GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.  Western Colorado men's basketball on Saturday earned it first win of the season, holding off a late charge by Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) University in an 84-80 non-conference victory at the Holiday Inn Airport Thanksgiving Basketball Classic.

Matthew Ragsdale dropped in a season-high 38 points to lead a trio of Mountaineers into double figures during the victory.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western Colorado def. Our Lady of the Lake, 84-80
Records: Western Colorado 1-5, Our Lady of the Lake 4-5
Location: Brownson Arena, Colorado Mesa University; Grand Junction, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Saints broke a 7-7 tie early in the first half then held onto a lead for 10 minutes. Tied at 24-24, Ragsdale rained in a 3-pointer to break the tie and give Western back the lead.
• With 3:18 to play in the half the Mountaineers and Saints were knotted at 31-31, but Western finished the half on a 7-0 run to take a 38-31 advantage into the break.
• Ragsdale started the late spurt with a jumper, followed by one from Jaelan McCloud after a Saints turnover. Another Saints turnover led to a layup and one by Ragsdale for the final points of the run.
• Western broke from the halftime recess with a dominant opening five minutes, extending its seven-point lead into a 21-point chasm. Over the remaining 14 minutes, however, the Saints rallied back by outscoring the Mountaineers by 17 points.
• A pair of free throws by Ragsdale iced the win, despite a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the Saints that closed the final gap.

COURT NOTES

• Ragsdale's mega-afternoon included only four 3-pointers, and he was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. His 38 points are a season high, but still fall short of his career high, a 46-point night in a February 16, 2021, win at Colorado State Pueblo.
• Also reaching double figures Saturday were Avery Rembao (16) and Jordan Veening, whose 12 points were a career high as were his game-high 8 rebounds.
• Our Lady of the Lake won the rebounding battle, 35-29, scoring more points in the paint (48) than did Western (38), but the Mountaineers were 20-of-25 (80 percent) from the free throw line while the Saints connected on just 64% (16-of-25).

NEXT UP
Western will open Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play in its next outing, a road trip to Black Hills State University (S.D.) on Friday, December 3.