THIS WEEK'S GAMES
- Coming off of two wins over Friends University and University of the Southwest from the Colorado State University Pueblo Thanksgiving Classic, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team (2-4, 0-0 RMAC) will head back to Pueblo, Colo. on Friday, Dec. 3 to open the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season. The Mountain Lions will take on the ThunderWolves at 5:30 p.m. from Massari Arena before heading over to Alamosa, Colo. to face Adams State University on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m.
GAME COVERAGE
LAST TIME OUT
- UCCS earned their first win of the season Friday afternoon with a 68-54 win over NAIA opponent Friends University.
- Three Mountain Lions scored in double figures behind Jessica Nation's game high 16 points. Nation contributed on both ends of the court, notching eight rebounds, three assists and blocking three shots.
- Ellie Moore came off the bench to net 12 points on six field goals and added two steals and four caroms while Agar Farres was two points shy of a double-double as she reigned in 13 rebounds (five offensive). She dished out two assists and stole the ball three times to go with her eight points.
- The following day in an 89-67 win over University of the Southwest, Gracie Haneborg finished with a game high 19 points, two rebounds, three steals and an assist. Haneborg was one of five Mountain Lions to score in double figures. Jasmine Jeffcoat made 4-of-7 field goals and all four free throws for 12 points as she also reigned in seven boards. Nation posted her first double-double of the season and the second of her career behind 10 points and 10 rebounds.
- Shelby Megyeri and Moore also chipped in 10 points apiece. Sophie Abela, who was one point shy of reaching double digits, dished out a game high five assists.
- In the two wins, Nation notched 26 points and 15 rebounds while Jeffcoat chipped in 24 points and 15 rebounds. Farres led all Mountain Lions with 20 rebounds to go with her 3 assists and five steals.
RMAC RECORD/STANDINGS
- Colorado Mesa University is the lone team to remain undefeated through non-conference play. The Mavericks are 5-0 with Colorado School of Mines right behind CMU with a 5-1 non-conference record.
THE SERIES
- Vs. CSUP: The Mountain Lions enter Friday's showdown with the Pack leading the all-time series, 38-22. The Mountain Lions, who are 6-26 against CSUP on the road, last defeated the ThunderWolves on Feb. 2, 2021 at home, 75-56. Their last win over CSUP on the road was a year prior, with the Mountain Lions earning a 67-59 road win on Feb. 2, 2019.
- Vs. ASU: UCCS has won the last seven games against the Grizzlies, and 11 of the last 12. The Mountain Lions are 24-18 all-time against Adams State, and 8-11 when taking on the Grizzlies in Plachy Hall.
SCOUTING THE THUNDERWOLVES
- Colorado State Pueblo opened the 2021-22 season with a 74-68 loss to No. 10 Texas A&M-Commerce in Denver on Nov. 12 but bounced back the following night to defeat No. 1 Lubbock Christian University, 64-56. After their season opening loss, the ThunderWolves have won their last four games and enter the weekend with a 4-1 record.
- As a team, CSUP ranks on top of the RMAC in blocked shots per game (4.6), scoring (82.8), scoring margin (28.2), three-point field goals per game (9.2), three-point field goal percentage (36.8 percent), turnover margin (8.6) and turnovers forced (24.2). The ThunderWolves have dished out 80 assists to their opponents' 39 assists and blocked 17 more shots (23-6).
- In three games played, Alisha Davis leads CSUP with 17 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Rio Dominguez is second on the team in scoring with 11.4 points per game and is shooting the ball at a 52.4 percent clip. Three ThunderWolves are shooting the better than 40 percent from three-point range, led by the league-leading Dominguez who has sunk 11-of-24 from behind the arc (45.8 percent).
SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
- Adams State closed up the preseason portion of their schedule with a 2-3 record, charting wins over Northern New Mexico and SAGU American Indian. The Grizzlies are scoring an average of 72 points per game and shooting the ball at a 42.0 percent clip from the floor, 30.6 percent from three-point range and less than 50 percent from the free throw line (48.8 percent).
- Kayla Harris leads ASU at both ends of the court, leading the league in steals (14) and ranking fifth in blocks (three), seven in field goal percentage (41.9 percent) and eighth in rebounds (5.8 per game). Stephanie Ruiz is one of the top long-range shooters, hitting 12-of-30 three-point field goals for the second highest shooting mark at 40.0 percent. Her 11.8 points per game rank her 15th in the RMAC in scoring.
HOT TAKES
- The last time UCCS won back-to-back games was in 2019-20 when they ended the season on a four-game winning streak from Feb. 15-28, 2020.
- Saturday's game against the Mustangs was highlighted by several team season highs, including most points (80), field goals made (29), free throws made (28) and free throws attempted (35).
- Multiple Mountain Lions notched numerous career highs over the weekend. On Friday, Abela's three made free throws and Ines Latapia's three assists were career highs. Alexa Dominguez tallied career highs in points (four), rebounds (six), assists (two) and steals (three). Farres' eight points, 13 rebounds and three steals were all career bests while Haneborg registered four points and two steals.
- The following day against USW, Abela scored a career high nine points, while Dominguez' six points and three assists were career bests. Also recording career highs was Haneborg's 19 points, three steals and six free throws made and attempted, and Megyeri's four made free throws.
- Nation recorded her first double-double of the season and second career double-double on Saturday against Southwest with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
- Abela has dished out the second most assists in the league (22) and third in assists per game (3.7).
- Leading the defense is Maison White's eight blocked shots (third in the RMAC) and Jeffcoat's five blocks (eighth in the RMAC). Jeffcoat also ranks fifth in the league in field goals made (28) and offensive rebounds per game (3.2), while her 0.83 blocks per game is the eighth highest.
- Latapia is one of the top ball thieves in the league, notching 12 steals (fifth most) and 2.0 steals per game (10th most).
- The Mountain Lions are one of the top rebounding and defensive teams in the early part of the season. UCCS is third in the league in blocks (20), rebounds (269), rebounds per game (44.83), and defensive rebounds per game (28.8). They're currently fourth in the RMAC in rebounding margin (10.0), steals (60), and steals per game (10.0), and lead the league in free throws attempted (139) and free throws made (83).
UCCS UNDER HEAD COACH LYNN PLETT
- Lynn Plett is in his sixth season as head coach of the Mountain Lions in 2021-22, and his 24th season overall. He owns a career record of 296-341 and a 65-74 record at UCCS.
- UCCS has been named to the WBCA Top 25 Team Academic Honor Roll for four straight years. Plett guided the Mountain Lions to their first RMAC championship title in program history in his first season in 2016-17, and their third NCAA Tournament appearance.
- Plett has coached at St. Joseph's (1994-95 to 2001-02), Lewis (2002-03 to 2006-07), and Missouri Western State (2007-08 to 2011-12) prior to joining the Mountain Lions.
UPCOMING GAMES
- The Mountain Lions will return to Colorado Springs for an exhibition game against Air Force on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in Clune Arena on the USAFA. UCCS will then play host to Colorado School of Mines for their lone RMAC game of the week on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m.
SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
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.
