PUEBLO, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Jan. 8, 2011) - Led by a strong inside out game Saturday, CSU-Pueblo was dominant in a showdown with Western State, claiming a 72-48 win.
CSU-Pueblo led for the entire duration of the game, opening up a 14-3 lead to start the game. Their first big test, however, came directly after that hot start, as Western State responded with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 16-12. But the Pack responded by scoring 14 of the next 22 points, extending their lead to 30-20 and never relenting after that point.
The ThunderWolves opened up their lead to as much as 25 late in the second half before a late vanity run by the Mountaineers allowed the final 14-point margin to materalize.
The Pack had strong games all around, notably from Amanda Bartlett (Sr., Kiowa, Colo.), who scored 20 points for just the third time in her career, Kendall Babler (Jr., Rifle, Colo.), who was just a few dishes away from a double-double with a 17-point, eight-assist night, and Jennelle Branting (Jr., Littleton, Colo.), who didn't let her 5-foor-7 frame from getting in her way down low, grinding out a career-high nine rebounds to go with 12 points.
With the win, CSU-Pueblo improves its record to 8-5 and 5-4 in RMAC play, with a big test facing them next weekend - undefeated Metro State hosts the ThunderWolves in Denver on Friday, then the Pack travels to Regis Saturday.
