CANYON, Texas (Nov. 24, 2018) - The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team fell 89-79 to Lubbock Christian University, Saturday in the final nonconference game of the regular season. The contest also closed the Pak-A-Sak Thanksgiving Classic in Canyon, Texas, which was hosted by West Texas A&M University. 

Both teams had strong shooting nights, but LCU (5-2) had the edge and knocked down 54 percent of its shots from the field, while the Pack posted 49 percent. The ThunderWolves (2-4) hit 11 3-pointers, while the Chaps connected on eight of their nine shots from long range in the first half. Lubbock Christian took 10 more shots, as they pulled down eight offensive rebounds and scored 14 second chance points. LCU won the rebounding battle 34-25 and were successful in the paint with 48 points. 

Redshirt-freshman Dalen Jackson (G, Colorado Springs, Colo.) emerged this weekend as a threat for the ThunderWolves and Saturday he finished with 18 points on 6-for-12 (50%) shooting from the field and long range (4-for-8). He went 2-for-2 from the free throw line and added a team-best five assists in a team-high 33 minutes. 

Newcomer Jordan Phillips (R.-So., G, Colorado Springs, Colo.) also scored 18 points and added six rebounds. He was 5-for-8 (62.5%) from the field, 3-for-6 (50%) from beyond the arc and 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the charity stripe. 

Donovan Oldham (R-Jr., G, Colorado Springs, Colo.) recorded 14 points with seven rebounds. Jason Anderson (R-Jr., C, Colorado Springs, Colo.) dropped in 13 points with four rebounds and three assists. 

CSU-Pueblo never held a lead in the game, as the contest had four occasions were the game was tied. LCU jumped out to an 8-0 lead just three minutes into the contest, but the Pack settled in and tied the game 13-13 with 14:30 left in the first. In the 13-5 run, four different ThunderWolves scored. The Chaps responded and went on a 12-2 run to open a 10-point game 25-15 midway through the half. The lead would reach 16 before Jackson would hit a 3-pointer with 11 ticks left in the frame to put the Pack down 11, 46-35 at the half. 

The Chaps' lead reached 18 at 71-53 with 11:28 remaining, but the ThunderWolves pieced together a 23-5 run that took the clock all the way down to 3:45 left. During the stretch five different players scored. Oldham contributed eight points to the run, which included hitting free throws to tie the game at 76-76. 

Unfortunately, the ThunderWolves didn't have enough in the tank to close out the comeback and would only score three points down the stretch, while LCU found bucks and hit its free throws in the final minute to secure the 10-point win, 89-79. 

Next the Pack open Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play at New Mexico Highlands University Dec. 1 beginning at 7 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.