PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball team will conclude a four-game homestand in Massari Arena this week with Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games against Colorado Mesa and Westminster University.
 
CSU Pueblo will open this week's action with a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday, Jan. 30 against two-time defending regular season RMAC Champion Colorado Mesa, before concluding the homestand with a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 1 against Westminster University. Thursday's game will be the only meeting between the Pack and the Mavericks, while Saturday's game will mark the second meeting this season between the two schools as the Pack opened RMAC play with a 72-62 win in Salt Lake City, Utah, over the Griffins on Dec. 5.
 
The ThunderWolves enter this week's action having won two straight games after snapping a season-long six-game losing skid last weekend with back-to-back home wins over Adams State (92-88 in overtime) and New Mexico Highlands (69-63). The two wins last week pushed the Pack's record to 10-8 overall and moved them into a three-way tie in the RMAC standings with a 5-5 record at the halfway point of the conference season. The 10 wins marks the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Pack has won at least 10 games in a season.
 
This week's two games mark the 11th and 12th home games this season for the Pack as they are sporting an 8-2 record at home with both of those home losses coming in RMAC play as they suffered a 66-62 loss on Dec. 12 to Chadron State and fell 83-72 to Colorado Christian in its first game of the 2025 calendar year on Jan. 9. Since the beginning of last season, the Pack has posted a 16-9 record at home, including a 7-9 mark in home RMAC games.

ABOUT THE PACK
Through the first 18 games this season, the Pack has three players all averaging 11.9 points per game. The first player averaging 11.9 points per game is fifth-year senior guard Brevin Walter (Las Vegas, Nev./South Dakota Mines). In addition to averaging 11.9 points per game, Walter is averaging 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game and is shooting 37 percent from the field, 28 percent from the 3-point line, and 84 percent at the free throw line, which is sixth in the RMAC. He has made 35 of his last 39 free throws, leads the team with 22 made treys, and has tallied double digits in scoring in 13 of 18 games. Walter comes into play this week as the No. 4 active scorer in Division II men's basketball with 1,911 points and is one 30 active NCAA men's basketball players at all levels to have scored 1,900 or more career points.
 
The second player averaging 11.9 points per game is senior guard Armon Muldrew (Perris, Calif./San Bernardino Valley), who is also averaging 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, and is shooting 43 percent from the field, 30 percent from the 3-point line and 75 percent from the free throw line and has scored 20-plus points in two straight games and 11 times overall on the season and is second in made treys with 20. Muldrew enters this week's action having scored 614 points with the Pack and is averaging 13.1 points per game in his time at CSU Pueblo.
 
Senior forward De'Shaun Cooper (San Diego, Calif./Balboa School) is third player averaging 11.9 points per game and is also averaging a team-best 6.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 67.5 percent (81-for-120) from the field, which is second-best in the RMAC and has scored in double figures in five straight games and 13 times in 18 games and has recorded a team-best three double-doubles. Cooper enters this week's action needing just 25 points to become the 28th member of the school's 1,000-Point Club.
 
Four other Pack players are averaging between 6.8 to 7.1 points per game on the season as junior forward Victor Lado (Louisville, Ky./Vincennes University) is averaging 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game and is shooting 58 percent from the field and has scored in double figures in three of his last four games and six times overall on the season, while redshirt sophomore guard Jaden Kennis (Windsor, Colo./MSU Denver) is averaging 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 33 percent from the field and tied for third on the team in made treys with 15 and has tallied double-digits in scoring in four games, including tallying a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds at Western Colorado.

Junior guard Denim Johnson (Omaha, Neb./Trinity Valley CC) and freshman forward Jake Lafferty (Bruner, Mo./Sparta) are each averaging 6.8 points per game. Johnson is also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and is third in blocks with 10 and is shooting 53 percent from the field and has scored 13 each in his last two games, while Lafferty is averaging 4.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 53 percent from the field and 33 percent from the 3-point line and has reached double figures in four games.
 
As a team, the Pack, who is coached by sixth-year head coach Matt Hammer, enters this week's action averaging 72.8 points per game but has been held under 70 points in eight of its last 11 games as they scored 92 points last Thursday against Adams State while scoring 75 points two weeks ago at Mines and tallying 72 points at home against Colorado Christian three weeks ago. In 10 RMAC games, the Pack is averaging 69.8 points per game. On defense, the Pack is allowing 71.0 points per game, which is seventh in the RMAC and is also seventh in the league in scoring margin at +2.6.
 
The enters this week's action continuing to lead the league and is 14th nationally in Division II in three-point field goal percentage defense and is fourth in the league in field goal percentage defense. The Pack's opponents are shooting 29.2 percent (114-for-390) from the 3-point line and those opponents are shooting 42.8 percent (467-for-1,092) from the field. Ten of the Pack's 18 opponents have shot better than 40 percent from the field, while seven of the Pack's 16 opponents haven't shot better than 25 percent from the 3-point line, but eight of its 18 opponents haven't shot better than 28 percent from downtown, but its last nine foes have shot over 26 percent or better from the 3-point line.
 
The Pack has continued its season-long struggles from the 3-point line as they are shooting an RMAC-worst 29 percent (92-for-317) from long distance and are making a league-worst 5.1 treys per game. In RMAC play, the Pack are shooting 28.7 percent from the 3-point line and are averaging 4.8 made treys per game. Last season, the Pack was one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the league as they shot 37.1 percent from long distance, which was third-best in the RMAC. The Pack averaged 8.3 made treys per game last season.
 
Despite its recent struggles, the Pack are tied for the lead in rebounding as they are averaging 36.8 rebounds per game. The Pack is seventh in the league in rebound margin (+2.5 boards per game) and they have collected 40 or more boards in a game seven times and they are fifth in the league in assists per game as the Pack is averaging 14.9 assists per game and has assisted on 55.7 percent of its made field goals as the Pack has dished out 268 assists on 481 made baskets.
 
ABOUT COLORADO MESA
Colorado Mesa, who are the two-time reigning regular-season RMAC Champions, comes into Thursday's action having won seven of its last eight games but had its seven-game win streak snapped last Saturday with a 69-67 loss at Chadron State. Colorado Mesa is sporting an 11-7 overall record and is tied for sixth in the RMAC standings with a 5-5 league record. Along with the loss to Chadron State, CMU's other losses in league play have come at home against UCCS (63-58), Colorado Christian (75-65), and on the road against Regis (73-70) and Mines (65-58). 
 
The Mavericks have posted a 6-5 record away from home this season, including a 2-3 record on the road in RMAC play. In addition, CMU is 5-2 at home, including a 3-2 home RMAC mark.
 
Colorado Mesa, who was tabbed to finish fifth in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll with 142 points and a first place vote, has one of the youngest rosters in the league as four of their top seven scorers are freshmen.
 
The Mavs are led offensively by redshirt junior guard Ty Allred is averaging 15.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 46 percent from the field, 33 percent from the 3-point line, and an RMAC-best 88 percent at the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in 16 games, including tallying 20 or more points in three games.
 
In addition to Allred, freshman guard Harvey White is averaging 10.8 points and 3.2 assists per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line, and 75 percent at the free throw line and has had 10 double-digit scoring games, while freshman forward Will Mortimore is averaging 10.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and is shooting 53 percent from the field and has reached double figures in 11 games and has four double-doubles on the season.
 
As a team, CMU is averaging 71.1 points per game and is allowing 70.9 points per game. The Mavericks are shooting 46 percent from the field, 31 percent from the 3-point line, and 73 percent from the free throw line and lead the RMAC in blocked shots as they are averaging 4.1 per game. Defensively, CMU is fifth in the RMAC in field goal percentage defense (43.6 percent) and their foes are shooting 35.4 percent from downtown on the season.
 
CMU is coached by Mike Dunlap, who is in his first season with the Mavs and his 22nd season overall as a collegiate head coach, including spending nine seasons at MSU Denver where he won two D-II National titles in 2000 and 2002 with the Roadrunners. He has compiled an 11-7 record at Mesa and is 433-239 in his collegiate coaching career.
 
Thursday's game with Colorado Mesa marks the only meeting this season between the two teams. Colorado Mesa holds a 48-24 all-time lead in the series and the Mavericks have won eight straight games in the series since the Pack picked up an 82-69 win over the Mavericks in Massari Arena on Feb. 23, 2018. Colorado Mesa leads the series 17-15 in Pueblo and also leads 29-8 in Grand Junction. Last season, the Mavs collected a 94-82 win on its home court and earned a hard-fought 82-80 win in the Pack's final home game of the 2023-24 season.
 
ABOUT WESTMINSTER UNIVERSITY
Westminster, who plays Thursday at Colorado Christian before traveling to face the Pack on Saturday, comes into this week's action having lost four straight and six of its last eight games overall with the two wins coming at home against Adams State (107-95) and in triple overtime over Fort Lewis (113-108). The Griffins are sporting a 9-9 overall record and a 3-7 record in the RMAC.
 
The Griffins have struggled on the road this season as they are just 2-7 away from home, including an 0-5 mark on the road in RMAC play. In addition, the Griffins are 7-2 at home, including being 3-2 at home in RMAC play.  
Westminster, who was tabbed to finish 12th in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as they earned 48 points from the league's head coaches, has four players averaging in double figures as senior guard Chase Potter leads the way with 15.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 51 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 88 percent at the free throw line, which is second in the league. He has scored in double figures in 13 games, including three games with 30 or more points.
 
In addition to Potter, junior forward Simon Akena is averaging 15.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 48 percent from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point line and has scored in double figures in five straight games, while fifth-year senior guard Donaval Avila is averaging 10.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 57 percent from the field, 52 percent from the 3-point line and 83 percent at the free throw line.
 
The fourth double-digit scorer for the Griffins is sophomore guard Parker Christensen as he is averaging 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game and is shooting 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from the 3-point line.
 
As a team, Westminster is averaging 77.3 points per game and is allowing 73.8 points per game. The Griffins are shooting 50 percent from the field, 37 percent from the 3-point line, and 74 percent from the free throw line and are turning the ball over 13.2 times per contest and are second in the league in assists per game at 15.9. Defensively, Westminster's opponents are shooting 46 percent from the field and 38 percent from the 3-point line.
 
Westminster is coached by Norm Parrish, who is in his 10th season at Westminster and has compiled a 128-125 overall record. 
 
Thursday's game with Westminster marks the second of two meetings this season between the two schools as the Pack opened league play with a 72-62 on Dec. 5 at Westminster. Saturday's game marks the 18th all-time meeting between the two schools with CSU Pueblo holding a slight 10-7 edge in the series. The Pack has won three straight games in the series and is 7-3 in the last 10 games against the Griffins.
 
UP NEXT
Following this week's home games against Colorado Mesa and Westminster, the Pack will return to the road for three games in 10 days. They will begin the road trip with a game at Black Hills State at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, before traveling to Chadron, Neb., for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Chadron State.