PUEBLO, Colo. (Jan. 9, 2020) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team travels to Western Colorado University and Colorado Mesa University Jan. 10-11 for a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference battles. Both games are set to begin at 7:30 p.m. 

THE PACK
 
• The ThunderWolves (6-7, 4-3 RMAC) are coming off a 2-0 home weekend to open 2020. The Pack won 85-78 against Colorado Christian Friday and 78-74 versus Regis Saturday. CSU-Pueblo sits in a four-way tie for fifth in the conference standings through the first third of the league season. 
 
• Against CCU, the ThunderWolves used their abilities to get to the free throw line to separate themselves from the Cougars. The Pack went 22-for-26 (84.6%) from the line, guided by sophomore David Simental, who went 11-for-12 (91.7%) and finished with a team-high 19 points. Senior Jason Anderson scored 16 points and went 7-of-8 (87.5%) from the field. Senior Donovan Oldham pitched-in 15 points and brought down a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Tyson Gilbert 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. 
 
• In the win against the Rangers, CSU-Pueblo shot 52.5 percent from the field and allowed RU to hit on just 40 percent of its shots. Freshman Jaedon Bowles was the first half hero and finished the game shooting 7-of-8 (87.5%) from the field and 4-of-5 (80%) from long range for 19 points. He totaled six rebounds. Senior Brandon McGhee was the second half hero, as he scored 13 of his 19 points in the last 20 minutes. He shot 7-for-10 (70%) from the field and added eight assists. Senior Jason Anderson added 10 points, brought down a season-high nine rebounds and added two blocks. Junior Bryce Sanchious had 10 points and six rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench. He also had two blocks, which included a swat in the final seconds on a shot that would have tied the game.  

• 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 10.2 or more points per game and four different players have 4.6 or more rebounds per contest. 

• Simental leads the team with 17.2 points per game to rank 7th in the RMAC. His 21.1 points per conference game is 5th in the league. He is the only player to have started each of the 13 contests. He is 56-for-62 from the free throw line for a 90.3 percentage that ranks 3rd in the RMAC.  
 
• Senior guard Brandon McGhee adds 12.7 points per game and is shooting 52.8 percent from the field to rank 5th in the RMAC. He leads the team with 4.2 assists per game that is 4th in the RMAC. He adds 4.6 rebounds per contest. His 1.6 assist/turnover ratio is T-7th in the conference. McGhee's 14 steals is a team-high.
 
• Sophomore guard Tyson Gilbert has started seven games and is second on the team with 25 3-pointers with a 48.1 percentage from long range. He is averaging 10.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 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 a team-best 5.5 rebounds per contest. The junior also leads the team with eight blocks. 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 10.2 points per game with nine contests coming off the bench. He leads the squad with 26 3-pointers and is shooting 41.9 percent from long range.
 
• Senior forward Donovan Oldham adds 8.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game. Senior center Jason Anderson owns 8.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game with a 61.8 percentage from the field. 
 
• The Pack average 79.2 points per game to rank 5th in the RMAC and allow 80.3 points per contest. The team is shooting 48.3 percent from the field to rank 4th in the RMAC. 

• CSU-Pueblo ranks 4th in the league in blocks with 3.2 swats per game. 

THE MOUNTAINEERS

• The Mountaineers are 5-8 overall and 2-5 in RMAC play. WCU is 4-0 at home this season, but have lost three straight, which incudes falling on the road last weekend to Black Hills State (78-74) and South Dakota Mines (71-55). 
 
• Western Colorado scores a league-worst 67.9 points per game and allows 72.6 points per contest (11th). 
 
• The Mountaineers are 2nd in the RMAC with a 76.1 percentage from the free throw line 
 
• WCU is limiting their opponents to shoot 33 percent from long range, which is good for 3rd in the RMAC. 
 
• Three players are scoring in double figures, with Cole Sienknecht contributing 13 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He leads the team with 21 3-pointers and is 84.2 percent from the free throw line. 
 
• Jackson Ehrlin owns 10.8 points, 6.4 rebounds (8th in the RMAC) and a team-best 2.2 assists per game. 
 
• Josh Tomasi has 14.3 points per game, is shooting 50.9 percent from the field and has a team-high 6.8 rebounds per contest, but hasn't played since the end of November.
 
THE MAVERICKS

• The Mavericks are 8-5 overall and 4-3 in RMAC play. CMU suffered two road losses last weekend to South Dakota Mines (87-78) and Black Hills State (87-79). 
 
• Colorado Mesa scores 81.8 points per game to rank 4th in the RMAC and are allowing their opponents 74.3 points per game, which is 9th in the league. 
 
• CMU leads the RMAC with a 40.4 percent shooting effort from 3-point range and is shooting 49.4 percent from the field to rank 2nd in the conference. With 8.3 3-pointers made per game, the Mavericks are 5th in the league. 
 
• Three players are scoring in double figures, led by Tommy Nuno's 15.9 points per game (10th in the RMAC). He is shooting 57.5 percent from the field to rank 3rd in the league. Nuno also leads the squad with 6.3 rebounds (T-9th in the RMAC) and 3.8 assists per contest. 
 
• Georgie Dancer owns 15.5 points per game and has 19 3-pointers made. His 3.1 assists per game is second on the team. Michael Skinner adds 11.1 points per game and is shooting 59.2 percent from the field. He has 5.5 rebounds and a team-best 1.8 steals per game (T-5th in the RMAC). Skinner's 2.1 assist/turnover ration is T-3rd in the conference
 
• Jared Small's 15 blocks are T-3rd most in the RMAC (1.2 bpg). He adds 8.8 points and 3.3 rebounds off the bench.
 
NEXT UP
 
The ThunderWolves begin a four-game homestand Jan. 17-18 when Metro State University of Denver and Chadron State College visit Massari Arena. Both contests 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.