SALT LAKE CITY – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team totaled 72 second half points to secure a 116-79 exhibition victory versus Montana Western University, Saturday, at the Westminster College Tipoff Classic in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The ThunderWolves totaled 20 3-pointers in the game, guided by eight from freshman Josh Smith (G, Colorado Springs, Colo.), who came off the bench and poured in 28 points on 9-of-19 (47.4%) shooting from the field, which includes a 8-for-17 (47.5%) effort from long range.
As a team, the Pack shot 52.6 percent from the field, 47.6 percent from 3-point land and totaled 12 steals for the second straight game.
Six players scored in double figures, while junior Rico Spikes (G, Merriville, Ind.) neared a triple double with 13 points, a team-high 11 rebounds and a team-best eight assists.
The ThunderWolves suffered through some early shooting woes and trailed Montana Western 15-5 with 15:33 left in the opening half. The Pack then found their rhythm and posted a 16-2 run to own a 21-17 lead with 10:01 showing on the game clock. During the run, four different CSU-Pueblo players scored, guided by six points (two 3-pointers) from Smith.
An 8-3 counter by the Bulldogs gave them a 25-24 lead just two minutes later, but buckets by junor forward Braydon Kuiper (Wasilla, Alaska) and Spikes allowed the Pack to regain a lead.
The ThunderWolves maintained the advantage until Montana Western posted a 9-2 run to open a 44-40 lead with 1:25 showing on first half clock.
The Pack scored four straight points to tie the game 44-44 with 18 ticks left, but a score by the Bulldogs with just moments left gave them a 46-44 halftime lead.
The teams traded buckets for the first two minutes of the second half, as Montana Western owned a 52-50 lead. The Pack then jetted away from the Bulldogs with a 15-0 run to open a 65-52 lead with 15:42 showing on the clock. Junior guard Odessa Lear (G, Denver, Colo.) totaled six points during the run.
Shortly afte the run, the ThunderWolves' lead hit 20 for the first time at 74-54 after three, 3-pointers, two coming off the hands of Smith.
The CSU-Pueblo lead never dipped below 10 the rest of the game, as the Pack used the big second half to cap exhibition play and head into regular season play Nov. 14-15. The ThunderWolves host the annual Al Kaly Shrine Classic and will welcome West Texas A&M University Friday at 7 p.m. and Midwestern State University Saturday at 7 p.m.
