PUEBLO, Colo. – The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs used the best defensive performance in RMAC Tournament Championship game history to win the first title in program history in a 53-37 victory against Regis tonight at Colorado State-Pueblo’s Massari Arena. The Mountain Lions (23-7) earned the RMAC’s automatic bid into the 2017 NCAA Division II National Tournament with the victory.

Brittany Hernandez was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player after she scored 17 pints with eight rebounds tonight. Tori Fisher and Jen Vigil were also named to the all-tournament team.

UCCS scored eight straight points and held Regis scoreless for more than five minutes to take a 16-7 lead with six minutes, 21 seconds, left in the second quarter. The Mountain Lions held the Rangers to 10 percent shooting from the field in the first half and took a 25-14 lead into halftime.

The Mountain Lions gradually opened a 15-point lead at 34-19 with 4:24 left in the third quarter and led by 21 points with 5:46 to play in the fourth quarter. UCCS shot 42 percent in the second half against the Rangers’ 24 percent to secure the championship.

Hernandez led both teams with three blocked shots and three steals, and tied the team-lead of eight rebounds with Fisher. Anna Schwecke led the bench with eight points with a perfect three-for-three from the field and two-for-two at the free throw line.

The 37 points and the 17 percent field goal shooting by Regis were the best defensive performances for UCCS in both categories this season. The 37 points was the lowest in an RMAC championship game by five points from the previous record of 42 in the 2009 game.

UCCS will learn its seeding in the tournament when the NCAA announces the field of 64 teams at 8 p.m., MST, on Sunday. The Mountain Lions will host a public watch party for the selection show at Clyde’s, located on the lower level of the University Center on campus.

Story and photo credit: http://gomountainlions.com/news/2017/3/4/womens-basketball-uccs-wins-first-rmac-tournament-championship.aspx