GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado women's basketball team trailed for much of the second and third quarter against CSU-Pueblo, but a strong final period - more precisely the final half of the final period - pushed the Mountaineers to a 61-50 win Friday night at Paul Wright Gym.

WCU finished the game on a 14-2 run to turn a one-point deficit into an 11-point victory.

Hannah Cooper got the run going as she drained a pair of free throws for the Mountaineers (8-4 overall, 6-2 RMAC) to give WCU a 49-48 lead - an advantage it wouldn't relinquish against the ThunderWolves (3-10, 2-6).

The Mountaineers expanded the lead to four at 52-48 on its next possession thanks to a 3-pointer from Samantha Coleman before CSU-Pueblo answered with a jumper at the 3:03 mark to make it 52-50.

But that's the last point the ThunderWolves scored.

Coleman drained another 3-pointer to push the lead to 55-50 as the lead grew to a game-high 11 points by the final buzzer.

Cooper led the Mountaineers with 17 points, seven rebounds and five steals to go along with tying a team-high with three assists. Coleman finished with 13 points and six rebounds while Jadyn Kanzler added eight points and four rebounds.

WCU struggled from the field, shooting 31.1 percent, but made up for it by grabbing 19 offensive rebounds and scoring 17 second-chance points. The Mountaineers limited CSU-Pueblo to 38.5 percent shooting - including 2-for-15 from 3-point range.

The Mountaineers are at home again 5 p.m. Saturday as they host New Mexico Highlands.