WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Competing in their first game of the 2021-22 season, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team fell in their season opener at Midwestern State University Friday evening, 74-63.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP

• Final Score: UCCS 63, Midwestern State 74
• Records: UCCS (0-1, 0-0 RMAC) | Midwestern State (1-0, 0-0 LSC)
• Facility | Location:  D. L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas 
• All-Time Series: Both teams are 1-1 against each other.  UCCS won the initial matchup on Nov. 19, 2016.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Graduate student Jasmine Jeffcoat started the season off with back-to-back layups to give the Mountain Lions a 4-0 lead.  Six straight points by the home team gave the Mustangs a 6-4 advantage before Inés Latapia drained her first bucket in a Mountain Lions uniform.  Latapia's three-pointer gave UCCS the lead back, 7-6, but the Mustangs answered with a fastbreak score to regain the lead they would not relinquish.
• After one quarter of action, the Mustangs held a 19-12 lead and doubled UCCS' offensive output in the second quarter, outscoring the Mountain Lions 32-16.  The Mustangs transitioned out of the first quarter into the second quarter outscoring UCCS, 15-4.  A pair of free throws to end the first half gave MSU their largest lead of the half heading into halftime, 45-25.
• The Mountain Lions battled back in the second half, outscoring Midwestern State, 38-29.  Twenty-six of UCCS' second half points came in the final stanza as they drove to the hoop to cut away at the lead.
• MSU took their largest lead of the game with 5:07 left in regulation, 68-43, before the Mountain Lions stormed back to end the game on a 20-6 run. Six of UCCS' baskets during the run were layups as freshman Maison White led the team with 10 points behind three layups, a jumper and two free throws.  The comeback fell short as UCCS was shorted in their season opener, 74-63.

 
GAME STATISTICS

• In her first game as a Mountain Lion, White came off the bench to lead the team in scoring.  She hit 5-of-8 from the floor and 2-of-6 free throws for 12 points and pulled down a team high nine rebounds.  She also accounted for two of UCCS' three blocks.
• Jeffcoat, Sophie Abela and Ellie Moore each chipped in eight points.  Abela dished out a game high eight assists and snagged two steals.  Jeffcoat added seven caroms, an assist, a blocked shot and two steals.
• UCCS took advantage of 28 MSU turnovers and turned them in 26 points which also helped the Mountain Lions score 15 fast break points.  UCCS held a 48-41 rebounding advantage over the Mustangs and turned them into 21 second chance points.
• The Mountain Lions finished the night shooting 32.9 percent from the floor (23-of-70), 21.1 percent from long range (4-of-19) and 38.2 percent from the line (13-of-34) 
• Home court helped the Mustangs from the floor as they hit 27-of-58 field goals for 46.6 percent, and 16-of-21 free throws for 76.2 percent.
• Five Mustangs scored in double figures behind Frances King's game high 16 points.  Half of King's points came from the charity stripe where she made 8-of-10.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Four of the Mountain Lions starters were newcomers as Latpia, Shelby Megyeri, Jeffcoat and Abela each started their first career game for UCCS. 
• UCCS' bench outscored MSU, 29-20.
• Head coach Lynn Plett is six wins away from reaching 300 career wins. 
• Four of UCCS' last five opponents have hailed from a LSC member school in Texas.

 
UP NEXT

• UCCS will drive to Lawton, Okla. to take on the Cameron University Aggies on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (MT).

 
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.