Colorado Mines 74, CSU-Pueblo 70

GOLDEN, Colo. - The ThunderWolves let a 9-point lead with 12 minutes remaining slip away as Mines used a 20-4 run to go on a frantic comeback and upend the Pack 74-70.

CSU-Pueblo had the edge for most of the game, holding a 34-30 lead at the break and extending the lead to 52-43 at the 11:48 mark of the second half, relying on strong shooting and turnovers in the transition, forcing 21 Mines turnovers and hitting 12 threes.

But the Pack's long ball went dry and their defensive game crumbled as Mines hit eight consecutive field goals, keying the 20-4 run and putting the Orediggers up 63-56 at the 5:32 mark.  Mines extended the lead to as much as nine, 71-62, with just 40 seconds remaining.

The Pack tried to salvage the collapse by going on a last ditch run, forcing two turnovers and scoring on a pair of threes by Chris Busch (Sr., Oakland, Calif.), who had 14 points, and Ty Trahern (So., Kit Carson, Colo.), who netted a trey for his only points of the game.  Suddenly, the Pack was trailing by two, 72-70, with eight seconds remaining.

The ThunderWolves nearly forced a five-second call on the inbounds, but didn't get the ref's whistle, then followed it up with a near steal on the ensuing inbound.  But the Pack was forced to foul, with the next two sunken free throws making a two-possession game as time simply ran out on the Pack.

CSU-Pueblo falls to 8-3 on the season and suffers their first RMAC loss, falling to 3-1 on the season.

The Pack will look to right the ship Saturday when it travels to Colorado Christian.