ThunderWolves jump out to 10-2 lead in final exhibition of the season.

LARAMIE, Wyo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Nov. 5, 2011) - When Division II teams have exhibition games with Division I teams, success isn't based on wins and losses, but rather on overall team effort and performance.

But Saturday, the ThunderWolves had visions in their heads of a "W" - at least for the first five minutes of the first half - battling Wyoming to an 85-77 loss in the ThunderWolves' final exhibition of 2011.

CSU-Pueblo, which started its exhibition against Colorado State last week in an 11-0 hole to start the game, turned the heat on Wyoming early, claiming a 7-0 lead out of the gate.  Point guard Bryce Velasquez (Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) was the main culprit, sinking a three as well as another jumper in the initial burst.

The ThunderWolves would go up 10-2 before Wyoming clawed its way back in, using a 16-3 run to go up on the Pack once and for all and never look back.  It led just 43-39 at halftime, but ran away with the game in the second half.

As CSU-Pueblo was threatening after a Kevin Coates (Sr., Annapolis, Md.) inside of the first minute of the second half, cutting the Wyoming lead to 45-44, the Cowboys went on an 11-0 run.  It would have double-digit leads during several points of the second half, but the Pack was able to keep it a three-score game during the final five minutes of the game.

CSU-Pueblo was led offensively by Arden Dennis (Jr., Aurora, Colo.), who had 24 points and sank four three-pointers.  Velasquez had 11 points and seven assists while Coates and Ryan Arel (Jr., Shawnee, Kan.) each scored in the double-digits.

The ThunderWolves' final pre-season fare will take place next Saturday at Massari Arena with a revival of the CSU-Pueblo Alumni Game, tipping off at 7 p.m.