GUNNISON, Colo. – Western State Colorado University begins a three-game road trip this weekend. The Mountaineers travel to South Dakota to face South Dakota School of Mines & Technology on Friday. Saturday, the team travels down the road to play Black Hills State University. Western then returns to Colorado and travels to Colorado Mesa University for a Tuesday night showdown.
 
Western (4-13, 3-10 RMAC) has nine game remaining in the regular season. Three-of-five final road games will be played over the course of the next seven days.
 
The Mountaineers sit 13^th in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, and are 3.5 games out of eighth place. The top eight teams make the postseason RMAC Tournament.
 
Western's offense has recently been clicking during the first half of play. Over the past two games, Western outscored opponents by a combined 19 points in the first half.
 
Harlie Williams leads the Mountaineers in scoring, rebounding and three-point field goals made. The senior forward averages 8.4 points per game and grabs 4.6 rebounds per game. Her 34 made three-pointers also leads the team.
 
On Friday, Western faces SDSMT (8-11, 6-8 RMAC) at 5:30 p.m. The Hardrockers are 10^th in the conference standings and one game out of eighth place. It will be only the second game against SDSMT in women's basketball history. The Mountaineers lost the inaugural meeting, 58-45 last season.
 
SDSMT has lost their last two-of-three games and are 4-4 at home this season. Friday's game will be the first of a four-game home stand for the Hardrockers.
 
SDSMT's 7.5 three-point field goals made per game ranks third best in the conference.
 
Megan Rohrer leads the Hardrockers in scoring, averaging 10.2 points per game.
 
Saturday's game against BHSU (7-11, 7-7 RMAC) is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in Spearfish, South Dakota. The Yellow Jackets currently sit in eighth place in the RMAC standings.
 
BHSU is riding a one-game winning streak after losing to SDSMT on Jan. 17. The Yellow Jackets defeated Westminster College last weekend on the road. BHSU will face CMU on Friday night.
 
The Yellow Jackets hit the glass hard, averaging the fourth most offensive rebounds per game in the conference at 13.3.
 
BHSU's offense is led by two players, Kassidy Scott and Rachel Erickson. Both players are averaging 8.8 points per game.
 
Western last defeated the Yellow Jackets on Dec. 6, 2013 by a score of 48-47. The Mountaineers have yet to win in Spearfish.
 
CMU (13-4, 10-3 RMAC) is tied for third in the conference standings after winning their last four games. Western's game against CMU is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
 
The Mavericks are second in the RMAC in scoring, averaging 74.1 points per game.
 
CMU's offense is directed by the conference's leading scorer, Bryanna Adams. Adams leads the Mavericks with 20.1 points per game.
 
Western lost to the Mavericks 71-42 earlier this fall.
 
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