GUNNISON, Colo. It is a win-and-in scenario for Western Colorado women's basketball as one win over their remaining four games of the regular season clinches a spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference postseason tournament.

Sitting in second place in the RMAC standings entering the weekend, the Mountaineers have put themselves in a good position to not only earn a spot in the tournament but also to earn at least one home game.

THE HISTORY

• Western has a 14-9 series record against Chadron State. The Eagles won at home in December 2023, but the Mountaineers returned the favor with a home win late in the 2023-24 season.
• South Dakota Mines leads the series, 8-6, but Western won in Rapid City earlier this season, 68-51.

WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | LEADERS & STATS

• The Mountaineers (17-6 overall, 12-4 RMAC) posted a season-high 84 points in Thursday's win at Adams State, then topped that figure in an 86-70 win Saturday afternoon at Fort Lewis College.
• Jayde Tschritter led four Mountaineers into double figures in the win over Adams State, scoring a season-best 21 points against the Grizzlies.
• Rachel Cockman – who had 11 points and 7 rebounds in that win – notched her sixth double-double of the season in Saturday's win at Fort Lewis. She scored 24 point and ripped down 11 rebounds in the victory over the Skyhawks.
• Western is 10th in the league in scoring, at 64.3 points per game. However, it is allowing opponents to average just 56.6 PPG to lead the RMAC, resulting in the second-best scoring margin in the league (+7.7).
• The Mountaineers continue to lead the conference in rebounding (40.5 RPG), as does also their rebounding margin of +9.1.
• Ivey Schmidt (12.5 PPG) and Cockman (12.4) lead Western in scoring, and the same duo top the rebounding column with Cockman (7.4 RPG) just ahead of Schmidt (6.0).
• Schmidt has doled out a team-leading 63 assists, while Tschritter and Jayda Maves are the top two threats from behind the arc. Tschritter has knocked down 42 3-pointers with Maves dropping in 37 triples.

CHADRON STATE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | LEADERS & STATS

• The Eagles are 5-17 overall and 4-12 in league play. On the road last weekend they earned a split, winning Thursday 's game at MSU Denver (60-55) then dropping an 87-57 to host Colorado School of Mines.
• CSC is averaging 64.7 PPG, but stopping opponents has been a bit of its issue as they carry a minus-9.9 scoring margin into Thursday's game at Western.
• The Eagles are about at the break even point in rebounding against opponents, posting a +1.1 margin while averaging 38.2 RPG.
• Ashayla Powers (11.0 PPG) and Kylie Krise (10.5) are the scoring leaders, while also leading the team in rebounding. Powers averages 5.6 RPG with Krise coming down with 5.4 per game.
• Krise, with 33, and Allison Richards, with 30, are the team's top 3-point threats.

SOUTH DAKOTA MINES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | LEADERS & STATS

• The Hardrockers (6-17, 6-10) play at league leader Colorado Mesa University on Thursday before Saturday's game in Paul Wright Gym.
• Near the bottom of the league in scoring (59.0 PPG), SDM brings a minus-9.4 scoring margin into its two weekend games.
• However, the Hardrockers have come out on top off the glass, averaging 37.5 RPG with a +2.8 rebounding margin.
• Three players are averaging double-figures in scoring for SDM. Morning Grace Spotted Bear leads with 13.5 PPG while Savea Mansfield is just behind at 13.4 PPG.
• The third, Piper Bauer (11.2 PPG), leads the team from long range, tossing in 54 3-pointers, third most in the league.
• Spotted Bear (8.4 RPG) leads the team in rebounding as well as in assists with 57.

COURT NOTES

• Thursday night's game is Hero Night, celebrating first-responders.
• The Saturday afternoon game is a RED OUT, and includes a halftime performance by the Lion Dancers, sponsored by Western's Asian Pacific Islander's Club.

UP NEXT
Western closes out its regular season with a Tue., Feb. 25 home game against Westminster University, the Mountaineers' Senior Night, before a March 1 rivalry game with the No. 21 Mavericks at Colorado Mesa University.