COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team close out their weekend with a tough loss Saturday night at home to Western Colorado University, 65-43, making them 1-7 overall and 0-2 in the RMAC.  Western Colorado University (4-2, 2-0 RMAC) controlled the game with their suffocating defense forcing 22 turnovers.
 
WCU was able to put up the first two points of the game to set the tone.  UCCS recovered at 7:20 to go in the first quarter with Elly Johnson drawing a foul underneath to get to the line scoring the first points for the Mountain Lions.  The Mountaineers defense held UCCS to just nine points to finish the first quarter 9-21.
 
The second quarter started with back and forth shots from each team and at just over a minute in a half the Mountain Lions saw their last shot fall through the hoop for the rest of the half making the score 17-24.  From there the Mountaineers dominated inside the paint and behind the arc shooting 44 percent from both.  
 
The second half of the game started out 17-42 and UCCS came out with more intensity than the first half.  Fans saw the momentum pick-up for UCCS as they were able to draw back-to-back fouls resulting in three made free-throws.  Caley Barnard put in work defensively forcing turnovers the Mountain Lions were able to capitalize on with 5:39 to go in the third quarter.  UCCS out-rebounded WCU 18-11 and gained 14 points off second chance points.
 
Despite the extra effort seen by the Mountain Lions the Mountaineers stayed in control of the game.  Samantha Coleman led the Mountaineers with 14 points, 12 of them coming from behind the arc.  
 
Madi Gaibler showed her defensive prowess with four blocks and four rebounds for the Mountain Lions and added an assist on the offensive end.  Abby Feickert led the team for points totaling eight for the night, going 2-2 behind the line and 2-5 from the floor. Twenty-four of the 43 points made by UCCS came off the bench.
 
UCCS heads to Denver next weekend to play Regis University Friday night and Colorado Christian University on Saturday night.  Both games will tip-off at 5 p.m.