By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2025 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship got underway Tuesday night, with three of the top four seeds advancing to Friday’s semifinals. No. 1 seed Colorado Mesa was one of those advancing and will host the semifinals and championship in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Colorado Mesa will face No. 4 seed Black Hills State in Friday’s 5:30 p.m. semifinal game. No. 2 seed Western Colorado will meet No. 6 University of Colorado Colorado Springs in the 7:30 p.m. semifinal game. The two winning squads will square off in the tournament championship at 6 p.m., Saturday.
No. 1 Colorado Mesa def. No. 8 New Mexico Highlands, 72-46
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – No. 1 seed Colorado Mesa shook off the ghosts of last season’s early tournament exit, building a 14-point lead after the first quarter and never looking back in a 72-46 victory against No. 8 seed New Mexico Highlands, which was making its first tournament appearance since 2004. The Mavericks got a 22-point, 17-rebound double-double performance from Olivia Reed Thyne, who went 10-of-14 from the floor. Brooklyn Palmer and Kylie Kravig added 15 and 12 points, respectively. Eva Ongoongotau led New Mexico Highlands with 15 points and eight rebounds.
No. 2 Western Colorado def. No. 7 Regis, 67-51
GUNNISON, Colo. – No. 2 seed Western Colorado opened up a 10-point lead after the first quarter and eased to a 67-51 victory against No. 7 seed Regis. The Mountaineers closed the first quarter with an 11-2 run to build their 20-10 lead at the first break. The lead would reach 16 points in the second quarter before CMU took a 14-point, 31-17 lead into the break and a 9-2 run in the first 75 seconds of the third quarter put the game out of reach for Regis. Western Colorado’s Rachel Cockman led the way with an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double outing. Ivey Schmidt chipped in 14 points for the Mavericks. Regis’ Jessica Bollwahn scored 15 points to lead the visitors.
No. 6 UCCS def. No. 3 Adams State, 63-60
ALAMOSA, Colo. – Gia Bradley’s three-pointer with 8.8 seconds remaining lifted No. 6 seed University of Colorado Colorado Springs to the quarterfinals lone upset, with a 63-60 victory at No. 3 Adams State. UCCS led 19-16 after the first quarter, 34-26 at the half, and 49-43 after three quarters. Adams State would tie the game at 51-51 on a pair of Kiiyani Anitielu free throws with 4:26 left. However, the host Grizzlies never gained the lead, tying the game for the third and final time of the quarter at 60-60 on an Anitielu three-pointer with 55 seconds left. UCCS’ Amyah Moore Allen posted a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double while Amaya Snowden supplied 13 points off the bench and Maison White grabbed 16 rebounds. Anitielu led Adams State with 20 points and Taejhuan Hill grabbed 13 rebounds.
No. 4 Black Hills State def. #5 CSU Pueblo, 82-56
SPEARFISH, S.D. – No. 4 seed Black Hills State used a 29-point third-quarter outburst to take control and down No. 5 seed Colorado State University Pueblo, 82-56. CSU Pueblo led by five points twice in the first half, but Black Hills State took a three-point, 33-30, lead into halftime. But the third quarter was all Yellow Jackets as the made 11-of-17 from the floor, including 5-of-8 from three-point range, to outscore the ThunderWolves 29-10 in the frame to firmly take control of the game. Kalla Bertram led BHSU with 19 points, Gracie Haneborg added a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double, while Morgan Hammerbeck and Bradie Schlabs provided 16 and 15 points each. Landri Hudson paced CSU Pueblo with 13 points.