COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team's defense held Western Colorado University's offense to shoot just 26 percent from the field in their 54-45-win Thursday night.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final: UCCS 54, WCU 45
- Records: UCCS (11-7, 7-4 RMAC) | WCU (13-5, 8-3 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Gallogly Events Center | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- All-Time Series: With the win, the Mountain Lions increase their series advantage to 33-19 over the Mountaineers since 1990.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Thursday night's game opened as a low-scoring affair, with WCU leading just 9-4 after seven minutes of play. The Mountain Lions closed the first quarter with four unanswered points but were still down 9-8 heading into the second quarter. Both teams had trouble finding the bottom of the net in the opening frame, with the Mountaineers shooting 23.1 percent (3-of-13) and UCCS shooting 20 percent (3-of-15) from the floor.
- The Mountain Lions' defense remained persistent in the second quarter, and their offense found its rhythm. UCCS went on a 10-6 run in a seven-and-a-half-minute span, getting contributions from five different Mountain Lions who each recorded a bucket in that stretch. WCU netted two free throws to end the first half, but UCCS went into the break with an 18-17-point lead. The Mountain Lions held the Mountaineers to making just one basket in the second quarter as WCU shot 1-of-10 overall in the frame.
- WCU opened the second half on a 10-5 run to reclaim a four-point lead (27-23). UCCS turned up their focus and held the Mountaineers on the defensive end. A pair of Breelyn Robinson free throws and a layup from Rylie Ottmann lessened the Mountain Lions' deficit to one (32-31) to enter the fourth quarter.
- Ottmann found Krystina Hagood for a three-pointer on UCCS' first possession and tied the game at 34. Two minutes later, Ottmann connected with Maison White for a layup to retake the lead (38-36). At the 5:45 mark in the frame and to cap off a 9-0 run, Ottmann walked into a transition three-pointer to put the Mountain Lions up 43-36. WCU responded immediately on a 6-0 run. Still, White replied with a turnaround jumper in the post to halt the Mountaineer's momentum.
- With two minutes to go and a 45-43 lead, White scored a lay-in at the rim, and a possession later, Robinson nailed a top-of-the-key three-pointer to take a crucial seven-point lead (50-43) with 1:02 left in the game. Amyah Moore-Allen put the finishing touches on the game with a pair of free throws, and UCCS would go on to win 54-45.
GAME STATISTICS
- Amyah Moore Allen led the Mountain Lions in the scoring department tonight, recording 14 points, but struggled from the field, shooting 4-of-16.
- Maison White did a little bit of everything tonight as she recorded 10 rebounds and four blocks to go along with nine points and three steals while shooting 4-of-7 from the field.
- UCCS defenders put on an impressive defensive display, holding the Mountaineers to shoot 26 percent from the field on 13-of-50 shooting. The Mountain Lions also forced 17 turnovers, recorded seven steals, and blocked seven shots.
- UCCS bested WCU in assists (6-3), bench points (24-6), fastbreak points (11-2), points off turnovers (14-4), points in the paint (26-12), and second chance points (10-5).
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Maison White is now fifth in total points scored in program history after scoring nine points tonight. She passed Stephanie Frisch and is now at 1,231 points in her career.
- White's four blocks tie a team season-high and mark the third time she has recorded four blocks in a game in her career.
- WCU's 45 points in tonight's game are the second-lowest number of points the Mountain Lions have allowed in a game this season. Their 13 made field goals made are the lowest number UCCS has allowed in a game this season.
- WCU's 26 percent shooting from the field is the lowest field goal percentage the Mountain Lions have allowed in a game this season.
- WCU's three assists is the lowest number of assists that UCCS has allowed by an opponent this season.
- UCCS only surrendered six turnovers in tonight's game, which is the lowest they've allowed in a game this season.
- WCU entered the game on a three-game winning streak and an 8-2 record in conference play, tied for first in the RMAC. With the win, UCCS claimed a three-game win streak of its own and improved its conference record to 7-4.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions finish their four-game homestand on Saturday, February 1, when they take on Colorado Mesa University at the Gallogly Events Center at 1 p.m. Following Saturday's game, UCCS athletics will retire Abby Kirchoff's jersey.
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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.
