WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Nov. 9, 2018) - Redshirt-juniors Donovan Oldham (G/F, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Jason Anderson (C, Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored 26 and 20 points, respectfully, Friday in the season opener to lift the Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team to a 90-83 victory against University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.

The neutral site game was played in the Nissan of Wichita Falls Conference Classic, hosted by Midwestern State University. The ThunderWolves earned a season-opening victory for the sixth time under eight-year head coach Ralph Turner. 

Oldham dropped 26 points on 7-of-15 (46%) shooting from the field and a perfect 12-for-12 effort from the free throw line. He also added seven rebounds (three offensive) in 36 minutes. Anderson produced a double-double in game one of the season, as he totaled 20 points on 9-for-10 (90%) shooting from the field and pulled down 11 rebounds (three offensive). He also totaled five assists in 34 minutes on the floor. 

Off the bench, freshman Cade Carrol (G/F, Buena Vista, Colo.) played in 32 minutes and totaled 19 points, which included a 7-for-7 effort from the charity stripe. He knocked down two 3-pointers and added four rebounds with two steals and a block.

Senior Gavin Liggett (G, Limon, Colo.) hit three of the team's five 3-pointers and finished with nine points and nine rebounds with four assists. Freshman Tyson Gilbert (G, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) led the team with six assists and totaled four points and four rebounds. 

As a squad, the ThunderWolves finished the game shooting 53 percent from the field and an impressive 97 percent from the free throw line (27-for-29). The Pack overcame 17 turnovers and 21 Lion points off those miscues, by winning the battle of the boards 42-26 and dishing out more assists, 23-12. UAFS shot 48 percent from the field and only turned the ball over eight times. 

There were only five lead changes and four instances when the game was tied. CSU-Pueblo held a lead for 31:10 of game clock. 

UAFS took control early and produced what would be its largest lead of the day, eight points, at 15-7 with 15:37 left in the first half. The ThunderWolves then rattled off a 11-2 run during the next 2:45 of play. Liggett produced two of his three 3-pointers to jump start the run and a Carrol old-fashioned 3-point play ended the stretch. 

After trading short runs the game was tied 30-30 with 8:22 showing on the game clock. The ThunderWolves won the remaining eight minutes 23-12 and held a lead as large as 13 before settling with the 11-point advantage, 53-42 at the break. Oldham owned 16 points at the half, while Carrol totaled 14 of his 19 in the first 20 minutes.

The ThunderWolves pushed their lead to 16 during the first five minutes of the second half and never trailed. UAFS cut the deficit to three at 67-64 with 9:17 left, but a Carrol 3-pointer kept the game at a two-possession contest and the Lions never got closer than within four. 

CSU-Pueblo will battle Rogers State University Saturday at 5 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.