percent), free throws made (141) and scoring margin (71.3).  The Trailblazers are pulling down 41.5 rebounds per game and blocking 3.6 shots per game, the second and third most in the conference, respectively.
 
Senior forward Ali Franks leads DSU in scoring (14.7 ppg), field goal attempts (135), field goals made (59), field goal percentage (43.7 percent), and made free throws (28).
 
Westminster College, ranked No. 12 in the latest WBCA Division II poll, is tied with Colorado Mesa for the best league record (5-0).  In 11 games this season, the Griffins have only lost one game (Nov. 23 at Alaska-Anchorage, 69-56).  The Griffins lead the RMAC in assists (16.2 apg), assist turnover ratio (1.19), field goal percentage (45.4 percent) and three-point field goal percentage (38.1 percent).  WC is scoring an average of 68.7 points per game while giving up 59.9 points per game.
 
Three Griffins are averaging double digits in scoring, led by Hunter Kreb's 16.2 points per game.  The junior forward also leads the team in field goal percentage (63.0 percent) and blocked shots (12).
 
HOT TAKES
Abby Feickert recorded her first career double-double on Dec. 21 at Colorado School of Mines with a 13-point, 10-rebound performance.  Feickert leads UCCS in scoring (11.6 ppg), made three-pointers (20) and made free throws (24).
 
Madi Gaibler owns a team best 45 made field goals, 5.4 rebounds per game, 1.7 assists per game and nearly 1.0 blocks per game.
 
Freshman Makenna Baker is coming off the bench to lead UCCS in steals, ripping 1.1 steals per game.
 
As a team, UCCS (1-10, 0-5 RMAC) is scoring an average of 56.6 points per game and pulling in 38.2 rebounds per game.

UCCS UNDER HEAD COACH LYNN PLETT
Lynn Plett returns in 2019-20 for his fourth year on the sideline for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.  The 2018-19 season finished with a six-way fourth place finish in the RMAC regular season standings with a 12-10 conference record and a 13-15 overall mark.  Off the court, the Mountain Lions received their first RMAC Brechler Award, besting all 16 teams in the conference with a 3.660 grade point average.
 
Plett spent four seasons at Northern Kentucky, where the Norse qualified for the Women's Basketball Invitational postseason tournament each season during the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I. Plett was the head coach at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, from 2002 through 2007, and his teams qualified for three NCAA Division II Tournaments in his career. Plett entered Division II coaching at Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana, in 1994, where he also doubled as athletic director.
 
UPCOMING GAMES
The Mountain Lions will return home Jan. 10-11 to play host to Fort Lewis College and Adams State University.  Both games will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. from Gallogly Events Center.