DENVER - The No. 17 Regis University men's basketball team (11-1,6-0 RMAC) returned to action Saturday night after a brief pause due to COVID-19 protocols. The team had no small task in facing the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Mountain Lions (9-5,4-4 RMAC) in a conference battle.

How it Happened: Senior guard Brian Dawson led the team with 19 points en route to their eleventh-straight win. Redshirt junior guard/forward Kevin Ebiriekwe and graduate student guard Troy Brady also reached double-digits in points with 16 and 13, respectively. The trio helped the squad overcome a seven-point first half deficit as they thundered back to beat the Mountain Lions in the second half. 

19 team assists were key to the squad's success on the offensive side of the floor in the final frame. Proficient offense and passing allowed the team to go on a 22-17 run to finish out the game, keeping the game just out of reach from UCCS. Solid work at the charity stripe from Ebiriekwe and Dawson in the team's final possessions were the icing on the cake. With a four-point buffer and under five seconds to play, RU was in good shape to nab the win. UCCS got a 3-pointer before the buzzer, but it wasn't enough for a comeback. When the dust settled, the Rangers hung on to win it, 78-77. 

Game Notes: RU's second half comeback was aided by improved shooting from both the field and behind the arc. The team shot 44 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the three to finish out the night.

Just nine turnovers compared to the Mountain Lion's 23 was another big spark for the team. Regis capitalized off 23 points from UCCS turnovers to help the comeback win. Also, the Rangers' bench produced an effective 12 points to help the starters.

Dawson (7-21 FG, 1-5 3-PT), Brady (5-7 FG, 3-4 3-PT) and junior guard Will Cranston-Lown (3-11 FG, 0-3 3-PT) played efficient basketball all night as the three had five assists each.

Junior forward Alex Cartwright (4-6 FG, 1-3 3-PT) added nine points while freshman forward Brayden Carter (4-9 FG, 0-2 3-PT) contributed eight off the bench. The pair also led the team in rebounding with six boards apiece.

Up Next for the Rangers: Regis will have a short turnaround as they will face the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (5-6, 3-4 RMAC) this Tuesday at 7 p.m.