PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball will begin the stretch run 2023-23 regular season this weekend by playing back-to-back Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference road games at Colorado Christian and Chadron State.
The ThunderWolves will open the weekend with a 7 p.m. game on Friday, Feb. 16 in Lakewood, Colo., against Colorado Christian, before traveling to Chadron, Neb., for a 7:30 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 17 against Chadron State.

CSU Pueblo comes into this weekend's action sporting a 9-13 overall record and are in a four-way tie for 11th place in the RMAC standings with a 5-11 record with six games left in the regular season. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season earn a spot in the RMAC Tournament. The Pack haven't advanced to the RMAC Tournament since 2017. The Pack are just three games out of seventh place (Chadron State) in the league standings heading into action this weekend.

The Pack has dropped six straight games since picking up a 75-55 win at home over New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 16. The current six game losing skid began with a 79-72 loss on Jan. 19 at Western Colorado and then continued three weekends ago in South Dakota with back-to-back road defeats at South Dakota Mines (86-80) and Black Hills State (84-69) and then the Pack suffered that 81-67 home loss two week ago to Regis. The streak continued last weekend with home setbacks to No. 3 ranked Fort Lewis (86-68) and Adams State (91-90).

This weekend's two road games will mark the 10th and 11 road games of the season for the Pack as they are 2-7 away from home, including being 2-5 on the road in RMAC play. The Pack have lost three straight road games since earning a 93-78 win at Westminster on Jan. 6.

ABOUT THE PACK
The Pack enters this weekend's action with four 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 sixth in the league in scoring at 17.1 points per game. In addition to averaging 17.1 points per game, Walter, who 29 points shy of scoring 1,600 points in his collegiate career, is also averaging 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game and is shooting 41 percent from the field, 38 percent from the 3-point line and is second in the RMAC and 25th nationally in free throw percentage at 89.2 percent. Walter comes into the weekend having made 17 consecutive free throws and is shooting 89.4 percent from the free throw line in RMAC play. He has scored in double figures in three straight games and 15 times over his last 17 games and is averaging 18.3 points per game in RMAC play and has reached double-digits in scoring in 14 of the Pack's 16 league games, including tallying 24 points last time out against Adams State.

In addition to Walter, senior guard Makiah Morris (San Diego, Calif./San Diego City College) is second in scoring at 15.1 points per game and leads the team and is sixth in the RMAC in rebounding at 7.0 boards per game and is sixth in the league in assists (3.5 per game) and third in steals (2.1 per game) and has a 1.38 assist/turnover ratio and is shooting 52 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 84 percent from the free throw line, which is ffith in the RMAC. He has scored in double figures in 10 straight games, including tallying double-doubles in three of his last eight games. In RMAC play, Morris is averaging 16.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game and is shooting 53 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 86 percent at the free throw line.

The third double-digit scorer for the Pack is junior guard Armon Muldrew (Perris, Calif./San Bernardino Valley) as he is averaging 12.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 43 percent from the field, 37 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent at the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in three straight games and eight times in his last 10 games. In RMAC play, Muldrew is averaging 13.5 points per game and is shooting 43 percent from the floor and 33 percent from the 3-point line.

Junior forward De'Shaun Cooper (Poway, Calif./Balboa School) is the fourth double-digit scorer on the season for the Pack as he is averaging 11.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 58 percent from the field and leads the team in blocked shots with 16. He has scored in double figures in three of his last four games and six times in his last eight games overall, including recording his first career double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds against New Mexico Highlands. In RMAC play, Cooper is averaging 12.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 62 percent from the field.

Coming into play this weekend, the Pack is second in the RMAC in 3-point shooting as they are shooting 36.3 percent (185-for-509) from the 3-point line. The Pack have shot over 45 percent from the 3-point line in six games, including two games shooting over 55 percent from the 3-point line as the Pack shot a season-best 61 percent (14-for-23) from the 3-point line at Adams State and shot 58 percent (14-for-24) from downtown at Westminster.

In addition to being third in the league in 3-point shooting, the Pack are fourth in the RMAC in free throws made and third in free throw attempts per game as they are making 16.1 free throws per game and are attempting 22.1 free throws per game. As a team, the Pack is shooting 72.7 percent from the free throw line, including shooting 88.2 percent (30-for-34) from the line over its last two games.

Offensively, the Pack are scoring 78.2 points per game and have scored over 70 points in 16 of 22 games, including topping the century mark two times and is shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 36 percent from the 3-point line. The Pack are getting outrebounded by 3.6 boards per game and are averaging 14.0 assists, 7.2 steals and 2.1 blocks per game.

The Pack enter this week's action eighth in the league in field goal percentage defense as their opponents are shooting 45.3 percent from the field and are fourth in turnovers per game (14.4), fifth in scoring margin (+2.0). In addition, the Pack is third in turnover margin (+2.3) and third in fouls per game (16.3).

In RMAC play, the Pack are averaging 79.6 points per game and are allowing 82.1 points per game. In addition, the Pack is shooting 46 percent from the field, 34 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 coach and in his four-plus seasons leading the Pack, he has compiled a 47-77 overall record and a 33-66 record in RMAC games. Hammer needs one more win this season to lead the Pack to its third straight 10-win campaign.

ABOUT COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Colorado Christian comes into the weekend with the exact same record as the ThunderWolves as the Cougars are 9-13 overall and 5-11 in the RMAC heading into the final three weeks of the regular season. The Cougars have lost five of its last six games with its lone win begin a 63-60 home win over Chadron State last Wednesday. That win over the Eagles snapped a four-game losing skid for the Cougars. CCU, though, suffered an 80-78 loss on Saturday at Western Colorado. In fact, since dropping a 73-70 decision to the Pack in Pueblo on Dec. 2, CCU has posted a 6-9 record, including a 5-9 mark in RMAC play.

The Cougars enter the weekend as one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the league as CCU is fourth in the league in 3-point field goal attempts as they average 23.9 per game and are seventh in the league in made treys per game as they are making nearly eight treys per contest and are shooting 32.7 percent (172-for-526) from the 3-point line on the year.

CCU is also one of the top teams in the league in both steals as they average 7.8 steals per game and are fifth in the league in offensive rebounds as they average 10.6 offensive boards per game. Additionally, CCU is sixth in the RMAC in both turnover margin (+0.3) and turnovers forced per game (14.1).

In the game earlier this season against the Pack, CCU made 12 treys as they shot 35 percent from the 3-point line, but were outshot, 30-8, at the free throw line in the 73-70 loss to the Pack in Massari Arena. Walter led the way for the Pack with 23 points, while Morris added 20 points and junior guard Daeyon James (Stockbridge, Ga./Seward County CC) had 12 points in the win. The Pack shot 44 percent from the field and 20 percent from the 3-point line in the victory.

On the season, CCU is averaging 73.7 points per game and allowing 78.1 points per game. The Cougars are shooting 46 percent from the field, 33 percent from downtown and a league-worst 66 percent from the free throw line. Defensively, CCU's opponents are shooting 48 percent from the field, 39 percent from the 3-point line and 73 percent at the line. In RMAC play, CCU is averaging 68.2 points per game and is allowing 76.4 points per game.

Two CCU players are averaging in double figures offensively on the season with junior guard Noah Kon leading the way as he averages 16.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 32 percent from the 3-point line and 53 percent 53-for-101) from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in five straight games and 17 games overall on the season. In RMAC play, he is averaging 15.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 42 percent from the field, 19 percent from the 3-point line and 53 percent from the free throw line and is coming off a 29 point effort in the loss at Western Colorado. Kon scored a team-high 19 points earlier this season against the Pack.

In addition to Kon, redshirt freshman forward Bradley Land is averaging 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and leads the team in offensive boards with 38 and is second in blocked shots with 13. Land is shooting 56 percent from the field and 73 percent from the free throw line and has scored in double figures in three straight games and 11 times overall on the season. He is coming off a double-double performance of 16 points and 10 rebounds at Western Colorado. In RMAC play, he is averaging 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 57 percent from the floor and 70 percent at the line.

As third Cougar player is averaging just under double-digits on the season as graduate student guard Jacob Everson is averaging 9.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 38 percent from the 3-point line and 64 percent from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in eight games and scored nine points the last time against the Pack. In RMAC play, he is averaging 8.9 points per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field and 40 percent from the 3-point line.

Colorado Christian, who was tabbed to finish 13th in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as they earned 44 points, is coached by Liam Simmons. Simmons is in his fourth season with the Cougars and has compiled a 31-66 overall record.

Friday's game marks the second of two meetings this season between the two schools as the Pack holds an 18-10 all-time edge in the series, including earning a 73-70 win at home earlier this season. The Pack has won nine straight games in the series against the Cougars, including sweeping both meetings last season. The Pack leads the series 11-5 at home and holds a 7-5 edge on CCU's home court. The Pack's only loss to the Cougars in the last 10 games came in the quarterfinals of the RMAC Tournament in 2017 when CCU earned a 54-52 win in Pueblo.

ABOUT CHADRON STATE
Chadron State, who hosts New Mexico Highlands on Friday before facing the Pack on Saturday, comes into the weekend having lost two straight games and five of its last seven games overall. The Eagles are currently sporting an 11-11 overall record and are seventh in the league standings with an 8-8 record. The Eagles current two-game losing skid began with a 63-60 loss last Wednesday at CCU and continued with a 68-61 loss last Friday at Western Colorado. In the fact, the Eagles only two wins in its last seven games have come at UCCS (93-86) and at home to South Dakota Mines (76-70).

The Eagles have been strong at home this season as they are sporting a 9-2 overall mark on its home court, including a 6-1 record at home in RMAC play. The Eagles lone loss at home in league play came in overtime on Jan. 12 to Colorado Mesa as the Mavericks earned a 102-95 win. Since the home loss to Colorado Mesa, the Eagles have reeled off two straight home wins and will conclude its home schedule with games next weekend against MSU Denver and 21st-ranked Mines.

Chadron State comes into the weekend with one of the top scoring teams in the RMAC as they are currently third in the league in scoring at 79.3 points per game. Along with being one of the top scoring teams in the league, the Eagles are also one of the top rebounding teams in the RMAC as they are third in the league in rebounding as they average 37.9 boards per game and are second in turnovers per game as they average just 11.7 turnovers per game.

The Eagles are also one of the top teams in assists as they are third in the league in assists at 15.0 per game and are third in the league in bench points per game as their bench averages 27.3 points per game.

Defensively, Chadron State is third in the league in 3-point field goal defense as their foes are shooting 31.2 percent from the downtown, but are 14th in the league in scoring defense as they are allowing 79.0 points per game.

Three Eagles average in double figures offensively with senior guard Bryce Latimer leading the way as he is second in the RMAC in scoring at 18.8 points per game. In addition to his 18.8 points per game, Latimer is also averaging 3.3 rebounds, a league-leading 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field, 33 percent from the 3-point line and 78 percent from the free throw line. Latimer's 120 free throw attempts are fourth-most in the league, while is 94 made throws are sixth-most in the league. Latimer, who did not play Chadron's two losses last weekend, has scored in double figures in 19 games and has had eight games of scoring 20 or more points. In the win earlier this season against the Pack, Latimer scored 25 points, including the game-winning basket with six seconds left in the game. In RMAC play, Latimer is averaging 16.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

The second double-digit scorer for the Eagles is senior forward Josh Robinson, who is averaging 15.2 points per game and is second in the league in rebounding at 8.3 boards per game. He is shooting 57 percent from the field, but just 44 percent from the free throw line and has scored in double figures in 19 games and has tallied seven double-doubles, including a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds in the first meeting this season with the Pack. In RMAC play, Robinson is averaging 15.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

CSC's third double-digit scorer on the season is junior forward John Jenkins. Jenkins, who did not play in the earlier meeting this season against the Pack, is averaging 10.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field, 34 percent from the 3-point line and 68 percent from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in five of the 11 games he's played in and is averaging 17.0 points per game over his last two games.

A fourth Eagle is averaging just under 10 points per game on the season as junior guard Dalton Peterson is averaging 9.9 points per game and is shooting 42 percent from the field and a team-best 42 percent from the 3-point. Peterson is 62-for-148 from the 3-point line this season. In fact, 92 percent of his shots this season have come from behind the 3-point line. He is also shooting 95 percent from the free throw line. He is leading the RMAC in both made treys (62) and treys made per game (2.8).

Chadron State, who was tabbed to finish fifth in Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll, is coached by Shane Paben, who is in his fourth season with the Eagles and is sporting a 45-46 overall record. Prior to coaching at Chadron State, Paben spent 11 seasons at the helm of the Bellevue University men's basketball program. In his time with the Bruins, he led the school to 10 consecutive trips to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Championship appearances and amassed a record of 275-100.

Saturday's game with Chadron State will mark the second of two meetings this season between the two schools as Chadron State earned am 84-82 win in Pueblo to open RMAC play on Dec. 1. CSU Pueblo holds a 15-11 edge in the all-time series, but the Eagles have won five straight games in the series. The Pack holds a 9-3 edge in Pueblo, but Chadron State leads the series, 8-6 on its home court. The Eagles have won seven of the last 10 games overall in the series.

UP NEXT
The Pack will return home next weekend (Feb. 23-24) as they conclude their home schedule with back-to-back games in Massari Arena against Westminster on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and against ninth-ranked Colorado Mesa on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. Saturday's game with Mesa will be Senior Day for the Pack as they will honor their two seniors – Isaiah Morris (San Diego, Calif./Cal State Dominguez Hills) and Makiah Morris – in a pregame ceremony. The Pack earned a 93-78 win earlier this season at Westminster and fell 94-82 at Colorado Mesa.