PUEBLO, Colo. (Dec. 17, 2019) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball teams closes the 2019 calendar year with a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference road test at New Mexico Highlands University, Wednesday, Dec. 18 beginning at 7 p.m.
THE PACK
• The ThunderWolves (4-6, 2-2 RMAC) are coming off a 1-1 RMAC home weekend against Westminster College (W, 84-75) and No. 9 Dixie State University (L, 81-69). The Pack led for 36 minutes of the win against the Griffins. CSU-Pueblo shot 53.4 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from long range. The ThunderWolves also won the rebounding battle 34-30 and dished out 13 assists. Guard
David Simental led all scorers with 23 points. Forward
Donovan Oldham recorded 15 points on five 3-pointers. The Pack led the Trailblazers 38-37 at the half, but couldn't hang on in the second half against the undefeated team. The ThunderWolves shot just 23.8 percent from long range in the loss. Guard
Brandon McGhee led the team with 14 points and added four rebounds and three assists.
• Simental was named RMAC Offensive Player of the Week after the first weekend of RMAC play. He averaged 30 points per game, shot 56.1 percent from the field (23-of-41) and 50 percent from long range, as he went 8-for-16. He was 6-for-8 (75%) from the free throw line. The 42 points is the fifth most in program history, the most by an RMAC player this season and tied for fifth most in NCAA Division II in 2019-20.
• Five different players are averaging 9.5 or more points per game and three different players have 4.9 or more rebounds per contest.
• Simental leads the team with 16.7 points per game to rank 10th in the RMAC. He is the only player to have started each of the 10 contests. His 16 3-pointers are second on the team. He is 37-for-40 from the free throw line for a 92.5 percentage that ranks 4th in the RMAC. He is in a three-way tie for first with nine steals.
• Senior guard
Brandon McGhee adds 12.8 points per game and is shooting 52.0 percent from the field (8th in the RMAC). He leads the team with 3.8 assists per game (T-14th in the league) and adds 4.9 rebounds per contest. His 1.5 assist/turnover ratio is 8th in the conference.
• Junior forward
Bryce Sanchious owns 10.9 points per game and has pulled down a team-best 5.5 rebounds per contest. He recorded back-to-back double-doubles the first RMAC weekend at Adams State (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Fort Lewis (17 points, 10 rebounds).
• Freshman forward
Jaedon Bowles has produced 9.9 points per game with eight contests coming off the bench. He leads the team with 18 3-pointers and is shooting 41.9 percent from long range.
• Sophomore guard
Tyson Gilbert has started six games and is averaging 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Senior forward
Donovan Oldham adds 8.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.
• The Pack average 76.1 points per game and allow 78.1 points per contest. The team is shooting 47.3 percent from the field to rank 6th in the RMAC.
• The team is 81-of-225 from 3-point land to average 8.1 made 3-pointers per game to sit 7th in the RMAC.
• CSU-Pueblo ranks 4th in the league in blocks with 3.1 swats per game.
THE COWBOYS
• The Cowboys are 7-2 overall and 2-2 in RMAC play. HU started the season 5-0 before going 2-2 against the same four conference opponents as the Pack. Last weekend, Highlands lost 109-108 in overtime to Dixie State and then won 78-77 versus Westminster. The team lost on a layup with two seconds left against the Trailblazers, then the next night knocked down a jumper with three ticks left to win the game against the Griffins.
• The team is averaging 93.6 points per game to lead the RMAC and sit 8th in Division II. The Cowboys are allowing 82.9 points per contest for a conference-best +10.7 scoring margin.
• Highlands gets to the line, as they rank 15th nationally in free throws made (191) and 23rd in attempts (252).
• The Cowboys lead the league with 10.6 3-pointers per game and are 1st in 3-point field goal percentage defense at 30.4 percent.
• With 38.8 rebounds per game the team is 2nd in the conference and with a +3.3 turnover margin the Cowboys are 3rd in the league.
• Sammy Barnes-Thompkins leads the team with 26.3 points per game to sit 1st in the RMAC and 5th in NCAA Division II. He has 32 3-pointers made to rank 1st in the league and 32nd nationally. With 21 steals he is 2nd in the RMAC.
• Raquan Mitchell also has 32 3-poniters made and averages 23.4 points per game to rank 2nd in the league and 17th nationally. His 93 3-pointers attempted is 12th most in Division II.
NEXT UP
After the break, the ThunderWolves return to Massari Arena Jan. 3-4 to host Colorado Christian University and Regis University in a pair of RMAC contests. Both games are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start.
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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.
