GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado overcame several icy patches Saturday night against visiting Colorado Christian University, rallying from as far back as 13 points in the first half to hold a late lead, but the Cougars had the final rally of the night and held on for a 61-57 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men's basketball victory at Paul Wright Gymnasium.

A Robel Desta 3-pointer gave the Mountaineers a 51-48 lead with 7:27 to play, but over those remaining minutes CCU outscored Western, 13-6, 11 of those Cougar points coming at the free throw line.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Colorado Christian def. Western Colorado, 61-57
Records: Western 2-6 (0-4 RMAC), CCU 6-4 (2-2)
Location: Paul Wright Gymnasium, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Chilly. Icy cold. The Mountaineers put themselves in an early hole going 0-for-10 to start the game. Their only hot spot was at the free throw line where during that same span they were a perfect 8-for-8, but still trailed 21-8.
• The first Western field goal of the game didn't come until the 8:42 mark of the first half, on a layup by Desta that loosened the lid that had been over the Mountaineer basket. Following that layup, they went on a 13-6 run that drew them to within four, 27-23, at the halftime break.
• The momentum continued into the early moments of the second half as Desta finished off a Cougar turnover with a fast break layup. And though CCU dropped in a trey to answer, Jaelan McCloud responded with a jumper to pull Western again to within two, followed by a defensive rebound by Gino Corridori that turned into another Desta lay-in, this one tying the game (30-30) for the first time since it had been 2-2.
• It was anyone's game after that. Western broke out to a six-point lead, 40-34, but CCU raced back ahead to lead by seven, 47-40, at the midway point of the half. Consecutive 3s from Jaelan McCloud then Desta later elevated the Mountaineers into the lead once more, 51-48, but that would be the last rally Western would be able to put together.

DATA POINTS

• Western improved from its early shooting woes to eventually finish the first half at 19 percent (5-26), then improved upon those numbers in the second half, hitting 31% (10-32) to finish the game at 26%.
• The 8-for-8 stretch to open the game certainly helped the Mountaineers stay in the game, and they finished the night 23-of-31 (74%) from the stripe, but a few of those misses came in the crucial final two minutes.
• Both teams rebounded well in the defensive end, limiting second-chance points off the offensive glass, each pulling down 43 on the night. Corridor led Western with 11 boards, while Maro Egodotaye led the Cougars with 7.
• Corridor registered a double-double in the loss, adding 10 points to his double-digit rebounding total. Also reaching double figures in scoring from Western were Desta (17 points) and Avery Rembao (13).
• Jaelan McCloud's 9 points all came from behind the arc, dropping in three of Western's four 3-pointers.
• CCU's Jason Gallant paced the Cougars with a game-high 22, joined in double figures by Noah Kon's 12.

LOOKING AHEAD
Western gets a break from the usual two-game weekend with its next outing, taking on only host Colorado School of Mines in and RMAC matchup on Sunday, Dec. 18.