Regis (CO) Regis 5-6,2-3 RMAC

Colo. Christian CC 6-7,2-4 RMAC

Regis (CO) Regis

5-6,2-3 RMAC

Final

Dec. 17, 2022

Colo. Christian CC

6-7,2-4 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Regis (CO) Regis	46	35	81
Colo. Christian CC	40	40	80

Summary
Box Score

Billy Saunders, Regis Athletics

Regis graduate student David Simental scored a team-high 24 points in Saturday's win over CCU. (File Photo)

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | Dec 17 | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

Rangers edge Cougars to close out 2022 with an 81-80 victory

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Behind a team-high 24-point effort by graduate student guard David Simental, the Regis University men's basketball team was able to hold off a furious second-half rally by Colorado Christian and close out 2022 with an 81-80 road win over its Lakewood neighbors.

Regis improved to 5-6 overall and 2-3 in the RMAC with the victory, getting revenge for an 86-81 loss to the Cougars (6-6 overall, 2-4 RMAC) in Lakewood last February. The Rangers have now won nine of the last ten matchups against Colorado Christian dating back to 2017.

HOW IT HAPPENED: The Rangers were in control much of Saturday as they led for 81.2 percent of game times, carrying a 46-40 lead into the break.

Colorado Christian made a run at the beginning of the second half as they opened on a 15-6 blitz to take a 55-51 lead.

Regis would answer back with a 9-0 run to retake a 60-55 advantage, and built its lead to as many as 14 points at 76-62 with just 4:08 remaining.

The Cougars would not go away quietly, though, as they stormed back with a 10-0 run, cutting the Regis lead to 76-72 with just 42 seconds remaining.

Fortunately, Simental was able to nail 5-of-6 free throws in the final minute, including two clutch shots that gave Regis an 81-77 lead with nine seconds left, that rendered a buzzer-beating 3-pointer made by Colorado Christian meaningless and nailed down the 81-80 final.

The 24 points matched a season-high for Simental, who was 6-for-11 from the field and 11-for-12 at the free-throw line, with 24-point outings he's had against St. Mary's (11/12/22) and South Dakota Mines (12/3/22).

Joining Simental in double-figures on Saturday was senior forward Aaron Bokol with 15 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting, as well as sophomore forward Brayden Carter and redshirt junior guard Eddy Egun with 13 points and 11 points, respectively.

GAME NOTES:

Carter, the Rangers' six-foot, nine-inch forward led all Regis players with four assists
The two teams shot nearly identical from the field, with the Rangers finishing at 47.8 percent (22-for-46) and the Cougars at 47.2 percent (25-for-53).
Regis held a sizable advantage at the free-throw line, finishing a season-best 30-for-34 (88.2%) compared the Cougars (20-for-23).
The game featured five ties and 10 lead changes

UP NEXT: The Rangers will open up the 2023 portion of their season with a rescheduled game against Chadron State College, which was moved from Friday, December 16 to Monday, January 2 due to road closures in southwest Nebraska. Tip-off for the game against the Eagles is set for 1 p.m. inside the Regis Field House.

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