CHADRON, Neb. (January 3, 2016) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team rebounded from Saturday's road loss with a 71-63 victory at Chadron State College in a rare Sunday edition of a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest.

Junior center Nelson Kahler (Noosa Head, Australia) was the top player on both ends of the floor, as he totaled a season-best 25 points and totaled seven blocks, which ranks as the second most in program history and the most in the RMAC this season. The reigning RMAC Defensive Player of the Week also added six rebounds. He totaled 16 rebounds and 10 blocks on the weekend.

The ThunderWolves (8-5, 40-3 RMAC) shot a season-best 50.9 percent from the field and allowed Chadron State (5-6, 3-4 RMAC) to just 37.9 percent. The Pack only hit three 3-pointers, after it posted a season-low six the night before. CSU-Pueblo had been averaging 10.8 3-pointers per game entering the weekend, which was 14th in NCAA Division II.

Three other players were in double-figures, as sophomore guard Will Newman (Lawndale, Calif.) totaled 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Senior forward Odessa Lear (Parkhill, Colo.) recorded 10 points and six rebounds and three assists and junior guard Syrus McDonald (Flint, Mich.) totaled 10 points.

The Eagles' first and only lead of the game came three minutes into the game at 5-4. The ThunderWolves then posted a 5-0 run and never trailed the rest of the way.

The lead was only two at 16-14 with 7:28 remaining in the opening half, but the Pack posted another 5-0 run to take their largest lead of the game at seven, 21-14. The road team lead was again seven at 27-20 with 3:07 left, but CSC won the final minutes 8-5 and the Pack's lead was just four at 32-28.

The teams went back and forth in the early minutes in the second half, but a 6-1 run by the Pack, all on layups, as the road team won the points in the paint, 44-38. The run gave CSU-Pueblo a 42-33 lead with 16:12 left.

A Lear jumper gave the ThunderWolves their first double-digit lead at 51-41 with 11:54 remaining. The lead remained at least two possessions the rest of the way, although the Eagles were within four at 65-61 with 1:15 remaining, but the ThunderWolves went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe down the stretch to ensure the victory.

The Pack will begin a four-game homestand Jan. 8-9. Both nights the contests are set to begin at 7:30 p.m., as the ThunderWolves host New Mexico Highlands University Friday and Western New Mexico University Saturday.