GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado women's basketball team looks to continue its strong start in RMAC play as the Mountaineers play their home opener 5:30 p.m. Friday against Paul Wright Gym before hosting MSU Denver 5 p.m. Saturday.

WCU's game Friday is also its Ugly Holiday Sweater Game where fans are encouraged to wear their finest holiday ugly sweater. But more importantly, it's also the Mountaineers' "Operation Elf" game where fans can bring a toy, stocking stuffer or donate $5 or more to get a Western basketball ugly sweater T-shirt. Get more details here.

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | SEASON STATS
WCU is 2-0 in RMAC play after starting conference action on the road last week with wins at Colorado School of Mines (66-48) and at UCCS (65-43). In the win over CSM, Katie Dalton led the Mountaineers with 16 points to go along with six rebounds, two blocks and a steal while Jessie Erickson just missed a double-double with eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. In the victory at UCCS, Samantha Coleman led WCU with 14 points (all in the first half) while Taytem Coleman added 11.

Defense paced the Mountaineers as they held the both teams under 30 percent in the game as they sit third in the conference in field goal percentage defense at 35.4 percent (35th in the nation). WCU is also third in the conference in points allowed per game at 57.0. Offensively, WCU is second in field goal percentage (43.4 percent) and fifth in points per game (65.2).

Individually, Samantha Coleman leads the team in scoring at 13 points per game and is shooting a scorching 54.1 percent from 3-point range - tops in the conference and second in the nation. Her 3.3 3-pointers per game is third in the conference and 13th in the nation. Taytem Coleman is second on the team in scoring at 8.7 points per game while adding a team-best 1.5 steals per game. Dalton is averaging 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and a team-best 0.7 blocks while freshman Hannah Cooper leads the team at 3.2 assists per game to go along with 6.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest.

CHADRON STATE HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The Eagles split last weekend's RMAC-opening weekend at home - falling to Colorado Christian 69-56 on Friday (Melisa Kadic had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists for CSC) and beating Regis 69-65 on Saturday behind 24 points from Jori Peters.

CSC opened the season with a win over Texas A&M International, but then lost the next seven games before beating Converse on Nov. 30 and have won two of its last three games. The Eagles have three players averaging double figures in Taryn Foxen (12.3), Peters (10.9) and Kadic (10.6) with Kadic leading the team in rebounding (5.2), Peters in assists (4.4 - third in the RMAC) and Foxen in steals (1.5). Kadic also leads the team in 3-points (19) and 3-point percentage (36.5).

MSU DENVER HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The Roadrunners head into the weekend 2-0 in RMAC play after defeating Regis 79-74 on Friday and Colorado Christian 58-54 on Saturday - both games at home. In Friday's win, MSU Denver had five players reach double figures with Jaela Richardson leading the way with 19 points and eight rebounds to go along with four steals and three assists. In Saturday's win, Gabi Lucero came off the bench with 14 points and seven rebounds while Mariah Schroeder also added 14 points for the Roadrunners.

It's been a balanced effort for MSU Denver as no player is averaging double figures but five players are averaging eight points or better - led by Schroeder at 9.4 points per game. Richardson leads the team in rebounding at 6.0 per game while Jaiden Galloway has a team-best 37 assists and 11 steals.

The Roadrunners have won three games in a row (by a combined 11 points) after starting the season 0-5 - though that included beginning the season with a pair of current top-10 teams in No. 2 Lubbock Christian and No. 10 Texas A&M-Commerce.
  WCU'S COLEMAN NAMED RMAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (DEC. 2)
Western Colorado's Samantha Coleman's record-tying 3-point performance Saturday and strong overall weekend was rewarded Monday as the junior was named the RMAC Women's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week.

Coleman tied a Mountaineer women's record with seven 3-pointers and had a career-high 25 points in a 78-53 victory over University of the Southwest on Saturday at the CMU Holiday Inn - Airport Thanksgiving Classic in Grand Junction. She's the fourth Mountaineer to hit seven 3-pointers in a game with it most recently done last season by Chandler Willis against Fort Lewis.

MOUNTAINEERS UPEND D-I WEBER STATE IN EXHIBITION
The Western Colorado women's basketball team got key performances from veteran Samantha Coleman and newcomer Hannah Cooper and combined it with a strong defensive showing as the Mountaineers defeated Division-I Weber State 58-49 on Wednesday night at Dee Events Center.

Coleman, an All-RMAC performer last season for WCU, scored a game-high 22 points, went 5-for-12 from 3-point range, and added six rebounds while Cooper, a freshman from El Paso, Texas, displayed her all-around game with 12 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and six assists to lead the Mountaineers. Combine that with a defensive effort that saw WCU force Weber State into 20 turnovers while holding them to 39.1 percent shooting.

MOUNTAINEERS PICKED TO FINISH SIXTH IN THE RMAC
Coming off its postseason appearance in seven years, the Western Colorado women's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll released Tuesday.

The Mountaineers are coming off a 16-11 season (12-10 in the RMAC) that saw them reach the RMAC Tournament for the first time since 2012. WCU has nine players returning from that roster. In the poll, Western Colorado finished behind Colorado Mesa (215 points - nine first-place votes), Westminster (209 - five first-place votes), Colorad School of Mines (192 - one first-place vote), MSU Denver (180) and a single point behind Black Hills State (151) while finishing nine points ahead of seventh-place Regis.