DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University men's basketball team (11-6, 8-3 RMAC) relinquished a double-digit halftime advantage as they dropped a close game, 77-74, to the Dixie State University Trailblazers (7-8, 5-6 RMAC) on Saturday night.
 
Junior Christian Little shot 6-for-11 from the field and 7-for 14 from the foul line on his way to a team-high 19 points. His 19^th point made him the 14^th player in Regis men's basketball history to score 1,000 career-points. Little has averaged 12.66 points per game over his career to etch his name in the 1,000 point club.
 
How It Happened: The Rangers quickly dug themselves into a 12-4 hole as they could not seem to find an answer on the defensive end of the court. RU began to climb back into the game, making 5-of-7 shots and pulling within three, 20-17, over the next six minutes.
 
Sophomore Brian Dawson and seniors Jarrett Brodbeck and Ryan Beisty all sank threes, respectively, sparking a 23-6 Regis run. Another Dawson three-pointer created a double-digit lead, 36-25, with 4:20 left in the first.
 
In a game that featured 78 combined free-throws, senior Jarrett Brodbeck knocked-down two-straight to give the Rangers their largest lead of the game, 40-26, with 3:06 on the clock. The Trailblazers closed out the half with six made free-throws and a layup to go into the half with a 42-36 deficit.
 
RU began the half with six points coming from beyond the arc thanks to sophomore Tomas Auruskevicius and Brodbeck. Their long-range shots stretched the Regis advantage back to ten.
 
The Rangers scored six more baskets in the second half, shooting just 30.8 percent from the field (8-for-26). 13 of RU's 32 points in the second half came from the charity stripe.
 
The teams combined for 78 total free-throw attempts, but it was the Trailblazers that ultimately held the advantage of the foul-shots. Dixie State made 75 percent (30-for-40) of their free-throws while RU made 63.2 percent (24-for-38) of theirs.
 
Regis connected on 2-of-6 free-throws in the final four minutes and were outscored seven to four as they came up short, 77-74.
 
Game Notes: Little led the team with 19 points and three others, Brodbeck (15), Dawson (12) and Beisty (10), added double-digits. As a team, the Rangers were held to a shooting percentage of 42 as they made 21-of-51 attempts.
 
RU missed 14 total free-throws, 11 coming in the second half. Regis was out-rebounded 38-32.
 
Four Rangers fouled-out of the game as they were called for 28 personal fouls. The Trailblazers were called for 31 personal fouls but had no players foul-out.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The Regis University men's basketball team will look to get back in the win column on Friday, January 25 as they host Fort Lewis College at 7 p.m.