GUNNISON --- The Western Colorado women's basketball team used long-range shooting and a defensive effort that forced 19 turnovers to defeat Fort Lewis 84-69 on Tuesday at Paul Wright Gym.

The Mountaineers (2-0 overall, 2-0 RMAC) went 10-for-22 from 3-point range, including 8-for-13 through the first two quarters to build a 17-point lead halftime lead and cruised from there.

Western only trailed for 32 seconds in the game as after a jumper by Fort Lewis (0-2, 0-2) in the opening minute, a 3-pointer from Samantha Coleman at the 8:33 mark gave the Mountaineers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The lead grew to 18-8 in the first after an Emmery Wagstaff 3-pointer at the 1:44 mark as Western went into the second quarter with a 21-13 lead. 

The Mountaineer advantage grew to as large as 19 points in the second quarter, 18 points in the third quarter and to a game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter before settling into the 15-point victory.

Hannah Cooper, coming off the fourth-highest scoring game in Mountaineer history with 34 points on Friday, led the team with 17 points to go along with six assists, five rebounds, a block and a steal. Samantha Coleman had 15 points - going 3-for-6 from 3-point range - while Emmery Wagstaff came off the bench for double figures for the second game in a row with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range.

Jordan Vasquez paced Fort Lewis with 21 points.

The Mountaineers shot 47.5 percent from the field and was 18-for-22 (81.8 percent) from the free throw line. Fort Lewis shot 43.1 percent from the field, but just 4-for-18 (22.2 percent) from 3-point range.

Up next for the Mountaineers is their first road game of the season at MSU Denver 2 p.m. Saturday.