A brutal winter storm blew in to Lakewood Saturday night, but the bitter cold temperatures did nothing to chill a scorching hot Colorado Christian women's basketball team. The Cougars lit up the Event Center once again, thrilling on senior night with a 68-44 win over New Mexico Highlands University.
 
It was CCU's game to win from the opening minutes of the contest, as the blue and gold surged out of the gates to command a 15-0 lead in the first six minutes of play. Back-to-back Highlands treys with under 14 left in the half finally stopped the bleeding for the visitors, but Christian was in no way done with their high-octane effort. By the time the first-half clock expired, CCU had turned in a 42-18 showing on 51% shooting. The home team had scored 15 points off 15 NMHU turnovers, and owned a 17-14 rebounding advantage.
 
Though the battle evened out after the break, the Cowgirls never really threatened – even through a scoreless six and a half minute stretch for CCU. Christian's offensive potency dipped in the second, but the squad's early work kept them in control through late-game droughts.
 
"We continue to talk about the fact that we need to come out, dominate the first half, and then extend that into the second," explained Head Coach Tim Hays at the close of the night. "I was extremely pleased with the way we came out tonight, though we could have done a better job of playing more like us in the second."
 
As has become the norm for the Cougars, a balanced team effort got the job done against NMHU. All but one player scored in the win, and all but two notched at least one assist to assure a deadly Christian attack. Kate Louthan's 16 points and three blocks paced CCU, while Christina Whitelaw and Ali Meyer combined for nine assists and eight steals.
 
"We're dangerous when we move the ball, because everybody can score from their position," Hays continued. "Last night we had eight players close to double figures, tonight we had six. That's what we want, and these players have embraced that. Nobody feels like they have to be a 20-point-a-game player, or get their touches, so every night it's just whoever is left open. When we find an open man we shoot a great percentage. For the second night in a row, we've shot above 50%, so I think that's the ideal offense for us, that we move the ball until we find the open man, whether that's the first pass or in the last five seconds of the shot clock."
 
CCU wrapped the night with 16 assists on 24 buckets. Unable to score against Christian's smothering defense, the Cowgirls mustered just 15 makes from the field. The result proved a sweet one, especially on a night set aside for celebrating the squad's four seniors. Playing in what may be their final game at the Event Center, Alyssa Fressle, Kayla Fakelman, Caitlin Roussopulos, and Christina Whitelaw turned in memorable performances before being honored by teammates and fans after the game. All four started and scored in the win, including Roussopulos.
 
"Caitlin is someone who models what it means to be a servant leader on our team. She's done all the work, she hasn't complained, and behind the scenes she is encouraging people in the locker room, getting them up and going. It was great for her to get out there on senior night and be able to score."
 
Just one game remains on the Colorado Christian regular season schedule – they'll travel to Golden for a Saturday contest at Colorado School of Mines.
 
"I'm expecting Mines to come out and play hard, and we're going to prepare like it's a playoff game and be ready to go. In a rivalry game, you always have to come out and play your best basketball."
 
Junior Claire Paxton echoed Hays' sentiment.
 
"We need to go in and play our game and keep our energy high and do what we know to do."