PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo women's basketball team opens the home portion of its 2023-24 schedule here this weekend as the ThunderWolves host the 39th-Annual Al Kaly Shrine Classic at Massari Arena.
CSU Pueblo was scheduled to open its home schedule with a 5 p.m. game on Friday, Nov. 17 against New Mexico Highlands, but that game has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances and both coaches are working on finding a make-up date for the game, but will instead open its home slate on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. against Langston (Okla.) University. Colorado Christian will face Langston to open the event on Friday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m.
The Pack, who received votes in this week's D2CIDA South Central Regional poll, comes into this weekend's first two home games sporting a 1-3 overall record after splitting games at last weekend's South Central Regional Crossover hosted by Colorado Christian. At the event, the Pack opened with a 59-58 upset of then eighth-ranked UT Tyler and then fell 71-60 to Lubbock Christian.
Here is the complete 39th-Annual Al Kaly Shrine Classic Schedule (Women):
Friday, November 17
3 p.m. - Colorado Christian vs. Langston |
Live Video |
Live Stats
5 p.m. - CSU Pueblo vs. New Mexico Highlands | Canceled due to unforeseen circumstances
Saturday, November 18
2 p.m. - CSU Pueblo vs. Langston | Live Video | Live Stats
ABOUT THE PACK
Leading the way offensively for the Pack through the first four games of the season is redshirt junior forward
Alisha Little (Aurora, Colo./University of Northern Colorado), who is averaging 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and tallied a double-double of 26 points and career-high tying 13 rebounds in the win over UT Tyler and averaged 19 points and 9.5 rebounds per game at last weekend's South Central Regional Crossover. Little is shooting 41 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent at the free throw line and has blocked 11 shots and is averaging 2.8 blocks per game.
In addition to Little, freshman forward
Leilani Love (Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque) also averages in double figures as she is averaging 11.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 58 percent from the field and 78 percent at the free throw line.
Redshirt junior forward
Autumn Watts (Centennial, Colo./McNeese State) is averaging just under 10 points per game at 9.0 points and is pulling down 4.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 41 percent from the field and 93 percent (13-for-14) from the free throw line.
As a team, the Pack enters the weekend averaging 60.5 points per game and is allowing 75.6 points per game and is shooting 36 percent from the field, 25 percent from the 3-point line and 78 percent from the free throw line. The Pack are also averaging 38.5 rebounds per game but is averaging 26.5 turnovers per game and has a -8.7 turnover margin and is averaging 5.0 blocks per game.
ABOUT LANGSTON
Langston, who is a land-grant public historically black university that is in Langston, Okla., comes into the weekend sporting a perfect 4-0 record, including collecting an 81-72 win in its most recent action on Nov. 9 against Ave Maria (Fla.). Langston other three wins have come at Oklahoma Wesleyan (63-44), at Kansas Wesleyan (78-65) and a neutral court win over Bethany (Kan.), 68-54.
Leading the way offensively for the Lions, who are a member of the NAIA's Sooner Athletic Conference, is senior forward Hailey Jordan, who is averaging 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 59 percent from the field. She has scored in double figures in all four games, including a high of 21 points against Bethany.
In addition to Jordan, two other Lions are averaging in double figures on the year as junior guard Kamesha Moore is averaging 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and leads the team in assists with 12 and is second in steals with eight and is shooting 42 percent from the floor, while senior guard Kameron Shelley is averaging 10.3 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game is shooting 37 percent from the field and 32 percent from the 3-point line and she has made a team-best seven treys.
As a team, the Lions are averaging 72.5 points per game and are shooting 43 percent from the field, 26 percent from the 3-point line and 62 percent at the free throw line and is outrebounding its foe by 18.5 boards per game and is averaging 3.5 blocks per game. Defensively, Langston is allowing 58.8 points per game and their opponents are shooting 33 percent from the field, 23 percent from the 3-point line and 72 percent at the free throw line.
Langston is coached by Kevin Herod, who is in his season with the Lions and has compiled a 21-13 overall record. Prior to coming to Langston, Herod spent eight seasons as the head coach at Talladega College, where he compiled a 171-68 record.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game with Langston marks the first-ever meeting on the hardwood between the two schools.
AL KALY SHRINE CLASSIC HISTORY
This weekend's Al Kaly Shrine Classic marks the 39th annual event. Since the 2007-08 season, the Pack are 22-7 in the event and have won three straight games in the classic since suffering a 77-44 loss to Texas A&M-Commerce in the 2019-20 season. At last year's Al Kaly Shrine Classic, the Pack collected wins over both Alaska-Fairbanks (83-69) and MidAmerica Nazarene (74-55).
UP NEXT
Following this weekend's two home games in the Al Kaly Shrine Classic, the Pack will remain home to host two games next weekend against Eastern New Mexico and Baptist Bible Classic as part of the Pack's annual Thanksgiving Classic. The Pack will open the event with a 5:30 p.m. game on Nov. 24 against Eastern New Mexico, before facing Baptist Bible on Nov. 25 at 5 p.m.
