PUEBLO, Colo. (December 19, 2015) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team ended a two-game losing streak with a 84-63 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday against Adams State University at Massari Arena.
The Pack improved to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in RMAC play with the blowout win that capped the 2015 calendar year.
CSU-Pueblo was guided by 16 points from both senior Chris Golden (G, Milwaukee, Wis.) and sophomore Josh Smith (G, Colorado Springs, Colo.). Smith hit four 3-pointers, while Golden had three and both added four rebounds and two assists. Sophomore Will Newman (G, Lawndale, Calif.) added 12 points and four assists. Junior center Nelson Kahler (Noosa Heads, Australia) totaled 11 rebounds, six points and swatted away five Grizzly shot attempts.
The Pack shot 42.6 percent from the field and allowed Adams State (4-6, 3-2 RMAC) to shoot just 36.5 percent. CSU-Pueblo hit 12 3-pointers and totaled 19 points off of 15 Grizzly turnovers. The ThunderWolves bench totaled 38 points, as the home team never trailed in the game.
The ThunderWolves jumped out to a 5-0 lead to open the contest and owned a small advantage at 14-11 with 14:05 left on the first half clock. The Pack then rattled off an 8-0 run, guided by a rare four-point play by Newman, to open a 22-11 lead with eight minutes gone in the game.
The Pack lead was 29-15 when Adams State posted an 11-3 run that spanned 3:50 of game clock and the CSU-Pueblo lead was 32-26 with 5:29 remaining in the opening half.
A Golden 3-pointer with 2:04 left pushed the Pack lead to 39-28 and the ThunderWolves went into the locker room with a 10-point lead, 42-32.
The Pack knocked down seven 3-pointers in the first half, while ASU totaled three. The ThunderWolves bench totaled 21 of the 42 points, while the Grizzlies only had three.
CSU-Pueblo won the first five minutes of the second frame by a 14-6 margin to open its largest lead of the game at 18, as the scoreboard read, 56-38.
The Pack lead hit 25 at 69-44 midway through the second half and reached 30 at 82-52 with 6:13 left before ending at 21, 84-63.
The ThunderWolves will break for the holiday and return to the floor at Regis University Jan. 2 (5 p.m.) and Chadron State College Jan. 3 (3 p.m.).
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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.
