PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo women's basketball team looks to bounce back from a two-game losing this Friday at 5:30 p.m. as the ThunderWolves host Regis at Massari Arena in a crucial Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference match-up.
The Pack are coming off a tough weekend in South Dakota as the Pack were defeated by South Dakota Mines 71-44 and by Black Hills State 66-64 in the final seconds. The Pack still sit in a tie for eighth place in the RMAC with Colorado Christian, with the top eight teams qualifying for the RMAC Tournament at the end of the regular season.
CSU Pueblo enters the match-up with an 11-10 overall record and a 6-7 mark in the RMAC after last weekend's back-to-back setbacks in South Dakota. The lone game this weekend will give the Pack a chance to get back to .500 in league play. Colorado Christian, who is on a four-game losing streak, has a lone game against Black Hills State at home on Saturday.
ABOUT THE PACK
The Pack enter this Friday's matchup led by redshirt junior forward
Alisha Little (Aurora, Colo./Northern Colorado), who is one of the best players in all of NCAA Division II. Little, who has led the RMAC in scoring for most of the season, recently fell to second in the conference in scoring at 19.2 points per game as she trails Colorado Christian's Maggie Hutka who averages 19.4 points per game (in two less games than Little). Little is second in the conference in rebounds at 11 per game and still leads the league in blocked shots at 3.3 per game. Little also is tied for the most double-doubles in NCAA Division II with 14 and still leads the nation in blocks with 69.
Redshirt junior forward
Autumn Watts (Centennial, Colo./McNeese St.) has really turned her game up as of late as she has scored in double-figures in three out of her last four games. Watts scored a career-high 18 points against New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 16. In her last two games she scored 12 points against South Dakota Mines and 15 against Black Hills State.
Junior guard
Tomia Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Florida Gulf Coast) continues to command the Pack offense as she is coming off a 12 point, four rebound, and five steal performance against Black Hills State. Johnson is one of the best floor generals in the league as she ranks fourth in the conference in assists at 3.7 per game and is eighth in steals at 2.3 per game.
CSU Pueblo relies heavily on their strong defensive presence as they are one of the better defensive units in the RMAC and in the nation. The Pack only allow a team average of 64.1 points per game and hold their opponents to just 38 percent shooting from the field. The Pack have also played the most games in the conference.
The ThunderWolves rally around the ball as they continue to lead the conference in blocked shots at 5.4 per game and rank eighth nationally in that category. CSU Pueblo ranks fourth in the RMAC in steals at 10.1 per game. Rebounding-wise the Pack are in fourth in the league, pulling down an average of 37 boards per game.
CSU Pueblo is coached by
Tommie Johnson, who is in his fifth season leading the Pack. In his tenure as head coach, Johnson has put together a 59-66 overall record, and an RMAC record of 45-52. Johnson also spent 10 season as an assistant for the men's program from 2008-16.
ABOUT THE REGIS RANGERS
Regis comes into Friday's match-up with the Pack scorching hot, winners of their last nine games. Regis sits in second place in the RMAC with a 16-3 overall record and an 11-2 record in league play. No. 9 Colorado School of Mines sits one game ahead of Regis at 12-1 in league play.
The Rangers are coming off two home victories last weekend in Denver over Colorado Christian and Chadron State.
On Friday, Jan. 26, the Rangers survived a nail-biter over Colorado Christian, winning 71-70 on a game winning shot from Morgan L. Smith. The Rangers were led their leading scorer Athena Saragoza as she scored 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting.
On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Rangers took better care of business as they defeated Chadron State 92-56. Regis was led once again by Saragoza as she scored 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field. The Rangers had four scorers in double-figures that night.
Saragoza is ninth in the RMAC in scoring at 15.6 points per game. She has scored in double-figures in her last six games and has a season-high of 30 points against Adams State on Jan. 12.
Regis is led by Head Coach Molly Marrin who is in her ninth season leading the Rangers. Marrin has a career record of 146-97 and is coming off winning the RMAC Regular Season and Tournament in 2022-23. A graduate of Regis, Marrin played for the Rangers for four seasons, earning All-RMAC First Teams honors and was named to the RMAC All-Tournament Team twice.
ALL-TIME MATCHUP
Friday's match-up will be the first of two meetings between the two squads. The two will meet again in Denver on March 2 for the regular season finale. CSU Pueblo leads the all-time series 15-10 over the Rangers, with Regis winning the last meeting on Feb. 28, 2023, 72-57 in Denver.
UP NEXT FOR THE PACK
Following Friday's game, the Pack will get a week-long rest before hosting Fort Lewis on Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in Massari Arena. Fans can listen to the games on 1350 (Fox Sports Pueblo), or stream the games on the RMAC Digital Network.
