With four players scoring in double figures and a big night from Tyler Shields, Colorado Christian put a halt to a three-game losing streak, defeating Western New Mexico 80-69.
 
Friday night's game not only got the Cougars back in the win column, the victory ensured that CCU would be returning to the RMAC Tournament in March.
 
Christian was paced by senior Tyler Shields who notched his third double-double of the season with an 18 point, 10 rebound performance. Shields also led the team with three assists.
 
Shields' 10 rebounds were part of a collective effort that dominated the Mustangs on the glass. CCU pulled nine offensive rebounds and 36 overall, compared to Western's 25.
 
The Cougars' starting backcourt of Andrew Squiers and Michael Brown combined for 31 points, while Zach McLemore once again demonstrated his ability to get hot coming off the bench. The freshman guard finished with 14 points in only 19 minutes, knocking down three of the team's seven shots from outside.
 
On this night Christian might not have been the lethal 3-point shooting team as they have shown in the past, but they made up for it in their aggressiveness at the rim. The hosts scored 30 in the paint while also connecting on 25 free throws from 31 trips to the line.
 
It was a big result for a team looking to quickly forget the disappointment of last weekend's losses.
 
"We had different guys step up at key times and contribute, and it was a good overall team win tonight," said Head Coach Kevin Lubbers. "It feels good to clinch a playoff spot for the third straight year as well, and our guys are excited to continue to get better over the next few weeks as we get ready for the tournament."
 
Two final regular season games remain for Colorado Christian, including Saturday night's matchup with New Mexico Highlands. The Cougars and Cowboys tip off at 7 PM.