GUNNISON, Colo. Western Colorado's offense got going in the second half against Simon Fraser, leading to them picking up their first win of the season as they went on to defeated the Red Leafs 72-61. 
 
JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: Western Colorado def. Simon Fraser 72-61.
Records: Western Colorado 1-2, Simon Fraser 3-2.
Location: Paul Wright Gym; Gunnison, Colo.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western got off to a hot start after Robel Desta completed the four-point play – sinking a three, then making the free throw – which propelled the Mountaineers to an 8-2 run, Jaelan McCloud and Gino Corridori each making a layup before the first media timeout was called. Coming out the timeout, the Red Leaf's put together a 7-3 run of their own – Kade Juelfs making a three-pointer during the run – cutting Western's lead to 11-9.
• Over the next four-minutes and 11-seconds, both teams struggled to score, the Mountaineers scoring three-points off a Corridori made free throw and layup. While Simon Fraser scored four-points, putting the Mountaineers lead at 14-13 with 8:38 left to go in the second half. Things remained neck and neck for the next four-minutes and 21 seconds, resulting in Western's lead staying at one-point (21-20).
• The Red Leaf's offense got going before the half ended, as they went on a 13-2 run to end the half. At halftime the Mountaineers trailed 33-23.
• Coming out of halftime, Western's offense and defense woke up. Early on in the second half, the Mountaineers outscored Simon Fraser 16-7, thanks to five-points from Desta, four-points from Corridori, three-points from Jaelan and Jonathan McCloud and one-point from Avery Rembao – putting the score at 40-39 with 14:13 remaining, in favor of the Red Leaf's.
• Simon Fraser responded minutes later and managed to increase their lead to 52-44 with 8:06 remaining in the second half. That was the biggest lead the Red Leaf's had for the remainder of the game.
• With 7:47 on the clock, a Kevin Jimenez layup sparked an 11-2 run, that resulted in Rembao scoring four-points, Jimenez knocking down two free throws and Desta giving the Mountaineers a 55-54 lead on a made three-pointer. Simon Fraser briefly held a 56-55 lead (4:24).
• However, Western was able to close the game out from there thanks to stellar free throw shooting, and two costly class A technical fouls that came with 1:38 left - the Mountaineers were up by five-points at the time - by the Red Leaf's.
• Those technical fouls led to Western having six straight free throws - Rembao being fouled before the two technical fouls were accessed. Juelfs made all four technical free throws and Rembao made his two free throws, resulting in the scoreboard reading 67-56.
• Simon Fraser tried to get back into the game, cutting the lead to eight-points with 1:30 to go. Yet, the Mountaineers were not going to let the Red Leaf's back into the game increasing the lead back to 11-points before the final buzzer sounded. In the second half, Western outscored Simon Fraser 49-28.

COURT NOTES

• Desta had a career game for the Mountaineers, recording 21-points (5-of-8) and 13 rebounds. Additionally, he went 3-of-4 from three and 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Corridori and Juelfs also finished the game in double figures each having 12-points apiece.
• On defense, Grant Wilkinson was the leader in steals recording two. While Corridori and Jaelan McCloud each had one steal each. Juelfs also made an impact on defense recording one block in the game.
• As whole, Western shot 39.2 percent (20-of-51) from the field, 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from three and 71.4 percent (25-of-35) from the free throw line. The Mountaineers scored 16-points in the paint and had seven-points off turnovers.

UP NEXT
Western Colorado will be home again tomorrow (Nov. 26) taking on Northern New Mexico at 3 p.m., for the final game of The Inn at Tomichi Village Thanksgiving Classic.