GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball team got off to a slow start here Friday evening and could never recover as the ThunderWolves fell 97-62 to seventh-ranked Colorado School of Mines in Rocky Mountain Conference action at Lockridge Arena.
 
With the setback, CSU Pueblo falls to 7-7 overall and 3-5 in the RMAC, while Mines won its fourth straight game and moves to 13-1 overall and 7-1 in the league.
 
The Pack will look to rebound in less than 24 hours as they play a 6 p.m. RMAC contest on Saturday, Jan. 7 in Denver, Colo., against Metro State. Metro State picked up a 73-66 home win Friday night over New Mexico Highlands. 
 
In Friday's game, sophomore forward Isaiah Thompson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Fountain Fort Carson) led the way offensively for the ThunderWolves with 10 points and eight rebounds. He was the only Pack player to score in double figures.
 
Along with Thompson, senior forward Elijah Moleon (Killeen, Texas/Angelo State) added nine points, while junior guard Makiah Morris (San Diego, Calif./San Diego City College) and sophomore guard Lian Ramiro (Aurora, Colo./Grandview).
 
The 97 points were the most allowed this season by the ThunderWolves, while the 62 points scored were the second fewest this season as CSU Pueblo scored a season low 60 points in its home loss last Friday against Colorado Mesa.
 
Mines scored the first three points of the game on a trey by Cade Mankle and led 12-4 just five-plus minutes into the contest. The Pack, though, responded with a 9-6 run capped by a 3-pointer from freshman guard Sam Howery (Colorado Springs, Colo./St. Mary's) to pull within 18-13 with 10:11 left in the opening half.
 
The Orediggers would use an 11-5 run to push its lead to 29-18, before a lay-up from sophomore forward De'Shaun Cooper (Poway, Calif./Balboa School) cut the deficit to 29-20 with 4:39 remaining in the first half.
 
Mines would close out the half by scoring 10 of the final 12 points to take a 39-22 lead at the half. The 17 point halftime deficit was the largest of the season for the ThunderWolves.
 
In the first half, CSU Pueblo shot 35 percent from the field and 17 percent from the 3-point line and was outrebounded, 25-13 by the Orediggers. Mines had 10 offensive boards that led to 15 points. Mines shot 47 percent from the field and 50 percent from the 3-point line.
 
CSU Pueblo opened the second half on a 12-8 run capped by a turn-around jumper from sophomore guard/forward Moses Demalek (Cave Creek, Ariz./Paradise Valley) to pull within 47-34 with 14:25 left in the game.
 
That would be as close as the Pack would get as Mines used a 16-5 run to extend its lead to 63-39 with 11:06 remaining. CSU Pueblo would score six of the next eight points to pull within 65-45, but Mines would answer back by scoring 19 of the next 28 points to push out to a 30 point lead at 84-54 with 3:05 remaining.
 
After a trey from Howery dropped the Orediggers' lead under 30 at 84-57, Mines would close the game by scoring 13 of the final 18 points to set the final margin, including capping the scoring with a basket by Taylor Spurlock with 17 seconds left. The 35 point margin at the end of the game was the largest of the game for the Orediggers.
 
Five Mines players finished in double figures as Riley Schroeder led the way with 16 points off the bench. Sam Beskind and Ben Boone each had 13 points, while Brendan Sullivan and Reagan Koch both tallied 10 points in the win.
 
Mines finished the game with a 40-26 edge on the boards, including a 13-8 advantage on the offensive glass. Mines held a 19-6 edge in second chance points.
 
Mines outshot CSU Pueblo, 58.5 percent to 41.4 percent from the field and 50 percent to 36.4 percent from the 3-point line on the night.
 
The Orediggers also had 27 assists on 38 made baskets and blocked 11 shots, including four blocks from Kai Barr. CSU Pueblo had nine assists and blocked three shots.
 
CSU Pueblo committed 12 turnovers that led to 20 points for Mines, while Mines had 10 turnovers that led to eight points for the ThunderWolves.
 
Both teams made 10 free throws on the night as CSU Pueblo was 10-for-15 (66.7 percent) at the line, while Mines was 10-for-14 (71.4 percent) at the line.