PUEBLO, Colo. (Feb. 23, 2021) – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball team suffered a tough home loss Tuesday, 77-75, to Black Hills State University in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game. 
 
Junior guard David Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) knocked down a cold-blooded 3-pointer to tie the game 75-75 with 15 seconds remaining. On the next possession, the Yellow Jackets (9-5, 9-5 RMAC) missed their first attempt for the game-winner, but the ball bounced into the hands of a BHSU player and he was able to convert quickly on the put-back for a layup with 0.6 seconds left that would win the game for Black Hills State.
 
Postgame Comments 
 
"That was tough," said CSU Pueblo Head Men's Basketball Coach Matt Hammer. "In the second half, the guys came out and brought the energy and effort. All game, they played hard and defended and made it tough on them." 
 
"When you are in a tight game like that you can't have those mental lapses, unforced turnovers and fatigue fouls. But, our guys are getting there. There were a lot of minutes where we had four freshman and David Simental on the floor." 
 
"Alex Reed gave us great minutes and brought that physicality and strength to battle inside." 
 
Stat Leaders
 
The Pack forced 18 turnovers and produced 24 points off those miscues. CSU Pueblo made the best of their free throw attempts and went 17-for-21 (81%). Black Hills State shot 51.8 percent from the field.  
 
Simental finished with 34 points on 12-of-20 (60%) shooting from the field. He hit 8-of-8 from the line. 
 
Freshman Tristan Hurdle (G, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored 16 points and chipped in three rebounds. 
 
Freshman Lian Ramiro (G, Aurora, Colo.) added 10 points, four rebounds and three assists. 
 
Senior Alex Reed (G, Raleigh, N.C.) came off the bench and recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. . 
 
Summary
 
The Yellow Jackets held a lead for the majority of the first 15 minutes of play and owned an advantage as large as eight, but with 5:13 to play in the frame, the game was tied 27-27. A pair of Hurdle free throws gave the Pack their first lead at 29-27 with just under five to play. 
 
The teams traded buckets for the rest of the way and the ThunderWolves held a slim 38-36 advantage at the break.
 
The game was tied 45-45 with 14:31 to play, but the ThunderWolves posted a 20-8 run to open up a 12 point lead at 65-53 with 8:29 to left in regulation. Simental totaled 13 points in the stretch for CSU Pueblo. 
 
Unfortunately, the Pack struggled on the offensive end for the next seven minutes and with 1:20 remaining the home team trailed 71-70.
 
Then, two Simental free throws gave the Pack a 72-71 lead with a minute left. BHSU missed a free throw to tie the game, but an offensive rebound led to a 3-pointer and the road team led 74-72 with 43 ticks showing on the clock. After a missed shot by the Pack, the Yellow Jackets only made one free throw after a CSU Pueblo foul and the game was at 75-72 with 25 seconds remaining. 
 
The three-point game set up the finish with Simental hitting a 3-pointer and the final second winner for Black Hills State. 
 
Up Next
 
The Pack play their final road game Wednesday at Regis University beginning at 6 p.m. 
 
-- PACK --