LAKEWOOD, Colo. Western Colorado had control of the game in the first quarter. However, Colorado Christian University slowly started to pull away after that, leading to the Mountaineers losing 56-68.
 
JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: Colorado Christian def., Western Colorado 68-56.
Records: Western Colorado 6-15, 5-11 RMAC, Colorado Christian 6-15, 5-11 RMAC.
Location: CCU Event Center; Lakewood, Colo.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western raced out to an 8-2 lead to start the game, on five-points from Rachel Cockman and three-points from Emmery Wagstaff. Colorado Christian responded with a 7-1 run of their own – resulting in the game being tied at nine-points apiece. With 50 seconds left before the end of the first quarter, Wagstaff drained her second three-pointer in the quarter to give the Mountaineers a 12-9 lead heading into the second quarter.
• Western and the Cougars exchanged baskets to start the second quarter as, the three-point lead remained in favor of the Mountaineers. But, with 6:57 remaining before halftime Colorado Christian went on a 7-0 run, giving them a five-point lead of their own. Cockman slowed down the run making a layup. Yet, the Cougars kept attacking and managed to hold onto the lead – heading into halftime up 26-22.
• The four-point lead Colorado Christian grew to nine-points at the 7:31 mark of the third quarter. However, a Wagstaff three-pointer cut that lead back down to 25-31. The Cougars responded right away going on a 10-3 run, that put them up 41-28. Despite being up by 13-points twice in the third quarter, the Mountaineers fought back. Alyza Aikins cut the lead to 10-points on a three-pointer and then Cockman trimmed Colorado Christians lead to eight-points on a layup in the paint.
• The Cougars briefly increased their lead back to 10-points. But, a Wagstaff made free throw with nine seconds put Western down 36-49 heading into the final quarter.
• That lead got cut to six-points quickly on a Kylie Krise three-pointer. Unfortunately, once again Colorado Christian responded with an 8-2 run. With 4:10 left to play, a Caileen Sienknecht three-pointer and a Brooklyn Seymour made free throw led to Western only being down by five-points.
• That was the closest the Mountaineers got to tying the game for the remainder of the quarter, as the Cougars increased their lead to as high as 15-points – ultimately, finishing the game with a 12-point lead.

COURT NOTES

• Cockman led the way in scoring recording 18-points and had help from Wagstaff who pitched in with 16-points of her own. Wagstaff also had a double-double in the game, grabbing a team high 10 rebounds.
• As a team, Western shot 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the field, 34.4 percent (11-of-32) from three and 70 percent (7-of-10) from the free throw line.
• For Colorado Christian, they had three players – Maggie Phipps (14-points), Agnes Paul (14-points) and Regan Loconte (13-points) who scored in double figures in the game.
• As a team, the Cougars shot 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the field, 23.8 percent (5-of-21) from three and 78.1 percent (25-of-32) from the free throw line.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will return home for their next two games against Fort Lewis College (Feb. 10) and Adams State University (Feb. 11).