COLORADO SPRING, Colo. - The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team came away with another upset Saturday night against Black Hills State University, 73-61. The Mountain Lions now have a conference record of 13-8 and overall record of 17-9. The loss tonight for the Yellow Jackets make their RMAC record 16-5 and overall record 19-8.
BHSU scored the first two points of the game, but UCCS was able to match the Yellow Jackets shot for shot. Both teams played strong defensively, but at just over three minutes into the game UCCS went on a 15-6 run. UCCS held BHSU to 33.3 percent shooting from the field (9-27) and kept them silent behind the three-point line. Padiet Wang put up 14 points in the first half shooting 100 percent from the charity stripe (6-6) and 50 percent from both inside and downtown (3-6, 2-4). Mountain Lions defense forced eight turnovers against Black Hills State where they were able to capitalize and score nine points to BHSU's two. UCCS went into halftime with a 34-20 lead.
The second half opened with BHSU's Joel Scott sinking two threes just a minute and a half in. Both teams' strong defense made it hard for either one to get in a rhythm early on, but the Yellow Jackets never got closer than seven points to the Mountain Lions. The teams were well matched coming close in almost all categories. UCCS excelled in second chance shots and out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets 16 to 7 and 41 to 28 respectively. Both the Mountain Lions and Yellow Jackets shot close to 44 percent from the field, but UCCS' strong outside shooting gave them 14 more opportunities and sunk 8-for-22 (36.4 percent) to their 3-for-9 (33.3 percent).
Wang led the team with 24 points, four assists, and two steals for the game. Parker Gaddis achieved a double-double tonight scoring 15 points and pulling 11 rebounds, most of them coming from the defensive end nine. Gaddis also had two steals and four assists to add to the night. Blend Advili is the third player for UCCS to put up four assists and added two blocks and 14 points to his stats.
Scott Joel did his best to keep the Yellow Jackets in the fight shooting 76.9 percent inside the arc (10-13) and 66.6 percent (4-6) from the free throw line to put up 24 points. Joel added two assists and two blocks for BHSU. Antonio Capley also tried to help his team defensively and pulled 10 rebounds for the night, eight of them coming from the defensive end.
UCCS will be back in action next Friday, Feb. 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gallogly Events Center for Senior Night as they take on Colorado School of Mines.
