THIS WEEK'S GAMES

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team will go on the road this weekend for a rematch against Metropolitan State University Denver and Chadron State College.

• Feb. 07 at 4:30 p.m. at MSU Denver (9-12, 8-7 RMAC)

• Feb. 08 at 5:30 p.m. at Chadron State College (5-19, 3-12 RMAC)
   

GAME COVERAGE

Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/uccs/

Live Stats @ MSUD:  https://roadrunnersathletics.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary

Live Stats @ CSC:  https://chadroneagles.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary

LAST TIME OUT

• UCCS swept the weekend with two assertive performances against New Mexico Highlands University and Colorado State University - Pueblo.  Friday night started close with each team shooting just over 30 percent, 33.3 percent (UCCS) and 30.8 percent (NMHU), respectively. The Mountain Lions continued strong defense and forced 14 turnovers against New Mexico Highlands.  The offense flowed the entire night with 44 points coming from turnovers, 17 from second chance shots, and 28 from the bench. The Mountain Lions started the second half on a 15-0 run and held the Cowgirls to just five points in the third quarter.  Caley Barnard had a huge night with 50 percent of her shots falling through the net and added two assists to the offensive stats. Defensively, Barnard had a team high six steals and six rebounds. Freshman Madison Lord hit 6-of-7 shots in the paint to add to UCCS' 74-39 win.

• The Mountain Lions played another exciting game Saturday night against CSU-Pueblo.  UCCS took a commanding lead in the first quarter, but defensive adjustments made by the ThunderWolves put them back in the game and trailing by just two points at the end of the first half, 30-28.  The second half continued to be a stimulating game for fans to watch with six lead changes and three ties. Abby Feickert hit two clutch three's with just over three minutes left in the third quarter to give the Mountain Lions a comfortable lead.  Kaity Hovasse showed up as a leader that night opening the game with eight of the team's first 20 points. Hovasse put up 15 points, three steals, two assists, and four rebounds for the night.

THE SERIES

• The Mountain Lions last played MSU Denver two weeks ago in the Gallogly Events Center where they lost by just four points.  UCCS has won three of the last 10 road match-ups.  MSU Denver leads the all-time series with UCCS, winning 38 of the 49 meetings (38-11).

• UCCS faces the Eagles Saturday night in the same weekend where they had another tough loss at home this time missing the win by just five points.  The Mountain Lions and Eagles overall record is 22-15.

SCOUTING REPORT

• Jaela Richardson is a strong force on the defensive end for the Roadrunners.  Richardson leads her team and ranks No. 11 in the RMAC in rebounds averaging 6.3 per game, fourth in the conference in blocks totalling 25 for the season (1.2 per game), and is fifth on the team in scoring (7.6per game).

• Taryn Foxen leads Chadron State in scoring, field goal percentage, and steals while also ranking in the top 10 in all three categories.  Foxen is eighth in the conference in scoring and field goal percentage averaging 15.9 a game and shooting 42.4 percent. The junior averages 1.6 steals a game (35 total) ranking her ninth in the RMAC.
   

HOT TAKES

• Madi Gaibler leads the Mountain Lions in assists and rebounds averaging 1.8 and 5.5 per game, respectively.  Gaibler also ranks No. 23 in the RMAC in blocked shots totalling 11 for the season (.06 per game).

• Kaity Hovasse dominated both Friday and Saturday totalling 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and three steals for the weekend.  This weekend put Hovasse in the No. 23 spot in the RMAC for assists averaging 2.2 per game.

• Caley Barnard also had a strong weekend defensively racking up 11 steals and recording a season high six steals Friday night.  Barnard also totalled seven assists, eight rebounds, and 11 points over the weekend. Barnard leads the team and sits at No. 24 in the RMAC in steals with 22 for the season (1.2 per game).

• Freshman Ellie Moore moved up in RMAC rankings and leads the team for blocked shots at No. 5 with 1.2 per game ( 23 for the season).  Moore hit a career high 22 points Saturday night, shooting 64.3 percent for the night. Moore totalled 30 points, 13 assists, and six blocks over the weekend.
   

Award Winners

• Nine student-athletes earned 2019-20 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic accolades, announced on Monday by the league office.  

• Abby Feickert, 3.984 GPA, Exercise Science, voted to the First Team 

• Caley Barnard, 3.888 GPA, Biology, All-Academic Honor Roll  

• Anna Davern ,4.000 GPA, Biology, All-Academic Honor Roll 

• Maddie Golla, 3.745 GPA, Biology, All-Academic Honor Roll 

• Elly Johnson, 3.980 GPA, English, All-Academic Honor Roll 

• Kaity Hovasse, 3.557 GPA, Mathematics, All-Academic Honor Roll 

• Chelsea Pearson, 3.795 GPA, Business, All-Academic Honor Roll 

• Bo Shaffer, 3.730 GPA, Biochemistry, All-Academic Honor Roll 

• Tatum Tellin, 3.736 GPA, Anthropology,All-Academic Honor Roll 

UCCS UNDER HEAD COACH LYNN PLETT

• Lynn Plett is in 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. He served on the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee from 2007 through 2011.

• 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 stays on the road the following weekend, traveling south to go head-to-head with Colorado State University - Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands University.

• Feb. 14 at CSU-Pueblo at 5:30 p.m.  Pueblo, Colo./CSUP Massari Arena

• Feb. 15 at New Mexico Highlands at 5:00 p.m. Las Vegas, N.M./NMHU John A. Wilson Complex