PUEBLO, Colo. (Nov. 8, 2019) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team outscored Cameron University by 20 points in the second half to race to a 92-69 season-opening victory Friday at Massari Arena. Hosting the 36th Annual Al Kaly Shrine Classic, the ThunderWolves not only secured their first win of the season, but the first win under first-year head coach Matt Hammer. 
 
The Pack shot 72 percent from the field in the second half and finished the game hitting 60.4 percent of their shots. Cameron shot 41.1 percent for the game. CSU-Pueblo was also firing from long range, as they produced a 57.7 percentage from 3-point land. The ThunderWolves hit 13 3-pointers with five different players doing the damage. The Pack dished out 15 assists and added nine steals with five blocks. The home team won the rebounding battle, 32-30. CSU-Pueblo scored 22 points off turnovers with 19 coming in the second half. The Pack won the paint, 32-22.
 
Two players surpassed 20 points for the Pack, a fifth year senior and a true freshman. Donovan Oldham (R-Sr., F, Colorado Springs, Colo.) went 8-for-10 from the field, 3-for-4 from long range and 1-of-2 at the line for 20 points. He also added a game-high seven rebounds in 34 minutes. Hammer wasn't the only one who had a big debut, as freshman Jaedon Bowles (F, Aurora, Colo.) led the team with 22 points. He hit five 3's, shot 7-of-11 from the field and went 3-for-4 from the free throw line. He added two rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 25 minutes of action off the bench. 
 
A total of five players scored in double figures, as David Simental (R-So., G, Pueblo West, Colo.) had 11 points and junior Bryce Sanchious (F, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) added 10 points in starting roles. Simental hit three 3-pointers, all in the second half, and led all players with four steals. Off the bench, sophomore Tyson Gilbert (G, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored 10 points and had three assists. 
 
Senior point guard Brandon McGhee (Oakland, Calif.) finished the game with nine points, a game-high seven assists and four rebounds. 
 
The ThunderWolves led by five twice in the first half, while Cameron held a six-point lead during the opening 20 minutes. By halftime the home team held a slim three-point lead at 38-35. 
 
The second half continued to be a back-and-forth affair. A dunk by the Aggies gave them a 47-43 lead with 16:34 left. Then it became the Bowles and Simental show. During the next seven minutes of game time the ThunderWolves posted a 26-13 run to open up a 69-60 lead with 9:20 showing on the game clock. All 26 points were scored by the two newcomers, as Bowles produced 17 points and hit all five of his 3-pointers for the game, while Simental dropped three daggers from downtown. 
 
The lead would stretch to 14 at 74-60 with points from returners Jason Anderson (R-Sr., C, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Oldham. Cameron would get as close as 12, but back-to-back possessions where Oldham hit 3-pointers would give the home team a 20-point lead at 87-67 with 3:04 remaining. CSU-Pueblo would close the door in the final minutes to secure the 23-point victory. 
 
Saturday the ThunderWolves cap the weekend hosting Midwestern State University beginning at 7:30 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.