UNNISON, Colo. – The Western State Colorado University women's basketball team captured a twelve-point victory over University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, 74-62. Four Mountaineers scored in double-digits as Western beat UCCS for the first time since 2009.
 
Western (5-8, 2-5 RMAC) was led by Jaden Kanzler who scored 11 points for the Mountaineers. Additionally, Katie Dalton, Jessie Erickson, and Carra Jackson-Brown each scored 10 points to pace the Mountaineers to victory.
 
Despite falling behind 8-16 at the end of the first, the Mountaineers rushed back in the second quarter scoring 24 points to hit the half with a 32-30 lead.
 
In the second half, Western was too much for UCCS (2-10, 2-5 RMAC) as they shot 63.6% from the floor to pull away from UCCS in the fourth.
 
Western dominated in the paint, scoring 28 points. Western's post tandem of Kanzler and Dalton combined for 21 points. The Mountaineers also crashed the offensive glass, scoring 12 second chance points on the night.
 
But an inside-outside effort for the Western was the key to victory as the Mountaineers also shot 50% from three-point land.
 
To start the second half, Western built a 12-point edge in the third, before UCCS closed the deficit to one by the quarter's end.
 
After surrendering the lead in the fourth, Western mounted a final comeback off a basket from Dalton to tie the game at 55-55.
 
On the ensuing possession, in her first game back from injury, Chandler Sturms hit a go-ahead three-pointer and the Mountaineers would not look back.
 
After closing out 2017 with a key conference win, the Mountaineers hit the road next weekend against Regis University and Chadron State College.