PUEBLO, Colo. (December 14, 2014) - The CSU-Pueblo men's basketball team erased a nine-point second half deficit before falling to No. 7-ranked Metro State University of Denver, 75-74, Sunday in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest at Massari Arena.
The Pack were led offensively by Tyrone Marshall (Sr., Denver, Colo.) who dropped in 19 points in going 6-for-8 from the field, including shooting 7-for-8 from the charity stripe.
CSU-Pueblo finished the game shooting 52.4% (22-42) from the field, including a 10-20 (50.0%) showing from beyond the arc. The Pack also shot an impressive 20-for-23 (87.0%) from the charity stripe.
MSU Denver outrebounded the Pack 28-19, with CSU-Pueblo holding a 9-7 steals advantage.
CSU-Pueblo jumped out to a 13-4 lead to begin the game on back-to-back 3-pointers from Bronson Moton (Jr., Aurora, Colo.), a dunk and free throw made to go along with Marshall connecting on an jumper from the free throw line to give the ThunderWolves its largest lead of the game at nine.
A quick 9-0 run from the Roadrunners would tie the game at 13 apiece with 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
The teams would finish the half going back and forth in a tight game through the first twenty minutes. The largest lead was only four points the remainder of the first half.
CSU-Pueblo trailed 39-37 at halftime after shooting 50.0 percent from the field (11-for-22).
The second half had the same energy and intensity as the first, as MSU Denver jumped out to its largest lead of the game with 15:43 remaining and the score 48-39.
Following a timeout, CSU-Pueblo chipped away at the lead thanks to a pair of made free throws from Rico Spikes (Jr., Merriville, Ind.), who finished the game with 15 points and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. A 3-point basket by Jed Knafelc (Sr., Highlands Ranch, Colo.) brought the Pack within two at 48-46.
The ThunderWolves took the lead one minute later following back-to-back field goals by Marshall with 11:18 left in regulation.
The game was tied for a fifth time at 61-61 with 4:20 remaining before a 3-point basket by the Roadrunners gave them the three-point lead. The Pack countered with a two-point bucket at the other end, but a mini 4-0 run by the road team gave it a five-point lead the ThunderWolves couldn't come back from.
The final minute however the Pack kept the score close and with eight seconds in regulation, Knafelc connected his fourth free throw to cut the lead 73-71.
Spikes notched his second 3-pointer of the game with 1.7 seconds left in the game, then CSU-Pueblo intercepted the deep in-bounds pass, but the shot was well short of the net, securing the one-point victory for MSU Denver.
CSU-Pueblo (5-4, 2-2 RMAC) will next venture to Silver City, New Mexico and play at Western New Mexico University Friday before battling New Mexico Highlands University Satruday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
