SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball opened its 2024-25 season here Tuesday evening with a 98-67 setback to Big 12 member University of Utah in an exhibition game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

Tuesday's game was the lone exhibition game for the ThunderWolves before they open the regular season next Friday, Nov. 8 with a 1 p.m. game in Massari Arena against Cameron University in the South Central Regional Crossover and then concludes the event on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. against Midwestern State.

CSU Pueblo, who was tabbed to finish sixth in the Preseason Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coaches Poll, was led offensively by 12 points from fifth-year senior guard Brevin Walter (Las Vegas, Nev./South Dakota Mines), while junior forward Victor Lado (Louisville, Ky./Vincennes University) added eight points. Three Pack players – senior forward De'Shaun Cooper (Poway, Calif./Balboa School), senior guard Armon Muldrew (Perris, Calif./San Bernardino Valley) and junior guard Denim Johnson (Omaha, Neb./Trinity Valley CC) each scored six points.

The Runnin' Utes, who were picked to finish 16th in the Preseason Big 12 Coaches Poll, jumped out to a 17-6 lead just eight minutes into the game, before the Pack used 7-5 run to pull within 22-13 following two free throws by Lado with 10:21 left in the opening half.

Utah, though, responded with a 15-6 run over the next five-plus minutes to push its lead to 37-19 with 5:01 left in the half.

The Pack would answer back as they outscored the Utes, 17-8, over the final four-and-half minutes of the opening half to cut Utah's lead to 45-36 at the half. The Pack run began with two free throws by Walter and was capped by back-to-back treys from Walter. The latter trey pushed the Pack within seven at 43-36 with 37 seconds left.

Walter and Lado combined for 18 of the Pack's 36 first half points.

Muldrew scored the first basket of the second half to cut Utah's leads to 45-38, but the Runnin' Utes used 37-15 run over the next 12 minutes to push its eight-point lead to 30 at 83-53 following a trey from Hunter Erickson with 7:53 left in the game.

After dunk by Cooper stopped the Utah run, the Runnin' Utes would extend its lead to as much as 38 points at 96-60 following a free throw by Keanu Dawes with 1:22 remaining in the game.

The Pack would score the game's final seven points, including five of them coming from junior guard Kesean Bazile (Victorville, Calif./West Hills Lemoore) to set the final margin.

Erickson led four Runnin' Utes in double figures with 17, while Mason Madsen added 15 points and Ezra Ausar had 14 points. The fourth double-digit scorer was Gabe Madsen with 13 points.

The Pack finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field and 35 percent (7-for-20) from the 3-point line, while Utah shot 51 percent from the field and 39 percent (13-for-33) from the 3-point line. Utah outshot the Pack, 57 percent to 41 percent in the second half.

CSU Pueblo was a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line with six of those eight free throws coming in the first half. Utah, who shot just one free throw in the first half, shot 17 in the second half and finished the game shooting 61 percent (11-for-18) at the line.

Utah won the rebound battle, 37-33 as they had 15 offensive boards, while the Pack had nine offensive boards. Cooper led the Pack with five boards, while redshirt sophomore guard Jaden Kennis (Windsor, Colo./MSU Denver) had four boards. Lawson Lovering, who is listed at 7-foot-1, paced the Runnin' Utes with seven boards, including four on the offensive end.

The biggest difference in the game was turnovers as the Pack committed 26 in the game, while Utah had just 13 turnovers on the night. The Pack's turnovers helped Utah hold a 31-10 edge in points off turnovers. In the first half, the Pack's 15 turnovers led to 15 points for the Runnin' Utes.

Utah also held a 9-5 edge in blocked shots with sophomore guard/forward Corbin Garver (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) recording three of the Pack's blocks. Utrah also dished out 26 assists to 12 for the Pack.