DENVER, Colo. – After a big win last night, the Regis University men's basketball (12-9, 7-8 RMAC) returned to the Regis Field House on Saturday evening for a battle with the Western Colorado University Mountaineers (8-13, 5-10 RMAC), ending up on the wrong end of an 81-77 defeat.
 
How It Happened: The entire game was a close affair between the two teams coming off games played on Friday night. Regis trailed 39-38 at halftime, despite outshooting Western Colorado 47.6 percent to 45.0 percent through 20 minutes of basketball. Both teams held their largest leads in the first half (RU, 35-31 & WCU, 14-8).  
 
In the second half, the lead seesawed between the two teams that ended up exchanging leads 22 times. The score was tied on 18 occasions including a stretch during the final 2:33 where the Rangers and Mountaineers had ties at 72, 74 and 77 points until two made free throws from the visitors gave them a 78-77 lead with 34 seconds to go. This happened right after junior Brian Dawson drilled a three-pointer to give RU a 77-76 lead with less than a minute on the clock.
 
RU missed their shot on the next possession, forcing them to foul with 11 seconds remaining in the game. Two more free throws extended the deficit to three, 80-77, giving Regis one last shot to tie the game. A missed three-point attempt led to more shots at the charity stripe and that is how the game would end with WCU stealing an 81-77 win from the Rangers on their home floor.
 
Game Notes: Sophomore Toni Rocak (17 PTS, 8-12 FG, 7 REB, 4 STL) led all RU players in points, rebounds and steals in this one. Senior Christian Little (16 PTS, 6-11 FG, 4-4 FT, 3 REB) and Dawson (13 PTS, 5-15 FG, 3-10 FG) each reached double-digit scoring in the effort. Regis shot 46.7 percent in the second half while their counterparts heated up for a 53.8 shooting percentage in the final 20 minutes. Another big margin came on the rebounding side of things with the Mountaineers grabbing 40 boards compared to only 28 for the Rangers.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The men's basketball team will return to the action next weekend as they welcome the Adams State University Grizzlies and the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks to the Regis Field House on Friday and Saturday, respectively.