PUEBLO, Colo. (Feb. 14, 2020) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team grabbed an important Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference home victory Friday with a 74-58 victory against University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
 
The ThunderWolves (11-13, 9-9 RMAC) used a 21-0 run from the final two minutes of the first half through the first four minutes of the second half to open a 20-point lead that would guide the Pack to a victory against the fourth-best team in the RMAC. 
 
CSU-Pueblo shot 53.6 percent from the field in the second half against the second best field goal percentage defense in the conference and finished the game hitting on 47.4 percent from the field. The Mountain Lions (15-8, 11-7 RMAC) posted a field goal percentage of 39.6 percent. The ThunderWolves forced 21 UCCS turnovers, which translated into 24 points off takeaways. The road team only had three blocks, a category they led the league in entering the game. The Mountain Lions also had the best scoring defense in the RMAC, allowing just 67.8 points per game. 
 
CSU-Pueblo totaled 42 points off the bench, guided by senior Brandon McGhee (G, Oakland, Calif.) and junior Bryce Sanchious (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). McGhee finished with 21 points (17 in the first half) on 8-of-11 (72.7%) shooting from the field. He added four rebounds and three assists. Sanchious scored 18 points, brought down a team-high five rebounds, collected three steals and added two blocks. 
 
Guard David Simental (R-So., Pueblo West, Colo.) totaled 15 points, all in the second half, and had three assists. Senior Donovan Oldham (Colorado Springs, Colo.) chipped in five points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. 
 
After UCCS jumped out to an 8-0 lead during the first two minutes of play, the Pack settled in and were ahead 11-10 with 13:54 remaining in the first half. Neither team had a lead larger than four during the rest of the half, until the Pack broke a 27-27 tie with a 5-0 run to head into the locker room leading, 32-27. 
 
The ThunderWolves continued the run into the second half, as the Pack held the Mountain Lions scoreless from the 2:14 mark of the first half to the 16:21 mark of the second. During that 5:53 of game clock, CSU-Pueblo went on a 21-0 run where they shot 69.2 percent from the field, hit three 3-pointers and forced five UCCS turnovers. Five different members of the team scored in the run with seven points from Simental. 
 
Mini runs by the Mountain Lions would only get them as close as 15, as the lead rose to a high-water mark of 22 before settling on 16, 74-58. 
 
Saturday, the Pack welcome the third-best team in the RMAC, as Colorado School of Mines (17-8, 13-5 RMAC) visits Massari Arena on Alumni Night. Tipoff is scheduled for 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.