PUEBLO, Colo. (Jan. 30, 2020) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team travels to Colorado School of Mines and University of Colorado Colorado Springs for two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contests Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Friday's contest is at 8 p.m., while Saturday is set to tip at 7:30 p.m.

THE PACK
 
• The ThunderWolves (9-10, 7-6 RMAC) went 1-1 in a home weekend Jan. 24-25. The Pack won 82-64 against South Dakota Mines and lost to Black Hills State by the score of 94-76. 
 
• The Pack grabbed an 82-64 win Friday versus South Dakota Mines. The Hardrockers came into the contest second in the conference in scoring defense with 67.9 points per game allowed, but the Pack were able to shoot 56.9 percent from the field and hit nine 3-pointers to collect 82 points, the most allowed by SDM&T this season. CSU-Pueblo shot the rock well from all over the floor with a 50 percent effort from beyond the arc and an 88.2 percentage from the free throw line. The ThunderWolves won the rebounding margin 35-27 and overcame allowing 50 points in the paint, 23 points off turnovers and 13 second chance points by the Hardrockers. The home team held the lead for 38:25 of game clock. Guard David Simental posted a game-high 23 points on 6-of-11 (54.5) shooting from the field and a 4-for-6 (66.7) effort from 3-point land. Forward Bryce Sanchious provided a spark off the bench, as the ThunderWolves outscored the Hardrockers 31-16 in bench points. He totaled 16 points, but also brought down seven rebounds in just 18 minutes played. He went 7-for-10 (70%) from the field and knocked down two of his three 3-point attempts. 
 
• Black Hills State recorded its 11th consecutive victory Saturday, as the ThunderWolves lost by the score of 94-76. Both teams shot above 60 percent from the field in the first half, but the Yellow Jackets kept their foot on the gas in the second half and finished the game hitting 62.3 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from long range. The Pack shot 50.8 percent from the field, but only hit four 3-pointers to BHSU's 12. Guard David Simental led the Pack in scoring with 24 points. He was 9-for-15 (60%) from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Starters Jason Anderson and Jaedon Bowles added 14 and 10 points, respectfully. Forward Bryce Sanchious came off the bench and contributed 10 points and six rebounds. 
 
• David 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 T-14th most in NCAA Division II in 2019-20.
 
• Six different players are scoring at least 9.5 points per game and four different players have 4.6 or more rebounds per contest. 

• Redshirt-sophomore guard David Simental leads the team with 16.8 points per game to rank T-6th in the RMAC. His 19.0 points per conference game is 4th. He is the only player to have started each of the 19 contests. He is 85-for-95 from the free throw line for an 89.5 percentage that ranks 2nd in the RMAC. His 33.4 minutes per game ranks 4th in the league. 
 
• Senior guard Brandon McGhee adds 13.4 points per game and is shooting 52.7 percent from the field to rank 8th in the RMAC. He leads the team with 4.3 assists per game that is 4th in the RMAC. He adds 4.6 rebounds per contest. His 1.7 assist/turnover ratio is T-6th in the conference. McGhee's 19 steals is a team-high.
 
• Sophomore guard Tyson Gilbert has started seven games and leads the team with 35 3-pointers with a 46.7 percentage from long range. He is averaging 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He knocked down six 3-pointers Dec. 18 in a road loss to New Mexico Highlands.
 
• Junior forward Bryce Sanchious owns 10.2 points per game and has pulled down 5.4 rebounds per contest to sit second on the team. The junior also leads the team with 16 blocks, as his 0.8 blocks per game average ranks T-8th in the RMAC. 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 9.6 points per game and earned a starting role the last eight games. He is second on the squad with 34 3-pointers.
 
• Senior center Jason Anderson owns 9.5 points and a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game. He has a 64.4 percentage from the field this season. Anderson has two double-doubles on the year. 
 
• Senior forward Donovan Oldham adds 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds with 27 3-pointers.
 
• The Pack average 78.2 points per game to rank 6th in the RMAC and allow 78.7 points per contest for 11th in the conference. 
 
• The team is shooting 48.2 percent from the field to rank T-4th in the RMAC. The team's 74.9 percent effort from the free throw line is 5th in the conference. 

• CSU-Pueblo ranks 4th in the league in blocks with 3.6 swats per game. 

THE OREDIGGERS

• The Orediggers are 13-7 overall and 9-4 in RMAC play to sit alone in third. Mines has won two straight after a home weekend against Metro State University of Denver (61-52) and Chadron State College (95-87). 
 
• Mines averages 76.2 points per game to rank 8th in the RMAC and allow 69.9 points per contest for 4th in the conference. 

• The Orediggers are 2nd in blocks per game with 4.2 blocks per game. Mines ranks 4th in the conference in free throw percentage with a 75.3 clip. The team ranks 5th in rebounding margin at +3.5.

• Mines has six players with 8.6 or more points per game. Mason Baker's 16.1 points per game is good for 8th in the RMAC. His 89.0 percent shooting from the free throw line is ranks 3rd. He also leads the team with 3.6 assists per game.
 
• Brendon Sullivan adds 14.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He is 7th in the conference with a 53.2 field goal percentage. 
 
• Michael Glen leads the RMAC with 31 overall blocks and a 1.6 blocks per game average. He has 6.8 rebounds per game to lead the team and rank 3rd in the league. Glen owns 11 points per game. 

THE MOUNTAIN LIONS

• The Mountain Lions are 11-7 overall with a 7-6 conference record that places them in a four-way tie for sixth. UCCS has lost three of its last four games. The Mountain Lions went 1-1 at home last weekend against Chadron State (W, 89-79) and MSU Denver (L, 66-59). 
 
• UCCS averages 72.2 points per game to rank 14th in the RMAC, but are first in scoring defense, as it allows 68.1 points per contest. 

• The Mountain Lions lead the league in rebounding margin at +5.7 and are tops in blocks with 4.9 swats per game. The team is 4th in the league in field goal percent defense, as they allow 42.9 percent. 
 
• Pagiet Wang leads the team with 15.8 points per game to rank 10th in the conference. His 1.9 steals per game not only leads the team, but ranks 3rd in the RMAC. He adds 5.6 rebounds per game. 
 
• Blend Avdili adds 12.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Parker Gaddis has dished out 3.9 assists per game to rank 6th in the RMAC. 
 
• William Becker has 25 blocked shots (1.5 bpg) this season to sit 2nd in the league. He leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per game in 17 contests, all off the bench. 
 
NEXT UP
 
The ThunderWolves remain on the road Feb. 7-8 at Black Hills State University and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

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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.