THIS WEEK'S GAMES
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team returns home for the final three games of the regular season. They will face teams ranked in the top five of the conference this weekend and the following.
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Feb. 21 at 5:30 p.m. vs. South Dakota School of Mines (14-9, 12-7 RMAC)
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Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Black Hills State University (15-9, 12-7 RMAC)
GAME COVERAGE
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/uccs/
Live Stats: https://gomountainlions.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LAST TIME OUT
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UCCS started the weekend with a loss against Colorado State University-Pueblo Friday night at Massari Arena. In the final two minutes Madison Lord sunk a field goal beneath the basket to take the lead, 56-54. The ThunderWolves were able to capitalize on a defensive rebound and score on a fast break to tie the game, 56-56, and in the final second Jaiynay Davis sunk a shot from behind the arc to pull ahead with the final 56-59 win. The Mountain Lions struggled from the field shooting only 40 percent and just 14.3 percent from downtown (1-for-7). The bench had an impressive 39 points with Lord coming up with 19 of those. Freshman Makenna Baker had a team high four assists to go with her five points, two rebounds, and one steal, while Madi Gaibler added 12 points, four rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal.
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Saturday night the Mountain Lions earned the win against New Mexico Highlands University, 68-63. The game was evenly matched with the first quarter ending in a 17-17 tie and the half ending with the Cowgirls just three points ahead of the Mountain Lions, 34-31. The bench performed incredibly well again for the team putting up 43 of the 68 points scored. The Mountain Lions were able to take advantage of easy free throw opportunities in the second half with 19 of the 37 points coming from the charity stripe, shooting 80 percent for the game (24-for-30). Bo Shaffer stepped up for the team putting up not only eight points but five steals. Two of Shaffer's steals came in the final 24 seconds of the game helping them seal the victory.
THE SERIES
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The Mountain Lions have only faced South Dakota Mines nine times and have pulled away with five wins (5-4). UCCS has lost just one home game, back in 2018, and look to break a two-game losing streak this Friday night.
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UCCS is on a three game losing streak against the Yellow Jackets and have won the last five of seven home match-ups. The Mountain Lions overall record against BHSU is 10-5 with the last home game ending in just a two possession loss.
SCOUTING REPORT
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SDSMT's Ryan Weiss is an impressive offensive player averaging 31 minutes a game and ranking in the top five of four different RMAC categories. Weiss is currently second in the RMAC, but leads her team, in scoring with 17 points per game and third in field goal percentage, shooting 46.2 percent. Weiss is also first in three-point percentage with an even 48 percent making her the leader in the conference in three-pointers made per game with 84 for the season (3.8 per game).
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Anna Haugen is a good compliment to Weiss ranking first in the RMAC and on her team in rebounds with 9.8 per game. Haugen also ranks No. 15 and leads the Hardrockers in steals with 34 for the season.
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Black Hills State's Racquel Weintjas proves a huge offensive problem for the Mountain Lions Saturday night. Weintjas leads her team in seven of nine categories and ranks fourth in the conference for both points and field goal percentage with 16.6 points and shooting 44 percent, respectively. The junior is also second in the RMAC in free throw percentage, shooting just above 89 percent for the season and is also just below the top 10 mark coming in at No. 11 for three points made per game with 1.9 per game (46 total for the season).
HOT TAKES
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Madison Lord had an exciting weekend with a career high on Friday night, scoring 19 points and shooting 9-for-10. Lord shot 80.9 percent for the weekend and racked up 10 rebounds, one assist, two blocks, and two steals. This weekend put her sixth on the team for points per game (5.0 ppg) and the sophomore is now leading the team in field goal percentage, shooting 55 percent for the season.
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Ellie Moore remains in the top 10 in the RMAC at No. 6 for blocks and leads the team in this category totalling 27 for the season (1.1 per game).
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Madi Gaibler leads the team in field goals made (3.8 per game), rebounds (5.1 per game), and assists (1.8 per game).
UCCS UNDER HEAD COACH LYNN PLETT
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Lynn Plett is in his fourth year on the sideline for UCCS. 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.
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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. He served on the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee from 2007 through 2011.
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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. He won the GLVC championship and was named GLVC Coach of the Year in his first season and coached an All-American, two-time conference player of the year and a two-time NCAA Division II scoring leader.
UPCOMING GAMES
UCCS will close out the regular season with a final home game next Saturday against Colorado School of Mines.
