GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado women's basketball team looks to stay in the RMAC title hunt with a key contest against fellow third-place team Fort Lewis 5:30 p.m. Friday before hosting Adams State 5 p.m. Saturday at Paul Wright Gym.

The Mountaineers and Skyhawks are tied for third in the RMAC at 7-2, a game behind second-place Westminster and two games back of first-place Colorado Mesa. The two teams sit a game ahead of Dixie State and Black Hills State and two games up on Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Christian in a very tight RMAC playoff race (the top eight teams make the postseason conference tournament). 

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | SEASON STATS
WCU returned home and picked up a pair of double-digit wins last week, defeating CSU-Pueblo 61-50 on Friday and New Mexico Highlands 64-43 on Saturday at Paul Wright Gym. In the win over the ThunderWolves, the Mountaineers outscored CSU-Pueblo 21-8 in the fourth quarter to come away with the win and were led by Hannah Cooper's 17 points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. In the win over NMHU, WCU outscored the Cowgirls in each quarter to pull away with the 21-point win - led by 12 points apiece from Taytem Coleman and Samantha Coleman.

The Mountaineers are second in the RMAC in points allowed per game at 52.9 while scoring 61.8 per game (ninth in the conference) - good for a plus-8.9 points per game scoring margin. In conference game, the Mountaineers are second in scoring margin at plus-11.9 points per game. The Mountaineers are also second in field goal percentage defense (33.5 percent) and fourth in field goal percentage (41.1 percent).

Samantha Coleman leads the Mountaineers in scoring at 10.1 points per game and leads the team with 31 3-pointers (shooting 38.8 percent) to go along with 4.4 rebounds. Cooper is second on the team in scoring at 9.6 points per game while leading the team at 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals to go along with 3.5 rebounds per contest. Gabie Doud is third on the team at 8.2 points per game while averaging a team-best 6.0 rebounds.

FORT LEWIS HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The Skyhawks last week are coming off splitting a pair of games on the road, falling at UCCS 62-48 on Friday while beating Colorado School of Mines 64-55 on Saturday. In the loss at UCCS, FLC jumped out to a 16-6 lead before being outscored 18-6 in the second, 16-10 in the third and 22-16 in the fourth to fall by 14 points. Jordan Vasquez led the team with 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. FLC bounced back in the win over CSM, led by Katrina Chandler's 21 points.

The Skyhawks lead the RMAC in scoring at 69.6 points per game and are second in scoring margin at plus-11.8 points (though they are third in conference games at 66.4 points per game and sixth in scoring margin at plus-4.9 points).

Three FLC players are averaging double figures with Chandler at 11.5 points per game, Vasquez at 11.3 points per game and Jordan Carter at 10.9 points per game. Vasquez and Carter lead the team in rebounding at 7.1 per game while Chandler leads the Skyhawks in assists (3.7) and steals (1.4).

ADAMS STATE HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The Grizzlies dropped both games last week on the road, falling at Colorado School of Mines 79-36 on Friday and at UCCS 69-54 on Saturday.

ASU is last in the RMAC in scoring at 48.5 points per game while its 14th in the RMAC in points allowed at 69.1 points per game making them last in the RMAC in point differential at minus-20.6 points.

Zakiya Beckles leads the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game and steals at 1.5 steals per contest. Laura Gutierrez is second on the team at 9.5 points per game  while Marshell Hollins is third at 7.5 points per game while leading the team at 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest.