PUEBLO, Colo. (Jan. 2, 2020) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball teams opens the New Year hosting Colorado Christian University and Regis University Jan. 3-4 at Massari Arena, which now features a new video board, sound system and LED scorer's tables. Both contests are slated for a 7:30 p.m. start. 

PROMOTIONS

Friday night squads from Stuntz Academy will perform at both the men's and women's halftime. Saturday is YMCA Night. All kids wearing their YMCA game jerseys will get a FREE general admission ticket, while all YMCA members with their ID card will earn a $2 discount on a general admission ticket. YMCA basketball teams will also be playing at the men's and women's halftime.  

THE PACK
 
• The ThunderWolves (4-7, 2-3 RMAC) last played Dec. 18 in a road loss to New Mexico Highlands University. The Pack shot 53.6 percent from the field and scored 105 points, but lost 111-105 to the Cowboys. Highlands (7-2, 3-2 RMAC) entered the game as the league's top scoring team and ranked eighth in Division II with 93.6 points per game. The home team knocked down 55.6 percent of their shots and hit 13 3-pointers. The ThunderWolves scored 64 points in the second half to win the final 20 minutes 64-53, but a lapse in the last 10 minutes of the first half put them in a hole they couldn't get out of. CSU-Pueblo shot 53.6 percent from the field and also hit 13 from long range (13-for-26, 50%). Guard David Simental recorded his second 30-plus point performance of the season, as he dropped 30 points on 12-of-20 (60%) shooting from the field. Guard Tyson Gilbert produced a season-high 22 points with a career-high six 3-pointers (6-of-7, 85.7%) and an 8-for-12 (66.7%) effort from the field. Center Jason Anderson recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. 

• Simental was named RMAC Offensive Player of the Week Dec. 9 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 in an overtime loss at Fort Lewis 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 four different players have 4.8 or more rebounds per contest. 

• Simental leads the team with 17.9 points per game to rank 6th in the RMAC. His 25.0 points per conference game is 3rd in the league. He is the only player to have started each of the 11 contests. He is 42-for-46 from the free throw line for a 91.3 percentage that ranks 1st in the RMAC. Sinental's 10 steals is good for T-2nd on the team. His 47.3 field goal percentage is good for T-11th in the conference. 
 
• Senior guard Brandon McGhee adds 12.5 points per game and is shooting 50.9 percent from the field (8th in the RMAC). He leads the team with 4.1 assists per game that is T-5th in the RMAC. He adds 4.8 rebounds per contest. His 1.6 assist/turnover ratio is 7th in the conference. McGhee's 12 steals is a team-high.
 
• Junior forward Bryce Sanchious owns 10.6 points per game and has pulled down a team-best 5.6 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).

• Sophomore guard Tyson Gilbert has started seven games and leads the team with 22 3-pointers with a 52.4 percentage from long range. He is averaging 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He knocked down six 3-pointers Dec. 18 in a road loss to New Mexico Highlands.
 
• Freshman forward Jaedon Bowles has produced 9.5 points per game with nine contests coming off the bench. He is 2nd on the team with 20 3-pointers and is shooting 40.8 percent from long range.
 
• Senior forward Donovan Oldham adds 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game. 
 
• The Pack average 78.7 points per game to rank 5th in the RMAC and allow 81.1 points per contest. The team is shooting 48.0 percent from the field to rank T-5th in the league. 
 
• The ThunderWolves have hit on 37.5 percent of their 3-pointers to rank 6th in the league, while their 8.5 3-pointers made per game is T-4th. 

• CSU-Pueblo ranks 5th in the league in blocks with 2.9 swats per game. 

THE COUGARS

• The Cougars are 1-10 overall and 1-4 in RMAC play. CCU started the season 0-9 before snapping the skid with a 79-77 home win against UCCS Dec. 14. Colorado Christian lost 71-66 against Regis Dec. 20. Spencer Hoffman scored 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the loss. 
 
• The Cougars are averaging 69.7 points per game (15th in the RMAC) and allowing 81.6 points per contest (14th in the RMAC) for a league-worst -11.9 scoring margin.
 
• Colorado Christian leads the league with 77.7 percent shooting from the charity stripe. 
 
• CCU has defended the 3-point line well this season and is allowing teams to shoot 32.4 percent to rank 2nd in the RMAC.
 
• Justin Engesser's 7.2 rebounds per game is good for T-4th in the RMAC. He has a team-high 28 3-pointers and his 44.4 percentage from long range ranks 3rd in the conference. He is tied for the team lead with 13.7 points per game. 
 
• Jake Nornick is 4th in the RMAC with 4.4 assists per game, while his 1.5 assist/turnover ratio is good for T-9th in the conference. He is also T-1st on the team with 13.7 points per game. 
 
• Spencer Hoffman is 4th in the league with an 86.7 free throw percentage. He adds 12.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest. 
 
THE RANGERS

• The Rangers are 8-3 overall, while their 3-2 RMAC record is good for a five-way tie for 4th in the league standings. RU is coming off a 71-66 home win against Colorado Christian on Dec. 20. Toni Rocak led the team with 19 points and tied for a team-best seven rebounds. 
 
• The Rangers average 76.7 points per game and are allowing 72.4 points per contest to rank 7th in the RMAC in both categories.

• Regis leads the RMAC in steals with 8.45 per game. The squad has two players ranked in the top six in the league, as Christian Little owns 1.9 steals per game for third and Kevin Ebriekwe's 1.6 steals per contest is good for T-6th.
 
• The team is 3rd in the RMAC in 3-point defense after allowing teams to shoot just 32.9 percent from long range.
 
• RU is 5th in the league with a +0.55 turnover margin and has a +3.0 rebounding margin to rank 6th in the conference. 
 
• Tony Rocak leads the team with 15.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and ranks top 15 in the league in both categories. His 52.6 percent shooting from the field is good for 5th in the RMAC. 
 
• Little adds 14.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Brian Dawson has 11.8 points per game and is shooting 55.7 percent from the field. 
 
NEXT UP
 
The ThunderWolves head out on the road Jan. 10-11 at Western Colorado University and Colorado Mesa University. Both the games are scheduled to tip 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.