PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball will look to make its final push towards postseason play this weekend with back-to-back road games against UCCS and Regis University to close out the 2023-24 regular season.
 
The ThunderWolves open the final weekend of the regular season with a 7 p.m. game on Friday, March 1 in Colorado Springs, Colo., against UCCS, before concluding the regular season on Saturday, March 2 with a 7 p.m. game in Denver, Colo., against Regis.
 
CSU Pueblo comes into weekend's action sporting a 12-14 overall record and are tied for eighth with Chadron State for eighth in the RMAC standings with an 8-12 mark.
 
Heading into the final weekend of the season, six teams remain alive for the final two spots in the 2024 RMAC Tournament as South Dakota Mines (9-11) is in seventh place, while sitting behind CSU Pueblo and Chadron State in the standings in a tie for 10th are UCCS, New Mexico Highlands and Western Colorado, who are all 7-13 in league play. Six spots are already determined for the tournament as Colorado Mesa sits atop the league with a 20-1 record, while Fort Lewis is right behind at 19-1. Mines is 15-5 and is assured of being the No. 3 seed in the tournament, while MSU Denver and Black Hills State are tied for fourth with 12-8 records and Regis is sixth with an 11-9 record. 
 
With two wins this weekend, the Pack will guarantee themselves their first RMAC Tournament berth since 2017 as they own a tiebreaker with Chadron State should the team's finish tied. In addition, any combination of CSU Pueblo wins or Chadron State losses will also put the Pack into the tournament. Chadron State, who has lost six straight games, closes the regular season with games this weekend at South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State.
 
The Pack comes into the weekend having won three of its last four games with the lone loss being an 82-80 setback at home last Saturday to then No. 6 Colorado Mesa. That loss to the nationally-ranked Mavericks snapped a three-game winning streak for the Pack that began with a 95-87 win at Colorado Christian, was followed with an 80-75 win at Chadron State and then the Pack earned a 66-52 home win over Westminster last Friday. The win at Colorado Christian snapped a season-high six-game losing skid for the Pack.
 
This weekend's two road games mark the 12th and 13th this season for the Pack and the 10th and 11th on the road in RMAC play. The Pack are 4-7 on the road, including being 4-5 on the road in RMAC play. The four road wins in RMAC play are the most for the program since also winning four games on the road in RMAC play during the 2021-22 season.

ABOUT THE PACK
The Pack enters this weekend's final two games of the regular season with four players scoring in double figures on the season as senior guard Brevin Walter (Las Vegas, Nev./South Dakota Mines) leads the way offensively as he is seventh in the RMAC in scoring at 16.9 points per game. In addition to his 16.9 points per game, Walter, who has scored 1,636 career points, is also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and leads the RMAC and is 21st nationally in free throw shooting at 88.6 percent. He has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games and 18 times overall and is averaging 17.9 points per game in RMAC play and has reached double-digits in scoring in 17 of the Pack's 20 league games.

In addition to Walter, Makiah Morris is second in scoring at 15.1 points per game and leads the team and is fifth in the RMAC in rebounding at 7.2 boards per game and is also fifth in the league in assists (3.6) and second in steals (2.2) and has a 1.38 assist/turnover ratio and is shooting 53 percent from the field, 38 percent from the 3-point line and 82 percent from the free throw line, which is seventh in the RMAC. He has scored in double figures in 14 straight games, including tallying double-doubles in four times during that stretch. In RMAC play, Morris is averaging 16.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game and is shooting 54 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 83 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 13.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field, 38 percent from the 3-point line and 72 percent at the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in seven straight games, including tying a career high with 24 points in the win at Chadron State on Feb. 17. In RMAC play, Muldrew is averaging 14.2 points per game and is shooting 45 percent from the floor and 36 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 5.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 58 percent from the field and leads the team in blocked shots with 20. He has scored in double figures in five of his last eight games and eight times in his last 12 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 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and is shooting 61 percent from the field.
Coming into play this weekend, the Pack is fourth in the RMAC in 3-point shooting as they are shooting 36.4 percent (210-577) 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 fourth 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 16.5 free throws per game and are attempting 22.5 free throws per game. As a team, the Pack is shooting 73 percent from the free throw line, including shooting 74 percent from the line in RMAC play.
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Offensively, the Pack are scoring 78.5 points per game, which is fourth-best in the league and have scored over 70 points in 19 of 26 games, including topping the century mark two times and is shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from the 3-point line. The Pack are getting outrebounded by 2.8 boards per game and are averaging 14.1 assists, 7.2 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.

Defensively, the Pack enter this week's action seventh in the league in field goal percentage defense as their opponents are shooting 45.6 percent from the field and are third in turnovers forced per game (14.2), fifth in scoring margin (+2.7). In addition, the Pack is third in turnover margin (+2.2) and third in fouls per game (16.3).

In RMAC play, the Pack are averaging 79.7 points per game and are allowing 81.3 points per game. In addition, the Pack is shooting 47 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 50-78 overall record and a 36-67 record in RMAC games. Hammer has now led the Pack to its third straight 10-plus win campaign and is seeking to help the Pack qualify for the RMAC Tournament for the first time since 2017.

ABOUT UCCS
UCCS comes into the weekend sporting an 11-13 overall record and are in a three-way tie for 10th in the RMAC standings with two games remaining in the season. The Mountain Lions can earn a spot in the RMAC Tournament with two wins this weekend and losses by both CSU Pueblo Chadron State and South Dakota Mines. UCCS is tied for 10th with New Mexico Highlands, who it plays on Saturday and Western Colorado. The one ace that UCCS has in its pocket should they finish in a tie with any of the teams above them in the standings is they are the lone school to defeat No. 2 Fort Lewis this season in league play as the Skyhawks suffered a 79-70 loss to the Mountain Lions on UCCS' home court on Jan. 12.
 
UCCS, though, comes into the weekend having lost four straight games and five of its last six overall with the lone win being an 81-76 home win over Westminster on Feb. 9. Since that win, the Mountain Lions have suffered losses at home to Colorado Mesa (92-72) and road losses at Black Hills State (82-73), South Dakota Mines (83-79) and at Western Colorado in overtime (84-82) last Saturday.
 
The Mountain Lions are 6-5 at home this season, including being 5-4 on its home court in RMAC play. In addition to being 6-5 at home on the season, they are just 5-10 away from home, including being 2-9 on the road in RMAC play.
 
UCCS, who was tabbed to finish seventh in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as they earned 122 points from the league's head coach, has four players averaging double figures on the year as freshman guard Xavier Martinez is averaging 14.6 points and 4.1 assists per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field, 37 percent from the 3-poiint line and 82 percent at the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in three straight games and 23 times overall. In RMAC play, he is averaging 14.4 points and 3.8 assists per game.
 
In addition to Martinez, junior forward Jesse Iweze is averaging 12.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per games and is shooting 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from the 3-point line and has scored in double figures in 16 games and has tallied three double-doubles. In RMAC play, he is averaging 13.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from long distance.
 
The other two double-digit scorers for UCCS are junior guard Hannes Saar and junior forward Mac Stodart. Saar is averaging 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game and is shooting 39 percent from the field and 37 percent from the three-point line, while Stodart is averaging 10.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and is second on the team in made treys with 28.
 
UCCS is top free throw shooting team in the league in terms of free throws made and attempted per game. The Mountain Lions are making 17.3 free throws per game and are attempting 24.4 free throws per game. As a team, UCCS is shooting 71 percent from the free throw line. Additionally, UCCS is fourth in the league in 3-point field goal defense as their foes are shooting just 32.8 percent from downtown and are making just 6.3 treys per game.
 
The Mountain Lions are coached by Jeff Culver, who is in his 12th season directing the UCCS men's basketball program. Culver, who led UCCS to an RMAC Tournament title in 2015, has compiled a 185-149 record at UCCS.
 
Friday's game marks the first and only meeting this season between the two schools separated by 45 miles on I-25. The Pack holds a commanding 43-15 all-time lead in the series, but UCCS has won six of the last 10 meetings, including collecting a 70-47 win in Pueblo in the second to last regular season game of the 2022-23 campaign. The Pack leads the series, 25-5 at home and also holds a 17-9 edge at UCCS.
 
ABOUT REGIS
Regis, who hosts New Mexico Highlands on Friday before hosting the Pack on Saturday, comes into this weekend's action sporting a 14-12 overall record and are sixth in the RMAC standings with an 11-9 league mark. The Rangers have lost three of their last five games with the wins coming at South Dakota Mines (82-68) and at Western Colorado (82-75) last Friday. In fact, since earning an 81-67 win over the Pack, the Rangers have posted a 3-3 record.
 
The Rangers have been strong at home this season as they are 8-5 overall on its home court, including being 5-4 at home in RMAC play, but they have lost two straight games at home since earning an 86-55 win over Chadron State on Jan. 27. One of Rangers' home losses came to Westminster (69-68) on Feb. 10. Regis went 6-7 on the road this season, including going 6-5 on the road in RMAC play.
 
Regis, who was tabbed to finish eighth in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as they earned 98 points, feature one of the top scorers in the league as sophomore guard Chase Mayo Harmon is averaging 16.2 points per game and is also averaging 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.9 steals per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field, 41 percent from the 3-point line and 85 percent from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in 16 of his last 17 games, including scoring 25 points in the earlier meeting this season with the Pack. In RMAC play, he is averaging 15.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field, 43 percent from downtown and 83 percent from the free throw line.
 
In addition to Mayo Harmon, redshirt junior guard Eddy Egun is also averaging in double figures as he is averaging 12.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 57 percent from the field, 39 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent at the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in 12 straight games, including tallying 12 points, four rebounds and six assists against the Pack earlier this season. In RMAC play, Egun is averaging 13.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.
 
As team, Regis is one of the top defensive teams in the league as they are fourth in blocks per game (3.2), second in steals per game (8.2), fourth in turnovers forced per game (14.2) and fourth in scoring defense as they are allowing 72.9 points per game.
On offense, Regis is scoring 74.9 points per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 33 percent from the 3-point line and is third in the league in free throw shooting at 74.7 percent. On defense, the Rangers foes are shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 66 percent at the free throw line.

Regis is coached by Brady Bergeson, who in his ninth season at the helm of the Rangers men's basketball program, has compiled a 145-105 record. Prior to arriving at Regis in 2015, Bergeson spent four seasons as the head coach at Western Oregon where he led the program to a 69-45 overall record. Bergeson also served as an assistant at Metro State for six seasons before becoming an assistant at Sacramento State for three seasons.
 
Saturday's game with Regis marks the second game this season between the two schools as the Pack holds a slight 16-10 all-time edge in the series, but Regis won the most the first meeting this season, 81-67, on Feb. 2 in Pueblo. The Pack holds an 8-5 edge in the series at Regis and at home and the Rangers have won seven of the last 10 meetings in the series.
 
UP NEXT
Should the Pack qualify for the RMAC Tournament, they will open play in the quarterfinal round of the tournament on Tuesday, March 5 at an opponent to be determined depending on the Pack's seeding. The semifinals and finals of the tournament are scheduled for March 8-9 at the site of the highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal round. The winner of the RMAC Tournament earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament.