PUEBLO, Colo. (Dec. 6, 2018) - The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team begins the home portion of its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference schedule Dec. 7-8, as Adams State University and Fort Lewis College visit Massari Arena for 7:30 p.m. contests.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday, Pack Athletics will be hosting a Toy Drive to benefit Pueblo Cooperative Care Center. Pack Athletics will be collecting unwrapped gifts for infants, toddlers, and teens in the lobby of Massari Arena. Anyone who donates a gift receives $2 off ticket admission. Any CSU-Pueblo student who attends Friday's doubleheader will have the chance to enter a drawing. The winner will receive the opportunity to make a half-court shot to win $4,000 in tuition.
Saturday will be YMCA night at Massari Arena. All youth wearing a YMCA jersey receive FREE admission and YMCA members who show their ID get $2 off admission.
LAST TIME OUT
• CSU-Pueblo is 2-5 this season with a 1-1 home record. The Pack are coming off an 89-84 road loss to New Mexico Highlands to open RMAC play.
• The ThunderWolves finished the game outshooting the Cowboys (5-1, 1-0 RMAC) 49.1 percent to 43.7 percent. The Pack knocked down two more 3-pointers, as they went 13-of-25 for a 52 percent evening. CSU-Pueblo entered the game first in the RMAC in free throw shooting percentage, but went just 65.4 percent in the game (17-for-26).
• The Pack got it done on the glass and outrebounded NMHU 45-31. The ThunderWolves again struggled with turnovers and coughed up 21 against the Cowboys, which translated into 24 points for the home team.
• Jordan Phillips (R-So., G/F, Colorado Springs, Colo.) totaled 21 points on 7-of-12 (58.3%) shooting from the field and a 4-for-5 (80%) effort from long range to guide the Pack. He added four rebounds. Redshirt-junior Jason Anderson (C, Colorado Springs, Colo.) posted 15 points, as he knocked down 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the field. He totaled a team-best seven rebounds.
THE PACK
• CSU-Pueblo owns a 77.1 percentage from the free throw line to rank first in the RMAC and 35th in NCAA Division II.
• The team's 46.9 percent shooting from the field is good for third in the RMAC, while their 40.5 percentage from long range ranks fourth in the league (29th nationally). The ThunderWolves have knocked down 9.1 3-pointers per game this season to also sit fourth in the conference.
• The Pack are scoring 76.9 points per game, but allowing 86.6 points per contest this season.
• Redshirt-junior Donovan Oldham leads the team and ranks 12th in the RMAC with 14.9 points per game. His 92.0 percent shooting from the charity stripe is good for third in the conference and 28th nationally.
• Redshirt-junior Jason Anderson is second on the team with 12.4 points per game. He is shooting 63.2 percent from the field to rank fifth in the conference and 24th nationally. His 6.1 rebounds per game is a team best.
• Redshirt-freshman Dalen Jackson has started last two games. He is 11-for-21 from 3-point land for a 52.4 percentage that ranks first on the team among players with at least two 3-pointers made per game. Jackson averages 8.7 points per game in the five contests he has played in.
• Freshman Cade Carrol has played in all seven games and is averaging 11.0 points in 22.7 minutes per game off the bench.
• Head Coach Ralph Turner is in his eighth season as bench boss of the Pack and owns a 111-90 (.552) overall record. He coached his 200th game as a member of the ThunderWolves Nov. 24 against Lubbock Christian.
THE GRIZZLIES
• The Grizzlies started the season 0-5 before winning their RMAC opener with a 68-60 overtime victory against Fort Lewis.
• ASU is third in the RMAC with 84.3 points per game, but are allowing a league-worst 91.2 points per contest.
• Adams State is first in the conference in free throws made with 120 and third with a 75. percentage from the line. The Grizzlies are third in the league in turnovers forced with 16.0 per game.
• John Dewey Jr. leads the squad with 19.7 points per game to sit sixth in the RMAC, while his 4.5 assists per game is second best. He is shooting 95.1 percent from the charity stripe to rank second in the league and ninth nationally.
THE SKYHAWKS
• The Skyhawks went 4-1 in nonconference play before dripping their RMAC opener at Adams State by the score of 68-60 in overtime.
• FLC is scoring 74.7 points per game, which is ninth in the league, but their 68.0 points per game allowed is fourth in the league.
• Fort Lewis leads NCAA Division II in 3-point field goal defense, as it has allowed opponents to hit on just 22.3 percent from long range.
• The Skyhawks rank second in the RMAC in rebounds per game (39.3 rpg), assists per contest (16.5 apg), total blocks (25) and turnovers forced (16.7 topg).
• Marquel Beasley leads the squad and is fifth in the RMAC with 19.8 points per game. Alex Semadeni is second in the conference in assists per game (4.5) and assist/turnover ratio (2.7). Otas Iyekekpolor is the RMAC blocks leader with 12 (2.0 bpg).
LOOKING AHEAD
• The ThunderWolves hit the road to close out the 2018 calender year Dec. 14-15 at Westminster College and Dixie State University, respoectfully.
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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.
