LAKEWOOD, Colo. (January 16, 2015) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team lost 84-67 at Colorado Christian University Friday in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest.
CSU-Pueblo (10-6, 6-4 RMAC) turned the ball over 17 times (four above average) that led to 37 points off turnovers for Colorado Christian (9-7, 6-4 RMAC).
The Pack shot just 41.1 percent from the field, while allowing the Cougars to shoot 52.5 percent. The ThunderWolves only totaled 11 assists, nearly seven below their season average.
Three players scored in double-figures, led by senior Devonte Malcolm (G, Sierra Vista, Ariz.), who totaled 12 points on a 4-of-6 effort from beyond the arc. Junior Bronson Moton (F, Aurora, Colo.) returned to the lineup after missing two games to total 12 points and pull down a team-best seven rebounds. Junior Rico Spikes (G, Merriville, Ind.) added 11 points, six rebound and five assists.
The ThunderWolves scored the first bucket of the game, but that would be the only lead of the evening for the Pack. The deficit was three at 12-9 with 15:06 remaining, but an 8-0 run by CCU put the road team in an 11-point hole.
The Cougar lead went as large as 17 at 31-14 with 4:30 remaining. The ThunderWolves cut the deficit to 10, 35-25, with 1:46 left in the half on a Malcolm 3-pointer, but the Pack trailed by 14 points after a last second jumper from CCU pushed the score to 39-25.
The Cougars scored the first six points of the second half and owned their largest lead of the evening at an even 20, 45-25.
CSU-Pueblo mounted a small comeback and trailed by just eight when freshman Josh Smith (G, Colorado Springs, Colo.) knocked down a 3-pointer with 6:47 remaining and the scoreboard reading 67-59. The bucket by Smith capped a 9-0 run that saw the home team fail to score for 2:45 of game clock.
Unfortunately, a 5-0 run by CCU returned the home team's lead to double digits and seal the victory.
The ThunderWolves will try and rebound against No. 5 Colorado School of Mines Saturday in a conference game set for 7 p.m.
-30-
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
