DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University men's basketball team (11-3, 5-3 RMAC) responded to their most recent loss with a big victory over the Western State Colorado University Mountaineers (4-10, 2-6 RMAC) 87-75.
 
How It Happened: It was the team's first home game since December 2 and Regis took full advantage in the end. The opening three minutes of the game was dominated by the visitors as they opened the gates with a 14-2 pummeling of the Rangers. This forced a quick timeout from head coach Brady Bergeson who was eager to calm his players down and set them back on track.
 
The early talk helped as RU fought their way back into the game, eventually cutting the lead to one point, 23-22, by the time the clock read 7:32. Both teams battled but Western continued to keep the lead late into the first half. A late run by Regis saw them take their first lead of the game on a Jarrett Brodbeck three-point basket with less than 30 seconds to go in the half. Brodbeck got a steal on the next possession and was fouled with four seconds to go. His two free throws put the Rangers ahead 36-33 at the halftime break.
 
The Rangers never looked back in the second half as they led the entire way. The Mountaineers got it within one point early in the second half, but RU countered with a run that put them ahead 55-45 at the 12:36 mark of the second half. Junior Ryan Beisty gave the home squad a 17-point advantage (72-57), their largest of the night, with a three-point bucket as the shot clock expired.
 
A layup from Western's Porter Monroe with under the two minutes mark brought the visitors within single-digits, 75-84, but free-throws from senior Ty McGee and Brodbeck sealed the deal on a 87-75 victory for Regis.
 
Game Notes: This game marked the 100^th matchup between the two teams, and with the win the Rangers now hold a 67-33 career record against the Mountaineers. Senior Dexter Sienko led both teams with 26 points on the night, shooting a very efficient 10-of-13 from the field and grabbing seven rebounds to go along with his conference leading 30^th block of the season. Brodbeck (3-10, 2-9 3-pt) and freshman Tomas Auruskevicius (4-7, 2-5 3-pt) each tallied 12 points while McGee added 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds.  As a team, RU outshot their opponents 51.7 percent to 44.4 percent from the field. Regis also knocked down eight shots from beyond the arc (8-25, 32 percent) and the bench outscored Western's bench 34-27.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The men's basketball team will return to the Regis Fieldhouse tomorrow night as they host the Colorado Mesa University Mavericks at 7 p.m.