GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado battled back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday night, but visiting University of Colorado Colorado Springs in the final minute finished off a perfect night from the free throw line to hold on for a 67-63 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's basketball win in Paul Wright Gym.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: UCCS def. Western, 67-63
Records: Western 6-19 overall (4-16 RMAC), UCCS 19-7 (16-4)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Mountain Lions scored the first bucket of the fourth quarter to increase their lead to double figures, 54-44, but Western never allowed that deficit to get larger as it eventually drew within two points in the final minute of action.
• Natalie Jojola's 3-pointer immediately trimmed UCCS' lead to just seven (54-47), and after Jayda Maves corralled a defensive rebound at one end, she popped a 3-pointer herself to bring the Mountaineers within four.
• The deficit would grow to eight points with 2:44 to play in the game, but once more the Mountaineers jumped back into the fight to cut into that UCCS lead.
• Ivey Schmidt converted a pair of free throws to start a 6-0 Western run, then added a jumper from in the paint after a Mountain Lion turnover.
• Rachel Cockman ripped away a defensive rebound on UCCS' next time down the court, and at the other end was fouled on a layup attempt. She converted both chances from the line to pull Western to within a basket, 63-61, with 34 seconds remaining.
• The Mountaineers were at that point in the unenviable position of having committed only one personal foul in the quarter, needing to commit four more – while precious seconds ticked away – just to send UCCS to the line and hope for misses and a defensive rebound.
• Unfortunately, the Mountain Lions' Emily Vidal sank both attempts after Western's fifth foul, followed by a Western missed jumper which put the ball back in Vidal's hands in her offensive end of the court. She again dropped in both attempts to raise the Mountain Lions' lead to six, safe from Schmidt's layup just ahead of the final buzzer.
• The Mountaineers played a solid opening half in their final home game of the season. They led 15-8 after the first quarter and owned a 32-28 advantage heading into the halftime break.
• The mid-game recess was rewarding for the Mountain Lions, though, as they came out of the break and doubled up Western 24-12 in the third frame to take a 52-44 lead. That eight-point deficit turned into the 10-point deficit at the beginning of the fourth, one that Western came close to erasing before succumbing to UCCS in the end.

COURT NOTES

• Schmidt's 20-point night was her fourth time this season with 20 or more points in a game.
• Maves also reached double figures for the Mountaineers, chipping in with 11 points.
• The Mountaineers led UCCS in rebounding (39-32), points in the paint (22-16), second-chance points (10-4) and fast-break points (12-7). What laid damage to Western's rally were 16 turnovers – from which the Mountain Lions scored 13 points – and UCCS' strong night from beyond the arc where it hit 12-of-26 (46%) 3-pointers compared to just 5-of-18 (28%) by Mountaineer players.
• Off the rim, Western's Cockman, Schmidt and Erika Lane each had seven rebounds to tie for game-high honors.
• Western went to the free throw line 21 times in the game compared to the Mountain Lions' 9 trips, but even though Western hit 18 of those opportunities it was UCCS' perfect night from the line that sealed the deal at the end.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers close out their season on the road, taking on Westminster University in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 29, followed by the season finale at Colorado Mesa University on Saturday, March 2.