CHADRON, Neb. – Colorado State University Pueblo collected its second straight road win this weekend as the ThunderWolves used a double-double of 32 points and 14 rebounds from redshirt junior Alisha Little (Aurora, Colo./University of Northern Colorado) to post a 71-58 victory over Chadron State in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action at the Chicoine Center.
 
With the win, the Pack improve to 15-11 overall and 10-8 in the RMAC, while Chadron State falls to 6-17 overall and 4-14 in the RMAC. The victory helps the Pack remain tied for seventh in the league standings with Colorado Christian with two weeks left in the regular season.
 
In Little's double-double, which was her 19th this season and 25th of her CSU Pueblo career, she was 13-for-17 from the field, including 1-for-1 from the 3-point line and 5-for-7 at the free throw line. She also added four blocks to push her career total to 290. Little became the all-time Colorado women's collegiate basketball leader in blocked shots with her two blocks last night at Colorado Christian.
 
Along with Little's double-double, redshirt junior forward Autumn Watts (Centennial, Colo./McNeese State) added 10 points and seven rebounds and graduate student guard Romola Dominguez (Denver, Colo./Central Arkansas) had seven points in the win.
 
The win was keyed by a strong start by the Pack as they outscored the Eagles, 23-14, in the first quarter. In the quarter, CSC scored the first points of the game on a trey by Kylie Krise, before the Pack reeled off nine straight points to take a 9-3 lead just four-plus minutes into the contest.
 
Following the Pack's run, the Eagles would score six of the next eight points to pull within 11-9 with 4:18 left in the period. The Pack would close the period on a 12-5 run to hold a 23-14 lead after the opening 10 minutes of play. Little scored nine of her points in the first quarter.  
 
After watching the Pack shoot 60 percent from the field and make two of its four treys in the first quarter, the Eagles battled back in the second quarter as they shot 67 percent from the field as they outscored the Pack, 19-14, in the period, including using an 8-0 run to take a 28-27 lead with five minutes left in the period. The Pack led 37-33 at the half.
 
In the third period, the Pack shot 47 percent from the field and 67 percent from the 3-point line and outscored the Eagles, 18-12, to push its lead to 55-45 heading into the final period. CSC scored the first two points of the period to cut the Pack's lead to 37-35, the Pack responded with an 11-4 run to push its lead to 48-39 with 4:01 left in the period. The run was keyed by six points from Little and was capped by a lay-up from freshman forward Leilani Love (Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque).
 
Following the Pack run, CSC used a 6-1 run to pull within 49-45, before the ThunderWolves closed the period with back-to-back treys from Little and freshman guard Jolene Ramiro (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest) to give the Pack a 55-45 lead after 30 minutes of play.
 
The Pack opened the fourth quarter by scoring 14 of the first 20 points to push its lead to 69-51 with 4:14 left in the game. After the Eagles made 1-of-2 free throws to stop the Pack run, the ThunderWolves used a layup by junior guard Shamahra Henderson (Thornton, Colo./Cowley County CC) to push its lead to 71-52 with 2:02 left in the game. That 19-point lead was the largest of the game for the Pack.
 
CSC scored the final six points to cap the scoring and set the final margin.
 
Chadron State was paced offensively by 15 points each from Ashayla Powers and Krise.
 
The Pack finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field and 27 percent from the 3-point line, while CSC shot 39 percent from the field and 32 percent from the 3-point line.
 
The Pack also held a 39-34 edge on the boards and committed just 13 turnovers. CSC had 17 turnovers that led to 15 points for the Pack. Both teams each had 11 assists in the game.
 
Another area of strength for the Pack in the game came at the free throw line as the Pack were 15-for-18 (83.3 percent) at the line, while Chadron State was 8-for-16 (50 percent) from the line.
 
The Pack will return home to Massari Arena next weekend (Feb. 23-24) as they conclude the home portion of its 2023-24 schedule with back-to-back RMAC games against Westminster on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. against Colorado Mesa for Senior Night. Prior to Saturday's game, the Pack will honor its two seniors – Dominguez and forward Teona Pop Stojanova (Skopje, Macedonia/Dodge City CC) in a pregame ceremony.