GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado men's basketball team looks to keep its winning streak going and it's hope for an RMAC Tournmanet spot alive as the Mountaineers host Colorado Mesa 7:30 p.m. Friday in their regular-season finale at Paul Wright Gym.

The Mountaineers are the hottest team in the conference as they own the longest current winning streak at five games (Colorado Mesa is next with four wins in a row). At 10-11 in the RMAC, the Mountaineers sit in 10th place, a game behind Regis and Westminster who are tied for the eighth and final spot for the RMAC Tournament. This means the Mountaineers would need a win and a Regis and Westminster loss to force a three-game tie for that final spot. Since none of the teams swept both of the other teams, it would go to the point rating system - which can't be determined until the final night of the season they system is based off of wins and losses for each RMAC game and the opponents' win-loss record - see the bottom of the page for the breakdown).  RMAC STANDINGS

It will also be senior night for the Mountaineers as Monroe Porter and James Willis will be playing their final game for WCU. Both played all four years for the Mountaineers - and after Friday - Willis will have played 112 games for the Mountaineers (third all-time) while Porter will have played 106 (tied for eighth all-time). Porter, this week's RMAC Defensive Player of the Week, also ranks third all-time in Mountaineer history in rebounds (699) and fifth in assists (288).

WCU is also looking for its 14th win of the season - which would be the most since the team went 14-14 during the 2008-09 season.

PREVIOUS MEETING THIS SEASON
Western Colorado fell to Colorado Mesa 71-49 on Dec. 20 in Grand Junctions. The Mountaineers led 28-24 at the half before falling short in the final 20 minutes. Cole Sienknecht led the Mountaineers with 15 points while Willis added 11 points. The Mavs had four players finish in double figures, led by Jared Small's 13 points.

THE MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | 2019-20 SEASON STATS
As mentioned earlier, the Mountaineers enter this week with the longest current winning streak in the RMAC at five games after a pair of wins on the road last weekend. WCU defeated Adams State 83-58 on Friday led by 10 points, 20 rebounds and six assists from Monroe Porter (his second 20-rebound game of the season and one off the WCU record) before defeating Fort Lewis 87-83 behind a career-high 24 points from Will Willis - the first win for WCU at Fort Lewis since 2009.

Sienknecht continues to lead the team in scoring at 13.6 points per game along wit h3.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Freshman Matthew Ragsdale is second on the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game while he's second in the RMAC in 3-point percentage (44.5 percent - 24th in NCAA Division II) and third in 3-pointers per game (2.7). Porter is third on the team in scoring at 9.1 points per game while he leads the team in rebounding (7.7 - second in the RMAC), assists (2.9), steals (0.9) and blocks (0.5).

As a team, the Mountaineers have bumped up their scoring over the last eight games (6-2 over that stretch) as they are averaging 84.5 points per game to raise their season average to 73.9 points per game this season - 12th in the RMAC. The Mountaineers are fourth in the RMAC and 32nd in the nation in 3-point percentage (39.3 percent) while they are third in the RMAC and 33rd in the country in free-throw percentage (77.2 percent). WCU is also second in the conference and in the top 60 in the nation in 3-pointers per game (9.6) and 3-pointers made (260).

COLORADO MESA HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The Mavericks enter Friday having won four games in a row, including pair of road wins last week in beating Fort Lewis 89-82 on Friday led by 25 points and six rebounds from Ethan Richardson before defeating Adams State 94-91 on Saturday with Ethan Menzies coming off the bench to lead the Maericks with 25 points and eight rebounds while Tommy Nun had a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists.

It's been a balanced attack for the Mavs this season with Tommy Nuno leading the five CMU players averaging double figures in scoring at 14.5 points and 4.6 assists to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Georgie Dancer is averaging 12.1 points per game, Ethan Richardson is at 11.9 points per game (in 13 games played), Small is averaging 11.8 points and is shooting 52.5 percent from 3-point range while Michael Skinner is averaging 11.5 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals.

As a team, the Mavericks are second in the nation and first in the RMAC in 3-point percentage at 42.7 percent while they are seventh in the RMAC in 3-pointers per game at 8.3. Overall, they are averaging 82.7 points per game - third in the RMAC.

RMAC Manual for Tiebreaker (Appendix 1)
A. BASKETBALL.
1. Tie-breaker.
    a. Head to head record in regular season conference play (even if only one game was played)
        - In a scenario where more than two teams are tied – if one of the tied teams swept all the other teams they would rise to the top in the head to head comparison
        - Conversely if one of the teams was swept by all teams they are tied with they drop to the bottom in the head to head comparison
        - If two teams remain tied after the multiple team tie has been broken – compare head to head again
        - If the two teams split or a multiple (3+) team tie remains – go to next step
    b. Point rating system – conference games only
        - Points shall be awarded for each contest played. The points shall be awarded as follows:
        7 points – win over a .750 or better team on the road
        6.5 points – win over a .750 or better team at home
        6 points – win over a .500 or better team on the road
        5 points – win over a .500 or better team at home
        4.5 points – win over a .250 or better team on the road
        4 points – win over a .250 team or better at home
        3.5 points – win over an under .250 team on the road
        3 points – win over an under .250 team at home
        2.5 points – loss at home or on the road to a .750 or better team
        2 points – loss to a .500 or better team at home or on the road
        1 point – loss to a .250 or better team at home or on the road
        .5 points – loss to an under .250 team on the road
        0 points – loss to an under .250 team at home
    c. Compare win loss % vs. teams who finished highest in standings in descending order until an advantage is gained
    d. Coin flip. (Revised: October 2014)