GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado is ready to get back on the court as they will try to finish the 2021-22 season on a strong note and get into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament.
The last time the Mountaineers faced Black Hills State (Dec. 3) and Chadron State (Dec. 4), they loss both games 85-80 and 90-84. Matthew Ragsdale had a record-breaking night against the Yellow Jackets scoring 53-points in the loss.

MASKS REQUIRED FOR ALL SPECTATORS AT PAUL WRIGHT GYM AND MOUNTAINEER FIELD HOUSE
In accordance with regulations established by Western Colorado University COVID Policies and Procedures, all spectators for Western Colorado University indoor sporting events, including Paul Wright Gym and Mountaineer Field house, must wear masks regardless of vaccination status. Thank you for complying so we can continue to host events for our Mountaineer student-athletes and loyal fans.

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | SEASON STATS

• Western suffered a tough loss on Sunday, Jan. 2, to South Dakota Mines losing 82-77 in overtime. That loss moved the Mountaineers to 12th place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings.
• Ragsdale was the leading scorer in the defeat with 19-points and had help from Will Willis who pitched in with 16-points and Avery Rembao who had 15-points.
• Ragsdale is the leading scorer for Western this season in RMAC play, scoring 23.7 points (No. 2 RMAC) per game, making 49.1 percent (No. 19 RMAC) from the field, 38 percent (No. 10) from three and 91.7 percent (No. 4 RMAC) from the free throw line.
• The next double-digit scorer is Jaelan McCloud who averages 10.4 points per game, on 50 percent (No. 16 RMAC) shooting from the field and 48.6 percent (No. 4 RMAC) from three. Elijah Davidson is the leading rebounder with 5.8 per game.
• Western scores 75.7 points (No. 5 RMAC) per game, gives up 81.6 points (No. 15 RMAC), shooting 43.8 percent (No. 11 RMAC) from the field, 36.3 percent (No. 6 RMAC) from three and 74.8 percent (No. 4 RMAC) from the free throw line.

YELLOW JACKETS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | SEASON STATS

• Black Hills suffered their first conference loss of the season on Sunday (Jan. 9) losing 81-71 to Colorado Mesa. That loss has them sitting in second place in the RMAC.
• Joel Scott is the leading scorer for the Yellow Jackets and the RMAC, scoring 28.1 per game, making 62.6 percent (No. 2 RMAC) from the field, 44.4 percent from three, and 76.6 percent (No. 14 RMAC) from the free throw line. Scott is also the leading rebounder grabbing 11 boards a game.
• Sindou Cisse and Adam Moussa are also threats on offense for Black Hills State.
• Cisse averages 14.3 points (No. 20 RMAC) per game, shoots 55 percent (No. 5 RMAC) from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 55.3 percent (No. 20) from the free throw line. Moussa scores 11.3 points per game, making 32.3 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from three and 68.4 percent from the free throw line.
• The Yellow Jackets have the third highest scoring offense since conference play has started, averaging 80.5 points per game, and gives up 74.3 points (No. 9 RMAC). They have the best field goal percentage (49.7) in the RMAC, third best three-point percentage (37.6) and have the worse free throw percentage (63.3) in the RMAC.

EAGLES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | SEASON STATS

• Chadron State is currently on a two-game losing streak, after losing to Colorado School of Mines (Dec. 31) 65-62 and Westminster (Jan. 8) 73-67. Those losses have them sitting in 13th place in the RMAC.
• CJ Jennings and Marcus Jefferson are the top scores for the Eagles so far this season in conference play.
• Jennings averages 15.7 points (No. 9 RMAC) per game, making 36.8 percent from the field, 25 percent from three and 84.4 percent (No. 6 RMAC) from the free throw line. Jefferson averages 13.5 points (No. 23 RMAC) per game, making 44.3 percent (No. 21 RMAC) from the field, 28 percent from three and 80.5 (No. 12 RMAC) from the free throw line.
• Porter Anderson is the leading rebounder, grabbing 5.2 boards a game.
• Chadron State scores 69.1 points (No. 14 RMAC) per game, gives up 69 points (No. 3 RMAC), shooting 42.6 percent (No. 13 RMAC) from the field, 33.6 percent (No. 9 RMAC) from three and 68.8 percent (No. 13 RMAC) from the free throw line.

ON THE COURT NEXT
The Mountaineers will be home again on Friday, Jan. 21, hosting Adams State University at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 22, hosting Colorado State University Pueblo at 7 p.m. On Friday, Western will have a faculty/staff appreciation night, then on Saturday it will be mentor appreciation night.