LAKEWOOD, Colo. Western Colorado was unable to overcome a cold spell through the early minutes of the second half, allowing host Colorado Christian University to build a 19-point cushion before holding off a late Mountaineer challenge for a 76-67 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win in men's basketball action Tuesday evening.

Matthew Ragsdale helped spur a Western rally, finishing with a game-high 26 points in a losing effort.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Colorado Christian def. Western Colorado, 76-67
Records: Western Colorado 5-15 (4-10 RMAC), Colorado Christian 6-13 (3-10)
Location: CCU Event Center; Lakewood, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western came out of the halftime break trailing by only eight (41-33), keeping the Cougars in sight over the first three minutes and facing nearly the same manageable gap (48-41) after Elijah Davidson hit the second of two free throws.
• Colorado Christian broke free with 12 unanswered points, though, aided by a lid on the Mountaineer basket.
• Hitting 50 percent from the floor in the first half, Western was shooting just 12% through the Cougars' run, scoring more points from the free throw line (7) than from the floor (5).
• With CCU up 62-43, Western chipped away at the chasm on the scoreboard, cutting the 19-point gap down to just seven, 67-60, when Avery Rembao canned a 3-pointer from the left wing at the 2:11 mark.
• CCU would extend its lead back to 10, only to have Western pull back within seven, 74-67. But with only 16 seconds remaining, time to complete the comeback finally ran out on the Mountaineers.

HARDWOOD NOTES

• Ragsdale eclipsed the 20-point mark for the 12th time this season, including his past eight outings.
• Rembao also reached double digits during the loss, adding 15, while Davidson fell one basket short of a double-double, scoring eight and coming down with a game-best 10 rebounds.
• Western finished with a 39-34 advantage off the glass, but 14 turnovers that evolved into 12 points off turnovers for the Cougars negated the strong rebounding night by the Mountaineers.
• Neither team was able to maintain its 50% shooting from first-half action, with the Cougars hitting for 44% over the final 20 minutes. Western warmed up after dropping to that 12% mark, doubling that effort to finish the second half at 27%.

UP NEXT

• Western returns home for a weekend RMAC set against University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Friday followed by a match-up against New Mexico Highlands University on Saturday.
• CCU hosts league opponents Regis University and Colorado School of Mines on the same two respective nights.