This Week's Matchup
UCCS Men's Basketball hits the road this week to continue their conference schedule as the Mountain Lions visit Chadron State College on Friday, Dec. 17 and Black Hills State University on Saturday, Dec. 18. Both games are slated for a 4 p.m. tip-off.
 
Game Coverage
Live Stream: https://www.rmacnetwork.com/gomountainlions/
 
Live Stats at Chadron State: https://chadroneagles.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Live Stats at Black Hills State: https://bhsuathletics.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
 
Last Time Out

• UCCS hosted Colorado School of Mines on Saturday night where the Mountain Lions overcame a double-digit deficit but fell just short of the comeback victory, 75-70.
• UCCS was down as much as 16 points in the first half and 14 points in the second half with the Mountain Lions tying the game at 2:18 after a pair of clutch free-throws from Alijah Comithier.
• Mines proceeded to make the next two baskets and went to the charity stripe for two more points as time was in CSM's favor to close out the win.
• Mines outshot UCCS 50.9 percent (28-of-55) to 42.2 percent (27-of-64) from the field with the difference maker coming from beyond the arc as the Orediggers shot 41.2 percent (7-of-17) compared to the Mountain Lions' 17.4 percent (4-of-23).

RMAC Records/Standings

• With Saturday's loss, UCCS (7-2, 2-1 RMAC) is currently sixth in the RMAC Standings as they sit tied with Mines with a 2-1 conference record.
• Two teams remain undefeated in conference play with Black Hills State sitting atop the standings at 4-0, and Regis University right behind the Yellow Jackets at a 3-0 RMAC record.

The Series

• The UCCS and Chadron State series has seen 40 all-time matchups as the Mountain Lions maintain firm hold of the series at a 26-14 record. UCCS has won the previous three games with their last win dating back to Feb. 8 of this year where the Mountain Lions defeated the Eagles, 75-62.
• Up against the Yellow Jackets for the 21^st time in program history, the Mountain Lions aim to work ahead in the series with the record all square at 10-10. The previous two games have been in favor of BHSU with the most recent game resulting in an 84-78 result in Spearfish, S.D. back on Feb. 12, 2021.

Scouting Chadron State College

• CSC (5-7, 1-3 RMAC) are currently on a two-game skid after suffering losses to Westminster College and Colorado Mesa University last weekend. Prior to the weekend, the Eagles had won five of their last six games.
• Currently tied for 11^th in the conference standings, the Eagles are averaging 75.9 points per game off a field-goal percentage of 45.8 percent while allowing 75.3 points per game. With the fourth-best three-point percentage in the RMAC (38.5 percent), CSC has made the most three-pointers in the conference with 104.
• At a scoring average of 15.2, senior guard CJ Jennings leads the team in scoring while also averaging 4.4 rebounds per game and recording a team high 17 steals.
• Junior guard Marcus Jefferson joins Jenning as the other double-digit scorer for CSC at a 11.8 scoring average that is backed by a 49.5 shotting percentage (48-of-97) from the field and 50 percent from three-point range (19-of-38).
• Jefferson and Jennings join a flock of four Eagles that have posted double-digit steals and the second most steals in the RMAC as a team (97), including Teddy Parham Jr. who matches Jefferson's 12 steals and leads the team in rebounds at 4.9 per game. Parham Jr.'s 16 offensive rebounds help place the Eagles fourth in the conference in offensive rebounding at an average of 10.2 per game.

 Scouting Black Hills State

• Black Hills State (6-3, 4-0 RMAC) heads into the third week of conference play with a four-game winning streak after a pair of road wins against CMU in overtime on Friday night, 75-73, and Westminster, 69-61, on Saturday.
• The Yellow Jackets are holding opponents to 75.1 points per game while scoring on average 76.3 points per game with a 47.1 shooting percentage from the field. BHSU has been out-rebounded so far this season 315-307 and are giving up on average 35 rebounds per game.
• RMAC Offensive Player of the Week Joel Scott has been the offensive difference maker for the Yellow Jackets by averaging a double-double per game at 22.6 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per game, both of which ranks second in the RMAC. Scott adds an impressive 60.8 percent from the field and a team leading six blocks.
• Sindou Cisse and Adam Moussa are also averaging double-digit points at 14.4 and 13.2, respectively. Moussa has dished out a team high 45 assists and has registered 18 steals through nine games.

Hot Takes

• The Mountain Lions still lead the conference and also post the eighth best scoring margin in the nation at 21.2 as they average 87.7 points a game and allow just 66.4 points per game.
• UCCS is maintaining a stellar 51.6 shooting percentage from the field to rank first in the RMAC and 11^th in all of Division II.
• Out-rebounding the opposition 44.9 to 29.0 per game, the Mountain Lions have registered a rebound margin of 15.9 that ranks as the best in the nation. UCCS' offensive (13.89) and defensive rebounds per game (31.00) are top in the RMAC with their defensive rebounds per game average ranking 10^th highest in the country.
• Two Mountain Lions are currently averaging double-digit points so far this season with Alijah Comithier scoring 22.8 points per game for the RMAC lead as Jon'il Fugett holds a 10.7 scoring average. Comithier's shooting percentage is north of 50 percent at 57.6 as Fugett continues to force turnovers with a team high 11 steals.
• Mountain Lions continue to control the boards by out-rebounding their opponent in all nine games with five different Mountain Lions recording more than 30 rebounds, including leading rebounder Jezza Mckenzie who has bagged 54 rebounds and is shooting a team best 43.2 percent from three-point (19-of-44).
• With the nation's seventh best assists per game average (19.2), three Mountain Lions including Fugett (27), McKenzie (25), and Parker Gaddis (44) all have over 20 assists.
• Redshirt sophomore William Becker continues to pace the RMAC in blocks per game (2.1) as he's recorded one block or more in six of his seven games played.

UCCS Under Head Coach Jeff Culver

• Jeff Culver, who led UCCS to its first RMAC championship in program history, is in his 10th season as the Head Coach of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball program in 2021-22. He's coached the only NBA Draft pick and the only All-Americans in program history in the past eight years.
• In 10 seasons as head coach, Culver holds a .559 winning percentage with a 145-113 overall record that includes, seven RMAC Tournament appearances, one RMAC Tournament Championship, a 5-6 RMAC Tournament record, two NCAA Tournament appearances, and a 1-2 NCAA Tournament record.

Upcoming Games

• UCCS Men's Basketball returns to Gallogly Events Center on Friday, Dec. 31 and Saturday, Jan. 1 to take on Colorado Mesa and Westminster.

 
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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.