COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team is in a groove right now after grabbing their fourth straight conference victory in Friday night's 69-56 home win over Westminster University.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final: UCCS 69, WU 56
- Records: UCCS (15-7, 12-4 RMAC) | WU (3-19, 1-15 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Gallogly Events Center | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- All-Time Series: UCCS has now defeated WU two consecutive times as they collected a 75-51 win over the Griffins on December 9, 2023. Westminster still holds a 6-5 all-time series advantage over the Mountain Lions.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams came out the gate slowly Friday night as the first seven minutes saw only 10 total points scored with UCCS leading 8-2 at the 2:57 mark. The Mountain Lions struggled to see shots fall throughout the first quarter but would get a three-pointer to go after Jessica Nation connected with Rylie Ottmann on the wing with around 30 seconds to go in the opening frame. UCCS would carry a low scoring lead (13-6) into the second quarter.
- Maison White began the second quarter with a tough bucket in the low post as she scored through contact and a foul. White would make the and one free throw which lifted the Mountain Lions to take a 23-11 lead with 6:44 to go in the first half.
- Westminster would close out the remainder of the second quarter strongly though as UCCS only found themselves up six (32-26) going into the break.
- The two teams traded baskets with each other in the first five and a half minutes of the third quarter but after a made three from Griffins guard Marli Reed, the Mountain Lions were just up five at the 4:20 mark in the quarter.
- UCCS immediately responded as they turned up the intensity as Amyah Moore Allen and White would score the next seven points for the Mountain Lions and grow their lead to nine (51-42) heading into the final frame.
- Westminster kept this game within reach throughout the fourth quarter, but Moore Allen kept getting what she wanted as she cut through the lane and got herself easy looks at the rim. Up 11 with 2:25 to go in the game, Ottmann would virtually ice the game as she nailed a trey at the top of the key with the assist coming from Moore Allen. UCCS would then coast to a comfortable 69-56 victory.
GAME STATISTICS
- Leading the way for all UCCS scorers was Moore Allen who ended with 20 points, and Ottmann who shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from deep as she notched 17 in tonight's contest.
- UCCS bested the Griffins in points from turnovers (23-5), points in the paint (42-18), second chance points (19-8), fast break points (7-0), and points from the bench (29-25).
- The Mountain Lions shot better from the field (42.9 percent) compared to WU (38.8 percent), but the Griffins shot lights out from deep as they went 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) while UCCS only went 2-of-10 from beyond the arc.
- UCCS caused chaos on defense tonight as they forced Westminster to turn the ball over 22 times, while they themselves only coughed it up nine times total.
- All 14 Mountain Lions appeared in tonight's victory.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Amyah Moore Allen has now scored 20 points or more in three straight games, dating back to January 27, when the Mountain Lions defeated Colorado Christian University.
- Maison White's eight boards tonight has placed her past Tori Fisher for the fourth most rebounds collected in a junior season in UCCS history. White has grabbed 199 rebounds this season.
- White needs to grab just five more rebounds to become sixth all-time in total rebounds in a career at UCCS.
- Tonight's win marks as the most conference wins that the Mountain Lions have had since the 2016-17 season when UCCS went 17-5 in the RMAC and 24-9 overall.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will take on Colorado Mesa University tomorrow night at 5 p.m. at the Gallogly Events Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
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 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
