THIS WEEK'S GAMES
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team returns home after playing the last four games on the road.  The Mountain Lions will play host to Colorado Mesa University on Wednesday at 5 p.m., followed by two more home games against Black Hills State University on Friday, Feb. 11, and Chadron State College on Saturday, Feb. 12.  Both weekend games will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.
 
GAME COVERAGE

• Live Stats: https://gomountainlions.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
• Video: https://rmacnetwork.com/gomountainlions/

 
LAST TIME OUT

• The Mountain Lions earned two road wins this past weekend against Western Colorado University (W, 60-57) and Fort Lewis College (55-52), and have now won four of their last five games, three of which have come on the road.
• The Mountain Lions shot 41.3 percent and a solid 50 percent at Western Friday night.  Maison White came off the bench to score a team high 15 points and a game high seven rebounds.  Jasmine Jeffcoat chipped in 10 points, six rebounds and blocked two shots.
• The following night in another second half comeback, the Mountain Lions were led by Jessica Nation and White who combined for 24 points.  UCCS took advantage of 23 FLC turnovers and turned them into 22 points.
• White led UCCS on the weekend, averaging 13 points and 5.5 rebounds while hitting on 10-of-16 field goals.  Sophie Abela dished out a team high 10 assists while Agar Farres snatched six steals to go with her 10 rebounds and five dimes.

 
RMAC RECORD/STANDINGS

• Colorado School of Mines continues to sit on top of the RMAC standings with a 13-2 record (18-3 overall).
• Colorado Mesa and Black Hills State are tied with MSU Denver for fourth place in the standings with an 11-4 RMAC record.
• UCCS moved up two spots in the standings after this past weekend's road sweep.  The Mountain Lions are in eighth place with a 7-8 record (9-12 overall).
• Saturday's opponent, Chadron State, is 6-9 in league games putting them 10^th in the standings.  The Eagles are 7-13 overall.

 
THE SERIES

• Vs. CMU: The Mavericks lead the all-time series, 38-11, since the two teams first played each other in 1990.  CMU has won the last four games; the last UCCS win over the Mavericks was in Pueblo on March 3, 2017 (W, 63-51).
• Vs. BHSU: The Mountain Lions are looking to snap a three-game losing streak against the Yellow Jackets.  Since their first meeting in 2013, UCCS leads the all-time series 11-8.
• Vs. CSC: UCCS has won 10 of the last 12 games against Chadron State and are 25-16 all-time since the series began in 1996.

 
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS

• Wednesday's game against Colorado Mesa is a rescheduled game from Dec. 31.  The Mavericks enter Gallogly Events Center with a 16-4 overall record (11-4 RMAC) and they are on a four-game winning streak.
• Two of the top three shooters in the league come from Colorado Mesa.  Mariah Martin is second in scoring with 19.0 points per game while Daniella Turner is third behind an 18.5 scoring average.  Martin leads the league in free throw percentage (89.9 percent) and assists 5.7 assists per game.  Kelsey Siemons' 7.7 rebounds per game leads CMU and is third in the league, while her 41 blocks are tied for the most in the league (second, 2.1 blocks per game).
• CMU leads the RMAC in three-point field goal percentage defense (25.0 percent), free throw percentage (80.7 percent), rebounds per game (42.2) and rebounding margin (9.8).  They are averaging the second most points in the league (70.1) while allowing the second fewest (55.1).

 
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS

• Tied for fourth place in the RMAC standings with an 11-4 record (13-8 overall), the Yellow Jackets setback to CSU Pueblo last Saturday night snapped a six-game winning streak.  BHSU defeated the Mountain Lions in their first meeting this season, 65-61, on Dec. 19, 2021.
• Danica Kocer, Megan Engesser, Ashley Davis and Ashlee Beacom have each started all 21 games for the Yellow Jackets.  Kocer leads the team with 11.2 points per game while Engesser's 2.2 made three-point field goals per game are the third most in the league.  She is also shooting the ball from long distance at a 36.2 percent clip (third highest in the RMAC).  Beacom leads the squad in steals (41) and rebounds, averaging 4.6 rebounds per game.
• BHSU is outscoring their opponents by just 1.2 points per game (60.6 ppg – 59.4 ppg).  They are one of the top three-point shooting teams in the league, leading the RMAC in made three-pointers per game (8.2) and second in three-point field goal percentage (34.2 percent).

 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• The Eagles (7-13, 6-9 RMAC) are coming off a home win against Adams State from Saturday night, 63-61.  All seven of the Eagles wins this season have come at home as they are 0-11 when playing on the road.
• Powering the Eagles offense is freshman forward Ashayla Powers with 14.6 points per game, the sixth highest scoring average in the RMAC.  Powers is making nearly half of her field goals, hitting on 92-of-193 for 47.7 percent.  Also averaging in double figures is sophomore guard Samiyah Worrell with 11.1 points per game.  Worrell has knocked in a team high 36 treys while shooting 32.7 percent from behind the arc.
• The Eagles are averaging 62.4 points per game while surrendering 71.8 points (8.8 ppg differential). In their first meeting earlier this season, CSC defeated the Mountain Lions in Chadron, Neb., 82-77 in double overtime on Dec. 18, 2021.

 
HOT TAKES

• The Mountain Lions have won back-to-back games for the third time this season.  Both wins this past weekend were by three points each.  Four of the Mountain Lions wins this season have come by three or fewer points.
• Jeffcoat leads UCCS' offense with 9.1 points per game and a team-best 55.7 field goal percentage (73-of-131).  She is pulling in 4.3 rebounds per game and is 10^th in the league in offensive rebounds per game (2.3).
• Sophie Abela has dished out a team high 57 assists, ranking her sixth in the league in assists per game (3.2), eighth in total assists, and sixth in assist turnover ratio (1.21).
• Ellie Moore has blocked a team high 18 shots and is adding 7.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. 
• Agar Farres, who has started 14-of-21 games, is fifth in the RMAC in rebounds with 135 total caroms (6.4 per game).
• UCCS has shot .400 or better from the floor in 14 games, including the last four games.
• The Mountain Lions have outrebounded their opponent 16 times.
• UCCS has forced their opponent to commit 20 or more turnovers in eight games.  Saturday's 23 forced turnovers at FLC is the second most this season.
• The Mountain Lions have recorded at least one blocked shot in 20 of 21 games. Conversely, they have not had a shot blocked in six different games, including last Saturday's game at FLC.
• The last time UCCS faced Chadron State (Dec. 18, 2021), the Mountain Lions drained a season high nine three-pointers, and the most field goals in a game (30).

 
AWARD WINNERS

• The RMAC announced the 2021-22 RMAC All-Academic Teams on Jan. 31.  Five Mountains were named to the Honor Roll:
  • Emily Doolittle (3.911 GPA, Psychology)
  • Ellie Moore (3.973 GPA, Biology)
  • Jessica Nation (3.826 GPA, Biology)       
  • Bo Shaffer (3.428 GPA, Applied Psychology)
  • McClain Walker (4.000 GPA, Social Work)

 
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 303-349 and a 72-82 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.

 
ADMISSION AT UCCS HOME MATCHES

• 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 will play their final road games of the regular season Feb. 18-19.  UCCS will play at CCU on Friday at 5 p.m., followed by Saturday's game against MSU Denver at 4 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.