GUNNISON – Western State Colorado University men's basketball team is back in the gym and preparing for an upcoming battle with the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. The Mountaineers will take on the Mountain Lions this Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Colorado Springs.
 
Half of the Mountaineers' games thus far have been decided by 10 points or less, with Western winning only a single of those games by a 38-foot buzzer beater from Will Duggan. Western is averaging more than 81 points per game, and holding its opponents to just under 83 points per game. Western looks to flip this results this weekend against the Mountain Lions (3-8,2-4 RMAC), who lack a clear-cut All-American candidate for the first time in many years.
 
Ben Beauchamp has paved the way for Western, scoring 20 or more points in half of the games this season and only missing out on double-digit scoring twice. The guard has become more aggressive in the lane this season, drawing a team-high 46 trips to the foul line. Beauchamp is also converting on those trips, sinking nearly 85 percent of his foul shots. He is sixth in the conference in scoring this season, including 13^th in field goal percentage and tied for third in 3-pointers per game.
 
Also for Western, Will Duggan has averaged nearly 12 points per game and 3.6 assist per game. The point guard is also just above Beauchamp in deep shot percentages with 45 percent. He is joined by Collin Smith, who has been a key player off the bench for Western.