ALAMOSA, Colo. --- The Western Colorado women's basketball team secured a home game for the first round of the RMAC Tournament thanks to a big fourth quarter to pull away from Adams State 62-43 on Friday night at Plachy Hall.
 
The Mountaineers (18-6 overall, 16-4 RMAC) now sit in second place alone in the RMAC – a game ahead of Colorado School of Mines after the Orediggers lost to Black Hills State on Friday and, more importantly, are three games up on fifth place BHSU with two games to go. This means WCU is guaranteed a top-four spot in the RMAC – which earns a home game for the first round of the RMAC Tournament.
 
The RMAC Tournament home game will be Tuesday, March 3, at Paul Wright Gym. Time and opponent to be determined at a later date.
 
As for Friday's win, the Mountaineers trailed Adams State (3-23, 3-17) 41-40 heading into the fourth quarter before outscoring the Grizzlies 22-2 in the final period. The run started on a layup by Katie Dalton that was assisted by Jessie Erickson to make it 42-41 after the first possession of the fourth quarter.
 
The lead was 48-43 when Samantha Coleman drained a 3-pointer at the 5:51 mark to ignite a game-ending 14-0 run as the Mountaineers held Adams State to 0-for-18 shooting in the fourth quarter. The win was the fifth straight for WCU and its eighth straight against Adams State.
 
Freshman Hannah Cooper paced the Mountaineers with an efficient 16 points, going 3-for-5 from the field, 2-for-2 from 3-point range and 8-for-8 from the free throw line to go along with seven rebounds. Coleman finished with 14 points – hitting three 3-pointers – while Dalton had eight points and eight rebounds and Erickson had eight points and six rebounds.
 
The Mountaineers shot 35 percent from the field – including 6-for-18 from 3-point range – but went 28-for-39 from the free throw line.
 
The victory was also coach Lora Westling's 50th as head coach of the Mountaineers – making her the second fastest coach to reach that mark in Western Colorado women's basketball history (Phil Swille – who coached from 1978-82 – only reached the mark faster as he finished with a 69-29 overall record in four seasons).
 
WCU – ranked sixth in the region – takes on Fort Lewis in Durango 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The Skyhawks fell to No. 24 Colorado Mesa 63-60 on Friday night.