This Week's Matchup
After four straight games on the road, UCCS Men's Basketball (15-7, 10-6 RMAC) returns back inside Gallogly Events Center to take on Black Hills State University on Friday, Feb. 11 and Chadron State College on Saturday, Feb. 12 with both games scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
Game Coverage
Live Stream: https://www.rmacnetwork.com/gomountainlions/
Live Stats: https://gomountainlions.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
 
Last Time Out

• The Mountain Lions were steamrolling into last weekend having won their last five games as they marched into Western Colorado University and defeated the Mountaineers 78-62 to extend their winning streak to six straight games. As a team, the Mountain Lions tallied seven blocks and five steals while holding WCU to a 35.6 percent field-goal percentage to claim the 16-point victory.
• After not losing a game for nearly a month, UCCS was stopped in their tracks the next night as Fort Lewis College handed the Mountain Lions a 90-79 loss in Durango, Colo. The Skyhawks shot a staggering 56.6 percent from the field as UCCS registered a shooting percentage of 41 percent from the field. Jon'il Fugett paced the Mountain Lions in points by scoring 18 as he also recorded four steals and two blocks while going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.

RMAC Records/Standings

• With a conference record of 10-6, UCCS moves back to fifth as Colorado School of Mines slides up to fourth after winning their seventh and eighth games in a row for an 11-5 RMAC record.
• Black Hills State University remains at No. 1 (16-5, 14-2 RMAC) in the standings as Regis University takes up the No. 2 spot (16-5, 11-4 RMAC) and Colorado Mesa University staying at No. 3 (18-8, 12-5 RMAC).

The Series

• Since Head Coach Jeff Culver's first season at UCCS in 2012-13, the Mountain Lions own a winning record of 10-9 against Black Hills State. The Yellow Jackets have won the previous three matchups, including a 99-72 win over the Mountain Lions earlier in the season in Spearfish, S.D.
• Against Chadron State, Culver and the Mountain Lions boast a 15-2 record as they've won four straight games over the Eagles. The last meeting between both teams ended 66-60 in favor of UCCS back on Dec. 18 of 2021.

Scouting Black Hills State

• Fresh off an 85-75 win over No. 13 Regis, the Yellow Jackets head to Colorado Springs winning six of their last seven games as they suffered a 59-82 loss to Colorado State University Pueblo on Saturday.
• The Yellow Jackets are holding opponents to 74.4 points per game while scoring on average 79.4 points per game with an RMAC best 49.8 shooting percentage from the field. BHSU has stayed in the positive in rebounding margin by averaging 34 rebounds against their opponent's 33.1.
• Joel Scott has been the offensive difference maker for the Yellow Jackets by averaging a double-double per game at 22.5 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game which ranks first and second in the RMAC, respectively. His 15 double-doubles on the year rank second in all of Division II as Scott also adds the top field-goal percentage in the conference at an impressive 60.8 percent from the field and a team leading 25 blocks.
• Adam Moussa and Sindou Cisse are also averaging double-digit points at 14.7 and 14.4, respectively. Moussa joins Scott as the only Yellow Jackets to start all 21 games as Moussa has dished out a conference high 45 assists and has registered the team's most steals with 33.

Scouting Chadron State

• CSC (9-13, 5-9 RMAC) comes off a 1-1 weekend at home where the Eagles fell to Adams State University, 58-59, and defeating CSU Pueblo, 88-86.
• Currently 11^th in the conference standings, the Eagles are averaging 74.1 points per game off a field-goal percentage of 44.5 percent while allowing 73.0 points per game. Chadron State is also averaging as many rebounds as they are giving up at an average of 33.9 per game.
• At a scoring average of 14.2, senior guard CJ Jennings leads the team in scoring while also averaging 4.5 rebounds per game off 36.9 percent from the field.
• Junior guard Marcus Jefferson joins Jennings as the other double-digit scorer for CSC at a 12.9 scoring average that is backed by a 43.1 shooting percentage from the field and 40.2 percent from three-point range. Jefferson has been successful in finding the open man by averaging 3.8 assists for the season, ranking him fourth in the RMAC and helping push the Eagles to the third highest assists per game average of 14.13.
• Jefferson and Jennings join a flock of six Eagles that have posted double-digit steals and the second most steals in the RMAC as a team (198). Teddy Parham Jr. companies Jennings and Jefferson with more than 25 steals on the season with 26 as Jennings owns 29 steals with Jefferson pacing the team with 30 steals.

Hot Takes

• UCCS has shown their ability to pass the ball efficiently and lead to scoring opportunities by posting the highest assists per game average in the conference at 16.2 per game. Parker Gaddis and Jon'il Fugett have been the big contributors by registering 73 and 69 assists, respectively.
• The Mountain Lions have been one of the best teams in the conference in blocked shots as they are averaging an even 4.0 per game with William Becker still leading the team and league at 2.0 blocks per game.
• Averaging 41.3 rebounds per game and notching a rebounding average of 9.8 is UCCS as they lead the RMAC in both categories while ranking fourth in the nation in rebounding margin. On the defensive end, the Mountain Lions have consistently out-rebounded their opponent with at an average of 29.23 rebounds per game that ranks 10^th in DII. Three Mountain Lions are north of 5.0 rebounds per game with Becker, Alijah Comithier, and Jezza McKenzie averaging 6.2, 5.9, and 5.2, respectively.
• Sitting fifth in the RMAC in field-goal percentage is Alijah Comithier as the sophomore is averaging 19.5 points per game with a field-goal percentage of 53.1 and free-throw percentage of 76.6 percent. Comithier is helping drive the league's second-best scoring offense as the Mountain Lions are averaging 81.7 points per game.
• On the opposite end of the floor, UCCS has held the opposition to 69.7 points per game while forcing opponents to the second lowest three-point percentage in the RMAC at 31.7. As a result, UCCS is +12 in scoring margin for the best margin in the RMAC.
• In seven straight games the Mountain Lions have recorded two or more blocks and steals with Fugett registering both a block and a steal in the past two games, including tying his season high four steals against Fort Lewis. The four steals boosted his season total to 36 and an average of 1.6 per game that ranks tied for fifth in the conference.
• The Mountain Lions have felt at home during this season by holding a stellar 6-3 record inside Gallogly Events Center.

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 .562 winning percentage with a 153-118 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.

Award Winners

• The RMAC announced the 2021-22 RMAC All-Academic Teams on Jan. 31.  Three total Mountains were named to the conference all-academic team:
  • Geoff Kelly (4.00 GPA, MBA), RMAC All-Academic First Team
  • Noah Baca (3.486 GPA, Exercise Science), RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll
  • Bobby Martin (3.526 GPA, Sociology), RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll

Admission at UCCS Home Events

• General admission tickets will be available one hour before game time (cash only).
• Ticket Prices:
  • Adults: $10
  • Non-UCCS students (with student ID), children ages 13-17: $5
  • Military members, seniors (age 55+): $3
  • UCCS faculty, staff, students (with ID), children ages 0-12, UCCS Alumni Association members: Free
• Masks are required at all times indoors.

Face Coverings

• Per campus policy, all students, faculty, staff and visitors on the UCCS campus are REQUIRED to wear a face covering while indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Upcoming Games

• The Mountain Lions are back on the road next week as they visit Colorado Christian University and Metropolitan State University of Denver on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19.

 
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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.