PUEBLO, Colo. (Jan. 3, 2020) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team started the New Year with an 85-78 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference home victory against Colorado Christian University, Friday at Massari Arena.
The ThunderWolves also debuted a brand new video board, sound system and LED scorer's table, which enhanced the game experience for more than 1,100 fans in attendance.
The Pack improved to 5-7 overall and 3-3 in league play by getting to the free throw line and hitting 22-of-26 (84.6%) from the charity stripe. CSU-Pueblo shot 47.5 percent from the field and allowed the Cougars (1-10, 1-5 RMAC) to shoot 49.2 percent. CCU hit 58.8 percent in the second half to guide a comeback that saw them go from down 20 to shy just five points with 3:42 remaining in regulation.
The ThunderWolves spread out the scoring with four players reaching at least 13 points. Sophomore
David Simental (G, Pueblo West, Colo.) dropped 19 points with an 11-of-12 (91.7%) effort from the free throw line. He also added six rebounds, a steal and an assist while playing all 40 minutes.
Senior center
Jason Anderson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored 16 points and went 7-of-8 (87.5%) from the field. He chipped in six rebounds. Senior
Donovan Oldham (F, Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored 15 points and brought down a team-high seven rebounds with three coming on the offensive end.
Finally,
Tyson Gilbert (So., G, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) came off the bench and hit three of the team's seven 3-pointers and scored 13 points. He also dished out four of the Pack's eight assists.
The scored was tied twice, while the lead only changed once when the Pack went ahead 9-7 on a Gilbert 3-pointer with 13:43 left in the opening half.
The advantage was just four at 16-12 at the midway point of the half when the ThunderWolves posted a 16-4 run during a 4:25 stretch of game time to break open a 16-point lead at 32-16. During the run four different players scored, while Anderson contributed seven points, which included capping the Pack streak with a dunk and an and-one.
The lead hit 18 during the first 20 minutes of play before settling at 16, 45-29.
The ThunderWolves led by 20 at 65-45 on an Oldham 3-pointer with 14:13 to play and the advantage was 19, 77-58, with 9:12 remaining before the Cougars made a run. A 15-1 stretch for the road team made things interesting at 78-73 with 3:42 to play, but the ThunderWolves were able to close the door in the final minutes to secure the conference victory.
The Pack are back in Massari Arena Saturday against Regis University (8-4, 3-3 RMAC) 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.
