CSU-Pueblo 70, Colorado Christian 68

LAKEWOOD, Colo. - CSU-Pueblo was able to shrug off a late comeback bid by Colorado Christian Saturday, using two last second free throws by Rachel Espinoza (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.) to pull out the game.

The Pack led for the bulk of the game, even holding a 13-point lead, 46-33 at halftime.  The Pack led by as much as 16, 51-35 a minute into the second half, but Colorado Christian battled back into the game.  The Cougars went on a 17-2 run to get within one, 53-52, at the 14-minute mark.  From there, it was a seesaw game.

The game would be tied six times after that point, though CSU-Pueblo didn't surrender the lead until the 5:32 mark in the second half.  From there, Colorado Christian held the lead, banking chiefly on the play of Abby Rosenthal, who went for a double-double in the second half alone with 10 points and 10 rebounds, part of her monstrous 17-point, 22-rebound night.  The Pack also couldn't make a shot, making their final field goal of the game at the 6:52 mark.

But the Pack foul shooters is what saved the game.  CSU-Pueblo went 7-for-9 from the charity stripe down ther stretch, the biggest of which coming from the Pack's top free-throw shooters.  Kendall Babler (So., Rifle, Colo.), who led the Pack with 15 points, turned a late foul by Colorado Chrisitan into two free throws at the 48-second mark to tie the game, and a foul by the Cougars' Jodi Krall sent Espinoza to the line with two seconds left.  Boasting a free-throw percentage over 85 percent, Espinoza promptly sank the final two shots to ice the win.

CSU-Pueblo improves to 8-5 with the win and 4-1 in RMAC play.  CSU-Pueblo will return home next weekend when it hosts Regis and Metro State.