GOLDEN, Colo. (January 17, 2015) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team knocked off No. 5 and undefeated Colorado School of Mines 80-71, Saturday, behind 57.8 percent shooting from the field and a 59.1 percent effort from beyond the arc.

Colorado Mines (14-1, 10-1 RMAC) had won two straight home games against the nation's top 10 teams before dropping tonight's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest. The Orediggers downed then-No. 10 Metropolitain State University of Denver Jan. 10, 59-57 and defeated No. 8 University of Colorado Colorado Springs, 82-73 Friday. 

Senior Devonte Malcolm (G, Sierra Vista, Ariz.) hit seven of nine 3-point attempts (77.8%) and scored a team-high 21 points off the bench. Fellow senior Tyrone Marshall (C, Denver, Colo.) scored 20 points on 7-of-9 (77.8%) shooting from the field and a 6-of-8 (75%) mark from the free throw line. Junior Bronson Moton (F, Arvada, Colo.) added 17 points and team-best seven rebounds. He was 5-for-6 from the field (83.3%), 3-of-3 from long range and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.

Malcolm's seven 3-pointers is tied for third most by an NCAA Division II player this season (games through Jan. 15) and sits tied for 13th in the 3-point percentage single-game list (minimum seven made). 

The Pack (11-6, 7-4 RMAC) went an efficient 13-for-22 from the 3-point line after hitting 32.3 percent from downtown the night before. The 15-for-17 mark from the line calculates to a season-best 88.2 percent. CSM was 47.4 percent from the field and totaled just eight assists, nearly eight less than its season average entering the game.

The ThunderWolves started the game with a hot hand from all over the floor and at the media timeout with 9:58 left the road team was shooting 61.5 percent and owned a four-point lead, 21-17.

The CSU-Pueblo advantage was eight at 31-23 with 5:56 remaining in the opening half, but an 11-0 run by the Orediggers gave the home team their first lead since the opening minute and a half at 34-31 and 3:56 showing on the game clock.

The ThunderWolves didn't bury their heads against the highly-ranked team and posted 11-straight points of their own before CSM converted on two free throws with less than 10 seconds left of the half. The run was started by Malcolm 3-pointer and gave the Pack a 42-36 lead heading into the locker room.

CSU-Pueblo shot 63.6 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes of play and were 6-of-10 from downtown. Marshall had a game-high 15 points at the break, while Malcolm was 3-of-3 from long range.

The ThunderWolves opened the second half on a 6-2 run and with 17:37 left had a 10-point lead, 48-38. CSU-Pueblo was able to keep a two-three possession advantage and answered any potentially momentum-changing buckets by the Orediggers with a score of its own.

The Pack lead was seven, 67-60, with 4:11 remaining, but then Malcolm took over and knocked down a 3-pointer on three straight possessions to give the ThunderWolves a 76-62 lead in the No. 5 team in the nation's house with just under three minutes to play.

Colorado Mines would hit two 3-pointers in the final minute of play, but it wouldn't be enough, as the ThunderWolves knocked off their first nationally-ranked team of the season.

CSU-Pueblo remains on the road Jan. 23-24 at Chadron State College and Black Hills State University, respectfully.