UCCS Women’s Basketball opened the 2021-2022 RMAC season with a 1-1 record, beginning with a 71-60 loss on Dec. 3 at CSU Pueblo, and following with a 71-60 win on Dec. 4 at Adams State.
The match against the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves began when redshirt freshman guard/forward Jessica Nation parlayed an offensive rebound for the opening score. This was the first UCCS lead as the teams traded leads nine times in the first 10 minutes.
Graduate student guard Shelby Megyeri scored eight points in the first quarter with her last two being free throws, helping UCCS take a 20-16 lead.
The second quarter was all defense as only 16 total points were scored, with each team scoring eight. Both teams were also 7-35 from the floor. According to Go Mountain Lions, UCCS held the ThunderWolves scoreless from the three-point range off five attempts.
The Mountain Lions left the half down 24-28.
Megyeri began the second half with two free throws, followed by three straight points from redshirt sophomore Sophie Abela. These helped UCCS start with a 7-0 run and 31-28 lead.
UCCS had another run, this time outscoring the ThunderWolves 8-1. Redshirt sophomore forward Ellie Moore started the run after grabbing a rebound off her missed layup for a two-point score.
Pueblo responded with two free throws, tying the game at 35. Graduate student forward Jasmine Jeffcoat added four points and Abela added two more to provide UCCS with their largest lead of the game, 41-35.
The Mountain Lions led Pueblo 41-36 heading into the final quarter. But the ThunderWolves took back the game in the final quarter, outscoring UCCS 18-8. This included a 12-0 run in the final minutes to a UCCS defeat 54-49.
UCCS came back on Dec. 4 with a 71-60 win against the Adams State Grizzlies where Jeffcoat led the team with a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. According to Go Mountain Lions, this was her first double-double of the season, and second in her career.
Jeffcoat, Megyeri and Nation all finished with double digit points; 17, 16 and 10, respectively.
Jeffcoat and Megyeri dominated the first quarter, accounting for 13 of the team’s 14 points. UCCS began with a 6-0, thanks to three straight layups. A three-pointer from Megyeri helped take a 13-9 lead.
The quarter ended with freshman forward Agar Farres scoring two free throws, placing UCCS ahead 14-12.
UCCS continued their lead in the second quarter, outscoring Adams State 21-13. In the final four and a half minutes before the half, UCCS outscored the Grizzlies 10-2. Moore, Jeffcoat, Megyeri and freshman guard Gracie Haneborg contributed points during this run.
UCCS took a 35-25 lead into half time as Megyeri led with 11 points.
The Grizzlies outscored UCCS in the third quarter, 21-17. This was the only quarter where they led the game. UCCS did make six more free throws, helping to maintain their advantage.
The fourth quarter was close, but the Mountain Lions took the lead again and outscored the Grizzlies, 19-14, to secure their win.
UCCS’ defense held the Grizzlies scoreless in the last two minutes and 34 seconds, and an 11-4 run earlier stopped any chance of a Grizzlies comeback.
UCCS Women’s Basketball played an exhibition game at the Air Force Academy on Dec. 8. The team will return home on Saturday, Dec. 11, against Colorado School of Mines at 5:30 p.m.
