DENVER, Colo. Western Colorado went toe-to-toe against first-place Regis University. But, second quarter scoring woes gave the Rangers just enough space to escape with a 78-67 victory.
 
JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: Regis def., Western Colorado 78-67.
Records: Western Colorado 6-19, 5-15 RMAC, Regis 20-6, 17-3 RMAC.
Location: Regis Field House; Denver, Colo.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Neither team was able to take control of the game in the first quarter. However, when the first quarter ended the Mountaineers had a 17-15 lead, thanks to Emmery Wagstaff who was hot to start the game going 4-of-4 from the field, 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
• Things changed in the second quarter - unfortunately, in favor of the Rangers. Western had the lead for the first four minutes and 22 seconds of the quarter. But, after two successful Wagstaff free throws, gave the Mountaineers a 21-18 lead (5:58), Regis went on 15-3 run which lasted the rest of the second quarter. At halftime, Western trailed 24-33.
• Coming out of halftime, the Rangers offense picked up from where it left off, starting the third quarter on a 13-4, which resulted in the Mountaineers calling a timeout with 6:59 left on the clock. Western tried to get back into the game outscoring Regis 11-7 over the next two-minutes and 43-second – Wagstaff, Alyza Aikins and Rachel Cockman each knocked down a three-pointer over that stretch, Cockman also pitched in with two more-points on a hook shot.
• Down 39-53 (4:20), the Rangers offense continued to be on fire closing out the second quarter outscoring Western 6-8 – the six-points coming on a Cockman three-pointer and a Wagstaff step back three-pointer before the buzzer.
• The Mountaineers started to make a comeback in the fourth quarter, down 47-67 with 8:03 left to play, putting together a 10-0 run that was led by Wagstaff who scored eight of the ten-points during that run.
• With 1:52 left, Aikins helped trim the lead to nine-points, draining a three-pointer as Western trailed 64-73. Regis right away matched that three-point basket on their next possession increasing their lead back to 12-points.
• The Rangers held a 12-point lead for the majority of the fourth quarter – a successful free throw by Wagstaff with 10 seconds left trimming that lead to 11-points before the game ended.

COURT NOTES

• The dynamic duo of Wagstaff and Cockman shouldered the scoring load for the Mountaineers, Wagstaff scoring 30-points and Cockman scoring a career high 26-points. Wagstaff also led the team in rebounding grabbing six boards.
• For Regis they had three players score in double figures, being led by Erin Fry who had 22-points and Sam Deem who pitched in with 17-points. Additionally, the Rangers 20 offensive rebounds to Western's three offensive rebounds played a key role in the victory – Regis scoring 24 second chance points.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers return home for their final two games of the season against Colorado Mesa University (Feb. 23) and Westminster College (Feb. 24).