ST. GEORGE, UTAH – Solid shooting combined with a stifling defense led the University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team to a 67-40 win at Dixie State University Friday night.  The win marked the first victory of the conference season for the Mountain Lions as they improve to 2-10 on the season and 1-5 in league games.
 
Facing one of the top shooting teams in the league, UCCS held the Trailblazers to 14 first half points, including only six points in the opening stanza.
 
The Trailblazers (8-4, 3-3 RMAC) entered the game with the second best three-point shooting percentage (35.4 percent) in the RMAC, and the third best field goal shooting mark (42.4 percent).  The Mountain Lions defense forced DSU to commit 18 turnovers and held the Trailblazers to finish the game hitting 24.6 percent from the floor (14-of-57) and 25.0 percent from long range (6-of-24).
 
UCCS took a commanding lead at halftime, 41-14, holding DSU to only four field goals, including 1-of-7 from behind the arc.  Ten of the Mountain Lions 24 points in the first quarter came off turnovers from the Trailblazers.
 
The Mountain Lions, who led the entire game, grabbed their largest lead of the game in the third quarter, holding a 31-point advantage over DSU.
 
Madi Gaibler led UCCS with a double-double behind a game-high 20 points and 12 rebounds.  Twelve of Gaibler's 20 points came from long range as she hit 4-of-12 from downtown. 
 
Caley Barnard and Chelsea Pearson each dropped eight points.  Abby Feickert dished out a game high three assists and added a game high three steals to go with her six points and four rebounds.
 
UCCS outscored DSU off turnovers (16-12), in the paint (20-12), on the fast break (10-0) and on second chance points (6-2).
 
The Mountain Lions sank 27-of-62 field goals (43.5 percent), 9-of-16 three-point field goals (56.3 percent) and made all four free throw attempts.
 
UCCS will travel to No. 12 Westminster College Saturday night.  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Salt Lake City.