COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – In the second game in three days the Cougars traveled south, heading to UCCS to battle it out with the Mountain Lions. In one of the best games of the season for the Cougars they outscored the Mountain Lions in all but one quarter and won their third game of the season, 54-47.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Cougars started out hot on defense, with Sam Nunez getting three steals in the first four minutes of game time, the quick hands helped the Cougars build a 6-2 lead which helped them pace the Mountain Lions as both teams traded baskets in a wild first quarter that ended with the Cougars in front 15-14.
Both teams slowed a bit in the second quarter as the defensive efforts improved. In the most impressive showing of the season the Cougars held the Mountain Lions to four total points during the second quarter as UCCS shot just 2-15 from the field. The Cougars shot well enough to extend the lead and went into half with a nine point lead.
Coming out of the locker room the Cougars recovered from Tuesday's aberration to score their most points of the game in the third quarter, leading by double digits for most of the quarter the Cougars continues to fend off the Mountain Lions as they stayed step for step with the Cougars scoring in the third.
Both teams continued to be evenly matched through the fourth quarter, seemingly trading baskets at every turn, but the lead that the Cougars had built up was ultimately too much for the Mountain Lions to overcome and the Cougars secured their first road win of the season.
COUGAR LEADERS: Lourdes Gonzalez and Sam Nunez led the team in both scoring and rebounds as Gonzalez had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Nunez had 12 points and 13 rebounds for her first double-double as a Cougar. Brookelyn Hurlbut had nine points and eight rebounds as well. Nunez had five steals which is the most by a Cougar this season.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Cougars had 32 points in the paint.
- The Cougars had 11 second chance points.
- The Cougars outrebounded the Mountain Lions 42-39.
UP NEXT: The final week of the season is coming up for the Cougars, with the final road game coming up next Monday, Feb. 22 at Regis.
