PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo will return home to Massari Arena this weekend to play three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games in a span of five days.

The ThunderWolves, who haven't played at home since suffering a 101-99 overtime loss to South Dakota Mines on Dec. 15, opens the homestand on Friday, Jan. 12 with a 7:30 p.m. game against 23rd-ranked Colorado School of Mines, before hosting MSU Denver for a 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Jan. 13 and then concluding the homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 16 with 7:30 p.m. game against New Mexico Highlands.
 
CSU Pueblo, who has won seven of its last 11 games, enters the three-game homestand sporting a 7-6 overall record and is ninth in the RMAC with a 3-4 record. The Pack, though, have dropped three of its last four games before snapping a three-game losing skid with its 93-78 win last Saturday at Westminster.
 
In that win over Westminster, which came nearly 24 hours after the Pack opened the New Year with a 94-82 setback at then 14th-ranked Colorado Mesa, the Pack shot a season-high 62 percent from the field, including shooting 58 percent (14-for-24) from the 3-point line and going 11-for-11 from the free throw line. The 15 point road win was the largest this season for the Pack and its largest margin of victory in a road conference game since earning an 82-59 win at Black Hills State on Feb. 5, 2022. In addition, it was just the fourth road win for the Pack in RMAC play since the beginning of last season.
 
The 11-for-11 mark at the free throw line for the Pack was the first time the Pack made all its free throws in a game (minimum of nine attempts) since going 9-for-9 at the line against Adams State on Dec. 2, 2017.
 
This weekend's two games will mark the eighth and ninth home games of the season for the Pack as they are 5-2 at home, including being 1-2 at home in RMAC play. It will be the first home games of the New Year for the Pack as the last time the Pack played at home was on Dec. 15 when they fell 101-99 in overtime to South Dakota Mines.
 
ABOUT THE PACK
The Pack enters this weekend's first home games of the 2024 calendar year with five players averaging in double figures on the season as senior guard Brevin Walter (Las Vegas, Nev./South Dakota Mines) leads the way offensively as he is second in the RMAC in scoring at 20.4 points per game. In addition to averaging 20.4 points per game, Walter is also averaging 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game and is shooting 41 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 89 percent at the free throw line, which is fourth best in the RMAC. He has scored in double figures in eight straight games and is averaging 24.3 points per game in RMAC play and has reached double figures in scoring in all seven league games.
 
In addition to Walter, senior guard Makiah Morris (San Diego, Calif./San Diego City College) is second in scoring at 14.4 points per game and he leads the team in rebounding at 6.2 rebounds per game. In addition, he is averaging 3.2 assists and 2.3 steals per ga,e and has a 1.3 assist/turnover ratio and is shooting 53 percent from the field, 53 percent from the 3-point line and 80 percent from the free throw line and has scored in double figures in eight of 13 games, including tallying 26 points in the win at Westminster. In RMAC play, Morris, who was the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 27, is averaging 16.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 59 percent from the field and 63 percent from downtown.
 
The next two double-digit scorers for the Pack are junior guards Daeyon James (Stockbridge, Ga./Seward County CC) and guard Armon Muldrew (Perris, Calif./San Bernardino Valley). Both of those players are averaging 11.2 points per game on the season. In addition to the 11.2 points per game, James is also averaging 4.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 38 percent from both the field and 3-point line and is making 2.8 treys per game, which is third-best in the RMAC, while Muldrew is averaging 3.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 44 percent from the floor and 43 percent from the 3-point line. James and Muldrew have combined to make 59 treys this season.
 
Junior forward De'Shaun Cooper (Poway, Calif./Balboa School) is the fifth double-digit scorer on the season as he enters the weekend averaging 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and is shooting a team-best 62 percent from the field and has collected a team-high 30 offensive rebounds. Cooper has scored in double figures in three straight games and seven times overall this season, including averaging 19.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in the Pack's two games last weekend, which included a career-high 20 point game at Westminster. In RMAC play, Cooper is averaging 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 71 percent from the field.
 
Coming into this weekend's action, the Pack are the RMAC leaders in 3-point shooting as the Pack is shooting a league-best 38.8 percent (126-for-325) from the 3-point line, which is 32nd nationally in Division II. The Pack have shot over 45 percent from the 3-point line five times, including two games of shooting over 55 percent from long distance as they shot a season-best 61 percent (14-for-23) from the 3-point line at Adams State and shot 58 percent (14-for-24) last time out at Westminster.
 
In addition to being the top 3-point shooting team in the league, the Pack are also on the top teams in the league at defending the 3-point line as they enter the weekend third in the RMAC and 31st nationally in 3-point field goal defense as their opponents are shooting 30.3 percent from long distance on the season. The Pack's opponents are 93-for-307 from downtown as they are making 7.2 treys per game and have had just three foes shoot over 40 percent from the 3-point line in a game.
 
Offensively, the Pack are scoring 80.3 points per game and have scored over 70 points in 10 of 13 games, including topping the century mark two times and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 39 percent from the 3-point line and 72 percent from the free throw. They are getting outrebounded by 2.3 boards per game and are averaging 13.1 assists, 6.0 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.

Despite allowing over 90 points in four of its last five games, the Pack still come into this weekend's action among one of the top defensive teams in the league as they are sixth in the RMAC in field goal percentage defense (43.5 percent), fourth in turnovers forced per game (15.2), and sixth in scoring margin (+5.8). In addition, the Pack is second in the league in turnover margin (+2.5) and fourth in fouls per game (16.2).
 
In RMAC play, the Pack are averaging 85.1 points per game and are allowing 88.7 points per game. In addition, the Pack is shooting 47 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent at the free throw line in conference action.
 
CSU Pueblo is coached by Matt Hammer, who is in his fifth season as the Pack's men's basketball coach. In his four-plus seasons leading the Pack, Hammer has compiled a 45-70 record and is 31-59 in RMAC games.
 
ABOUT MINES
Colorado School of Mines comes into Friday's road game at CSU Pueblo ranked 23rd in the latest NABC/Division II Coaches' Poll. The Orediggers are sporting a 12-3 overall record and are third in the league with a 6-1 RMAC record. The Orediggers have won eight straight games since suffering an 86-79 home loss in its RMAC opener to Colorado Mesa. The eight game winning streak is currently tied for the eighth longest active streak in Division II men's basketball.
 
Mines has been strong on the road this season as the Orediggers have gone 8-2 away from home, including being 6-1 on opponents home courts and is 4-0 on the road in RMAC play. In addition, Mines is 4-1 at home this season and 2-1 at home in RMAC play. The Orediggers have won six straight road games.
 
The Orediggers, who were tabbed to finish third in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as Mines earned 169 points and three first place votes, have two players averaging in double figures with redshirt senior guard Majok Deng leading the way at 15.7 points per game. Deng, who has scored in double figures in 12 games and has had four games of scoring 20 or more points, is shooting 44 percent from the field, 46 percent from the 3-point line and 81 percent at the free throw line. Deng is a transfer from Pepperdine.
 
In addition to Deng, redshirt sophomore guard Cade Markle is averaging 12.6 points per game and is shooting 54 percent from the field, 42 percent from downtown and 72 percent at the free throw line. Freshman forward Alex Romack leads the team in rebounding as he averages 7.9  boards per game and is also scoring 8.1 points per game, while graduate student guard Sam Beskind leads the RMAC in assists at 4.8 per game and has dished out a league-best 72 assists in 15 games.
 
As a team, Mines leads the RMAC in scoring defense as they are allowing just 67.3 points per game and is scoring 75.9 points per game, which is eighth in the league. The Orediggers are also second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (38 percent) and is third in field goal percentage (48.6 percent) and is third in the league in field goal percentage defense (41.7 percent) and leads the league in assist/turnover ratio at 1.30.

Mines is coached by Pryor Orser, who is his 23rd season with the Orediggers and has compiled a 433-221 record in Golden. He has had 19 consecutive winning seasons with the Orediggers and has led Mines to five RMAC regular season titles, two RMAC Tournament titles and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Elite Eight berths in 2017 and 2021.
 
Friday's game with Mines will mark the only contest this season between the two Centennial State teams and Friday's game will mark the 67th all-time meeting between the two schools on the hardwood. CSU Pueblo holds a slight 36-30 edge in the series as the Pack lead the series, 22-13 at home, but Mines leads the series, 17-14 in Golden. The Orediggers, though, have won eight straight games in the series, including collecting a 97-62 win last season in Golden on Jan. 6, 2023. Hammer is 0-6 all-time against Mines and the Orediggers have won nine of the last 10 games in the series with the lone Pack win coming on the road on Jan. 20, 2018, as the Pack earned an 83-79 win over the Orediggers.
 
ABOUT MSU DENVER
MSU Denver, who plays at New Mexico Highlands on Friday before traveling to Pueblo on Saturday, comes into this weekend's action sporting a 9-3 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the RMAC. The Roadrunners have won two of its last three games with the lone loss being a 78-67 loss on Dec. 13 at home against Mines. MSU Denver opened the New Year with an 84-63 win last Saturday at home against Chadron State.
 
The Roadrunners are 4-1 on the road and 5-2 at home this season as they have gone 1-1 on the road in RMAC play and is 2-2 at home in league play.
 
MSU Denver, who was tabbed sixth in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as the Roadrunners earned 129 points, has four players averaging in double figures as sophomore guard Brayden Maldonado is averaging 18.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field, 45 percent from the 3-point line and 91 percent at the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in 11 games, including five games of scoring 20 or more points.
 
In addition to Maldonado, junior forward Caleb McGill is averaging 15.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 52 percent from the field and 84 percent at the line, while senior forward Mario Lacy, Jr., is averaging 11.1 points and an RMAC-leading 9.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 68 percent from the field and junior guard KJ Garrett is averaging 10.1 points per game.
 
As a team, MSU Denver is second in the league in field goal percentage as they are shooting 48.8 percent from the field and are fourth in the league in scoring at 80.3 points per game and third in the RMAC in 3-point field goal percentage at 37.4 percent. In addition, the Roadrunners are also fourth in the league in free throw percentage at 73.5 percent.

The Roadrunners are coached by Dan Ficke, who is in his second season at MSU Denver and he has compiled a 21-20 record with the Roadrunners and is 82-45 in his fifth season as a collegiate head coach as he spent three seasons at Belmont Abbey.
 
Saturday's game with MSU Denver will mark the only meeting this season between the two schools as the Roadrunners hold a commanding 20-3 lead all-time in the series. MSU Denver has won eight straight games in the series, including collecting a 69-63 win last season in Denver on Jan. 7, 2023. MSU Denver holds an 8-2 record in Pueblo and leads 9-1 on its home court against the Pack. Hammer is 0-5 all-time against MSU Denver and the Pack haven't defeated the Roadrunners since winning back-to-back games at home on Feb. 6, 2016 (90-83) and Jan. 13, 2017 (89-70).
 
UP NEXT
The Pack will conclude its three-game homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 16 with a 7:30 p.m. RMAC contest against New Mexico Highlands (7-6 overall, 4-4 RMAC), before hitting the road for a 7:30 p.m. game on Friday, Feb. 19 in Gunnison, Colo., against Western Colorado.