PUEBLO, Colo. - The Colorado State University Pueblo Women's Basketball team hosts their home opener on Friday at Massari Arena, as they welcome Lone Star Conference and South Central Regional opponent Texas A&M University Kingsville in the ThunderWolves Classic.

The tournament consists of CSU Pueblo, Colorado Christian University, Texas A&M University Kingsville, and Missouri Western State. 

The Pack come into the weekend dropping their first two contests of the season, both to tough LSC teams. The Pack traveled down to Tyler, Texas to play in the South Central Region Crossover, falling to Lubbock Christian and UT-Tyler. 

The ThunderWolves were picked third in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, after a 17-15 record one season ago.

ABOUT THE PACK

The Pack are led by their two-time All-American forward Alisha Little (Aurora, Colo./Northern Colorado). Last season, Little was named the RMAC's Defensive Player of the Year. Little was also a First-Team All-Conference nominee, a winner of the RMAC scoring title at 20.8 points per game, the conferences' rebound leader at 11.5 per game, and the block leader at 3.6 per game. Little also led all of NCAA Division II in double-doubles with 24. 

Redshirt junior forward Autumn Watts (Centennial, Colo./McNeese State) is the second-half of one of the best front-courts in all the NCAA. Watts is coming off being named second team All-RMAC last season.

OUR FEARLESS LEADERS
CSU Pueblo is led by Head Coach Tommie Johnson who is in his sixth season at the helm. In his tenure as head coach, Johnson has put together a 65-73 overall record. Johnson also spent 2008-16 as an assistant for the men's program, and played his college ball at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Johnson is assisted by Jalen Little Little is no stranger to the RMAC play as he spent four years coaching at Chadron State College prior to making his way to Pueblo. Little also played high level postseason basketball in the Southland Conference at Abilene Christian University as one of the best passing guards in the conference.

MATCHUP VS. A&M KINGSVILLE

This is the first ever match-up between CSU Pueblo and A&M Kingsville. Last season the Javelinas went 13-16 overall, and finished in fourth place in the LSC's Eastern Division.

The Javelinas are coming into Friday's match-up with a 2-0 record after defeating RMAC opponent, Westminster twice. On Nov. 8-9 the Javelinas traveled to Salt Lake City, UT., defeating the Griffins 66-63, and 71-47.

A&M-Kingsville is led in the young season by Janessa Payne, who is averaging 15.5 points per game through two games.

MATCHUP VS. MISSOURI WESTERN STATE

This is also the first ever match-up between CSU Pueblo and Missouri Western State. Last season the Griffons went 25-6, and 19-3 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, winning the league easily.

The Griffons are coming into Saturday's game with a 2-0 record on the young season, defeating Sioux Falls 79-68 on Nov. 8, and defeating Augustana 96-61 on Nov. 9. 

Missouri Western State graduated their two leading scorers from last season; Connie Clarke (12.1 ppg), and Brionna Budgetts (11.1 ppg). On the young 24-25 season, the Griffons have four scorers averaging double-digits, with Alyssa Bonilla, Marie Sepp, and Matilda Soderlund all averaging 12 points per game.