INSIDE THE MATCHUP

• Final Score: W, UCCS 88, UTD 83
• Records: UCCS (1-0, 0-0 RMAC) | UTD (0-1, 0-0 LSC)
• Facility | Location: Gallogly Events Center | Colorado Springs, Colo.
• All-Time Series: This was the first meeting for the Mountain Lions and the Comets, so with this win, UCCS improves to 1-0 all-time over UTD.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Mountain Lions started their season by quickly falling down to the Comets 7-4 but would begin to heat up behind the first quarter scoring of newly acquired junior forward Ayianna Johnson, and veteran senior guard Amyah Moore Allen. The duo combined for 12 of the team's first 15 points of the game, which contributed to a 15-12 lead for UCCS with 1:44 remaining in the quarter. UTD forward Addy Self responded with a three-pointer; however Mountain Lion sophomore forward Brooklyn Hurtado scored two quick layups, giving the Mountain Lions the lead at the end of the quarter 19-15.
• The second quarter picked up with the same back-and-forth action that the first quarter ended with. Johnson continued to score at will with two buckets in the paint, but it was actually the Comets who were able to string some stops together and hold UCCS to a few empty possessions as they brought their deficit to just two in a 26-24 game with 5:17 remaining in the quarter. UCCS came out of a UTD timeout with a new spark, and from that point on, it was all Mountain Lions. In the next four minutes, the Mountain Lions went on a 10-to-three run fueled by two three-pointers by senior guards Ellie Reynolds and Rylie Ottmann, giving the Mountain Lions a 36-27 lead with 1:50 remaining in the half. The Comets would follow with a mini run of their own, scoring nearly six unanswered points; however, the Mountain Lions were still able to escape the half with a comfortable 38-33 lead.
• UTD stayed hot coming out of the break, scoring the half's first six points behind a made three-pointer by guard Anna Yellen, and the efficient free-throw shooting of guard Umi Otsuka, which helped them reclaim their first lead since the six-minute mark of the first quarter, as they held a 40-38 lead within the first three minutes of the half. Johnson continued to get to the line and shoot efficiently, keeping the Mountain Lions in the game, which allowed Ottmann to knock down another three-pointer, giving UCCS the lead at 44-42 with 5:54 remaining in the quarter. Despite the scoring of Comet guards Otsuka and Yellen, the Mountain Lions held off the Comets for the rest of the quarter with efficient free-throw shooting and scoring in the paint, giving the Mountain Lions a narrow 62-60 lead at the end of the quarter.
• Sophomore guard Jayla Jackson-Allen led the scoring for UCCS to start the final quarter, with a quick jumper and a three-pointer in the first 60 seconds of the quarter, giving the Mountain Lions a 67-62 lead with 9:09 left in the game. The Comets were able to keep themselves in it with continued scoring by Otsuka, while also getting contributions from Yellen and forward Sharidan Kavanaugh as they both cashed in on attempts from behind-the-arc. However, even with all of that scoring, Johnson and Moore Allen were too much for the Comets as they combined for 12 points in the next seven minutes, giving the Mountain Lions an 83-76 lead with 2:37 remaining. UTD was able to string together some points, including yet another three-pointer from Yellen, cutting the deficit to just one, as the score stood 83-82 with 1:48 remaining. The Mountain Lions were able to tighten up on defense, only allowing one point in the remaining 90 seconds of the game. The efficient free-throw shooting of Moore Allen and Ottmann closed out the game for the Mountain Lions as the final buzzer sounded off, marking an 88-83 win for the Mountain Lions.

GAME STATISTICS

• Johnson and Moore Allen led the Mountain Lions in scoring with 23 and 19 points, respectively; however it was Otsuka who led the game in scoring with 26 points for the Comets.
• Despite the game holding nine lead changes, UCCS led for nearly 78 percent of the game, holding a total time of 31:09, with the lead to UTD's 4:27
• The Mountain Lions' defense came to play today, as they forced the Comets to 21 turnovers in the game.
• Bench scoring played a massive role in this win for UCCS, as the Mountain Lions' bench outscored the Comets bench 20-6

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Johnson and Hurtado, alongside junior forward Brynae Stewart, and freshman forward Mia DiPuccio, all made their debuts for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team in this game.
• This was the first meeting between the Comets and Mountain Lions, marking the beginning of a new matchup for the program moving forward.
• Today's win over UTD marks the third straight home-opening win for the Mountain Lions. The last time they lost a home opener was to Cameron University on November 11, 2022.

UP NEXT

• The Mountain Lions continue their season tomorrow, at home, against No. 3 Texas Women's University Pioneers. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Gallogly Events Center, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.