PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball used another strong defensive effort here Friday evening as the ThunderWolves held Multnomah to 33 percent field goal shooting and just one made 3-pointer (4.5 percent) en route to posting a 68-56 non-conference victory over the Lions at Massari Arena.
 
With the win, the Pack won its third straight game and improved to 3-2 on the season, while Multnomah is 4-1 on the season. The three-game winning streak for the Pack since winning three straight games from Jan. 10 through Jan. 20, 2023.
 
The Pack defense has now held its last three opponents to a combined 5-for-50 (10 percent) from the 3-point line as the Pack leads the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and is fifth-best in Division II in three-point field goal shooting defense on the season as their foes are shooting 17 percent (16-for-93) from long distance.
 
Along with a strong defensive effort, the Pack offense was also strong in Friday's win as they shot 42 percent from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point line and hit eight treys. The Pack entered the game leading the league in 3-point shooting at 41.4 percent and averaging an RMAC-best 11.5 treys per game.
 
Senior guard Makiah Morris (San Diego, Calif./San Diego City College) led the way offensively with 20 points and added seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. In addition to Morris, junior forward De'Shaun Cooper (Poway, Calif./Balboa School) added 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Two other Pack players – graduate student guard Isaiah Morris (San Diego, Calif./Cal State Dominguez Hills) and junior guard Daeyon James (Stockbridge, Ga./Seward County CC) – each scored nine points in the win.
 
Friday's game also marked the season debut for senior guard Brevin Walter (Las Vegas, Nev.) as the South Dakota Mines transfer scored three points and added two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 12 minutes of action. Walter, who scored over 1,400 points and was a two-time All-RMAC selection with the Hardrockers, sat out the first four games this season due to an injured hand.
 
The Pack got off to a strong start in Friday's game as they shot 40 percent from the field and made six of their 14 treys to outscore the Lions, 37-19, to take an 18-point halftime lead.
 
Multnomah, who is an NAIA school from Portland, Ore., scored the first point of the game on a free throw by Chad Neopoleon just 78 seconds into the contest, before the Pack responded with a 23-2 run to take a 23-3 lead just 12 minutes into the contest.
 
The Lions, though, used a 9-5 run to cut the Pack's lead to 28-12 with 4:43 left in the first half, but the Pack responded with a 9-0 run capped by a dunk from Makiah Morris to give the home team a 37-12 lead. That 25-point lead was the largest of the game for the Pack.
 
Multnomah closed the first half on a 7-0 run to cut the Pack's lead to 37-19 at the half. The 19 first half points were the fewest allowed by the Pack this season.
 
The Lions opened the second half on a 17-8 run to cut the Pack's lead to 45-36 following two free throws by Neopoleon with 10:30 left in the game. Neopoleon scored eight of the Lions' 17 points during the run.
 
CSU Pueblo wouldn't go away, though, as they answered Multnomah's run with a 20-11 run to over the next seven minutes to push its lead back out to 65-47. The run began with a lay-up by Isaiah Morris and was capped by an alley-oop lay-up by Makiah Morris off an assist from junior guard Armon Muldrew (Perris, Calif./San Bernardino Valley).
 
The Lions would close the game by scoring nine of the final 12 points to cap the scoring.
 
Multnomah was paced by 18 points and eight rebounds from Javier Turner, while Neopoleon added 12 points and six rebounds and Tyrese Taylor tallied 11 points and nine rebounds in the game.
 
The Pack were outrebounded 46-40, including a 14-10 edge in offensive boards, but forced the Lions into 16 turnovers that led to 22 Pack points. The Pack had 11 turnovers and blocked two shots with both coming from James.
 
The Pack also had 15 assists on 26 made baskets in the win.
 
One area where the Pack struggled came at the free throw line as the Pack were 8-for-16 (50 percent) at the line, while Multnomah was 15-for-20 (75 percent) at the line.
 
The Pack will continue its season-long six game homestand on Sunday, Nov. 26 with a 2 p.m. non-conference contest against Oklahoma Panhandle State. The Aggies (2-2 overall) play Saturday at Colorado Christian, before traveling to Pueblo for Sunday's game.