DENVER, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo women's basketball was outscored 37-15 in the second half here Saturday afternoon as the ThunderWolves suffered a 58-42 setback to MSU Denver in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action at the Auraria Events Center.
With its third straight setback, CSU Pueblo falls to 8-7 overall and 5-4 in the RMAC, while MSU Denver improved to 6-8 overall and 4-4 in the league. The three-game losing skid is the longest for the Pack since losing six consecutive games during the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020-21.
In Saturday's game, the Pack tied a season low by shooting 30.8 percent from the field, including shooting just 22 percent (6-for-27) from the field in the second half. The 15 second half points were also a season low for CSU Pueblo.
Despite the setback, sophomore forward
Daeja Johnson (Queen Creek, Ariz./Casteele) scored a career high 16 points and added five rebounds for the ThunderWolves. The 16 points bettered Johnson's previous career high of 15 points earlier this season at Chadron State.
In addition to Johnson, senior guard
Jalen Long (Moreno Valley, Calif./Eastern Arizona College) added eight points and graduate student forward
Charisse Fairley (Colorado Springs, Colo./Fresno State) tallied seven points after being held scoreless in Friday night's game at 10th-ranked Colorado School of Mines.
MSU Denver jumped in front 8-7 a little over five minutes into the contest, before the ThunderWolves closed the opening quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 13-8 after the opening 10 minutes of play. The run was aided by three-pointers from graduate student guard
Morgan Dial (Denver City, Texas/Western Texas College) and Johnson.
The Pack extended its first quarter lead to 18-10 after scoring five of the first seven points in the second quarter. MSU Denver, though, would score five of the next eight points to pull within 21-15 with 3:19 left in the quarter.
CSU Pueblo, though, responded with a 7-4 run capped by a basket from to push out to a 27-19 lead with a 1:03 left in the quarter. Jaiden Galloway for hit two free throws for the Roadrunners with seven seconds left to give the Pack a 27-21 halftime lead.
After holding a 27-21 halftime lead, the Pack opened the third quarter by scoring six of the first 10 points to take a 33-25 lead following a lay-up by Long with 5:06 left in the period. Following that run, MSU Denver closed the quarter by outscoring the Pack, 16-3, to take a 41-36 lead heading into the fourth quarter. MSU Denver's run was aided by nine points on three treys from Brianna Bailey.
The Pack opened the fourth quarter by scoring six of the first nine points to pull within 44-42 following a three-pointer by Johnson with 6:19 left in the game.
Johnson's trey would be the final basket of the game for CSU Pueblo as MSU Denver would close out the game by scoring 14 straight points to turn a two-point lead into a 16-point victory. Over the final six minutes of the game, CSU Pueblo missed its final eight shots, including going 0-for-4 from the 3-point line during that stretch.
Bailey paced the Roadrunners with a game-high 18 points, while Galloway added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Mikylah Espinosa and Tosjanae Bonds each scored 11 points in the win. Bonds also had 11 rebounds as MSU Denver held a 43-27 advantage on the boards.
While CSU Pueblo shot 30.8 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from the 3-point line, MSU Denver shot 37 percent from the field and 33 percent from the 3-point line. The Roadrunners shot 50 percent from the field and 44 percent from downtown in the second half.
Both teams committed 12 turnovers, but MSU Denver scored 16 points off the Pack's 12 turnovers, while CSU Pueblo scored just 12 points off the Roadrunners' 12 turnovers.
MSU Denver won the battle at the free throw line as they were 13-for-19 at the stripe, while CSU Pueblo shot just six free throws and was 4-for-6 at the line.
The Pack will look to snap its three-game skid this coming Tuesday, Jan. 10 as they travel to Las Vegas, N.M., for a 5 p.m. game against New Mexico Highlands.
