DENVER (January 2, 2016) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team started the New Year with a 93-85 setback at Regis University, Saturday in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest.

The ThunderWolves (7-5, 3-3 RMAC) totaled a season-low six 3-pointers and allowed Regis (4-8, 2-4 RMAC) to shoot 52.3 percent in the loss. The Pack entered the game averaging 10.8 3-pointers per game to rank No. 14 in NCAA Division II, while the 50-plus percent by their opponent is just the fourth time that had happened this season.

Senior forward Odessa Lear (Parkhill, Colo.) posted a career-high 28 points on 8-of-16 (50%) shooting from the field and an 11-of-13 (84.6%) mark from the charity stripe. Sophomore guard Josh Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added 16 points, while junior center Nelson Kahler (Noosa Heads, Australia) posted 10 rebounds and nine points with three blocks.   

Neither team held a lead larger than five in the first half, as the Pack trailed by a handful at 21-16 with 8:02 remaining in the opening fame. The ThunderWolves then posted a 10-0 run during the next three minutes of game time to open their five-point lead at 26-21.

The run was capped by back-to-back Gavin Liggit (R-Fr., G, Limon, Colo.) 3-pointers, as the first one came with 6:12 left in the frame. The dagger from downtown was the first of the game for the Pack, who had gone 0-9 leading up to that point.

The Rangers then kept the ThunderWolves off the scoreboard during the next two-plus minutes to regain the advantage at 28-26. With 1:37 remaining, Smith knocked down a jumper to erase the fifth tie of the half and give the Pack a 33-31 lead, which led to a 34-33, road team advantage at the break.

CSU-Pueblo went 3-of-14 (21.4%) from long range in the half, but hit 11 free throws, compared to two by Regis.

The Rangers scored the first five points of the second half and never trailed the rest of the game. The Pack were within three at 43-40 with 17:51 showing on the game clock, but the home team posted an 8-2 run that gave it the largest lead of the game, 51-42 with 13:53 remaining.

An old-fashioned three-point play by Lear, then a bucket from downtown by the senior got the Pack within three at 62-59 with 8:10 showing, but the Rangers countered with a 10-2 run to open a double-digit lead, 72-61 with 6:10 left.

The Pack cut the deficit to just four at 81-77 with 1:28 remaining, but that would be as close as the road team would get in the eight-point loss.

Next, the ThunderWolves will travel to Chadron State College (5-5, 3-3 RMAC) for an RMAC contest beginning at 3 p.m.