Coming off a three-game win streak where they knocked off Colorado Christian University, Colorado School of Mines and Regis University, UCCS women’s basketball faced off against Adams State University on Thursday Feb. 26, looking to make it four in a row.
UCCS entered the game ranked third in the RMAC standings with a conference record of 13-5, just one spot behind Adams State, ranked second with a conference record of 14-4.
Head coach Misty Wilson made it apparent pregame that the team knew the stakes going in and that they were prepared to go to battle.
According to Wilson, this was an crucial game for the RMAC standings and regional standings, with Adams State being ahead of us in those.
“For us coaches, we know how big it is, the whole team does, but we try not to make it quite as big for the players because we don’t want them to feel too much pressure,” Wilson said.
To string that momentum into a fourth win in a row, coach Wilson made an emphasis on offense.
“For us it’s going to be recognizing what type of offensive possessions we need to have. We’re really good when we have to play fast, so we want to do so, but at the same time, if we don’t have anything good, we need to adjust and be able to play against their half-court defense and get good shots late in the shot clock,” Wilson said
As soon as the ball tipped off, Wilson’s game plan went into effect when redshirt senior guard Amaya Moore-Allen scored the game’s first points with a fastbreak layup 57 seconds into the game.
After these quick points, UCCS fell into a scoring drought, not finding the basket for the next 5 minutes of the game and fell into a 9-2 deficit.
Coach Wilson showed off the adjustments she talked about prior to tip-off as the Mountain Lions offense slowed down and got quality looks under the basket and at the free throw line. In the next three minutes of the first quarter, UCCS went on a 10-0 scoring run as they took the lead at 12-9 with 2:31 remaining in the first quarter.
After another layup by Moore-Allen and two free throws made by sophomore guard Jayla Jackson-Allen, the Mountain Lions exited the first quarter leading 16-12.
Second quarter coverage would be incomplete without mention of the stellar play by senior guard Gia Bradley. At the 7:05 minute mark, ASU scored six unanswered points and looked to steal the lead, but on the following possession, Bradley sunk a three to kill the Grizzlies momentum.
Four minutes later, Bradley would drill her second three-pointer of the quarter to give the Mountain Lions a two-possession lead at 30-26. The Grizzlies responded, but on the following possession Bradley answered the call and put the lead out of reach for ASU with a layup.
The continued efforts of Moore-Allen and the dominant paint scoring from junior forward Ayianna Johnson helped the Mountain Lions hold the lead they built in the first quarter entering halftime leading 34-33.
Coming out of halftime, the team shot 6-for-10 from the field, nine-for-ten from the free throw line and a perfect one-for-one from the three-point line.
A scoring trio of Moore-Allen, Johnson, and senior guard Rylie Ottman headlined this quarter. The three combined for 17 of the team’s 22 third quarter points, with Moore-Allen leading the bunch with nine.
It seemed all three of them had the same tactic in doing so; drive the lane, get fouled, and get easy points at the line. All but two of the trio’s points came from in the paint or at the charity stripe.
Through this scoring surge, UCCS was able to cling onto a 56-51 lead entering the final quarter of the game.
In the final quarter of the game, the Mountain Lions rode the hot hands of Moore-Allen and Johnson, who continued to score in the paint at will with seven of their fourth quarter points coming from beneath the rim.
The Mountain Lions defense that closed out the game as they held the Grizzlies to just five-for-fourteen from the field. After a crucial stop, Ottman drove to the paint and cashed in on an easy layup to effectively put the game on ice and give UCCS an 11-point lead with 44 seconds to play.
Bradley closed the games scoring with two free throws as the Mountain Lions walked out of Gallogly Event Center with a 72-63 win.
Moore-Allen finished as the game’s leading scorer with yet another 20-point performance, and gave all the credit to her teammates.
“Honestly, playing with my team, playing together, staying together. That’s how we’re winning games. It’s easy for me to get a shot, but playing with a team as good as this makes it easy to pass it off and get those assists,” Moore-Allen said.
With this win, they not only gave themselves a chance to clinched the No. 2 seed on Feb. 28 with a 71-67 win over New Mexico Highlands University, but they also clinched a top four seed in the RMAC, meaning that playoff basketball is coming back to Colorado Springs, as UCCS will host their first playoff game since 2024.
“This game shows we’re ready. We have that ambition and that hustle to beat anybody who steps on the court,” Moore-Allen said.
UCCS made an unlikely run in the RMAC tournament last year to secure a championship and with the way they’re playing right now, students should keep their eyes to the court.
Guard #2 Gia Bradley shoots outside the paint. Photo by Anysia Hovel.