PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball team opens the New Year with two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games against Colorado Christian and UCCS.
 
CSU Pueblo will open this weekend's action with a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday, Jan. 9 in Massari Arena against Colorado Christian, before traveling up I-25 to Colorado Springs, Colo., for a 3 p.m. contest on Saturday, Jan. 11 against UCCS. This weekend's two games mark the first for the ThunderWolves since closing its pre-Christmas schedule with games against Alaska-Anchorage and Hawai'i Pacific on Dec. 19-20 at the Hoops in Hawai'i Holiday Classic.
 
The Pack enters its first two games of the 2025 calendar year sporting an 8-4 overall record and is sitting in a three-way tie for third place with Black Hills State and Regis in the RMAC standings with a 3-1 league record. The Pack hasn't played a game in nearly 20 days since suffering an 80-66 loss to Hawai'i Pacific on Dec. 20 to close out play in the Hoops in Hawai'i Holiday Classic.
 
The Pack enters this week's action having lost three of its last four games to close out the 2024 calendar year. The current two-game losing skid is the longest this season for the Pack as along with its loss to Hawai'i Pacific, the Pack also suffered a 73-52 loss to Alaska-Anchorage in the first game of its Hawai'i trip. In addition to those two losses, the Pack's other loss was a 66-62 setback at home to Chadron State on Dec. 12. The Pack's lone win in its last four games came on Dec. 14 at home to South Dakota Mines (68-58).
 
Thursday's home game with CCU marks the eighth home game this season for the Pack as they are sporting a 6-1 record at home with the lone setback coming against Chadron State. Since the beginning of last season, the Pack has posted a 14-8 record at home, including a 5-8 mark in RMAC home contests. Meanwhile, Saturday's game at UCCS marks the sixth away game this season for the Pack as they are 2-3 away from home, including being 2-0 on the road in RMAC play. The Pack has won six consecutive RMAC regular season road games since suffering an 84-69 loss at Black Hills State on Jan. 27, 2024.
 
ABOUT THE PACK
Through the first 12 games of the 2024-25 season, the Pack has three players averaging in double figures as senior forward De'Shaun Cooper (San Diego, Calif./Balboa School) leads the way offensively as he is averaging 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and is shooting 64.4 percent from the field, which is third-best in the RMAC and has scored in double figures in eight of the Pack's 12 games and has recorded a team-best three double-doubles, which is tied for fourth best in the league.
 
In addition to Copper, fifth-year senior guard Brevin Walter (Las Vegas, Nev./South Dakota Mines) and senior guard Armon Muldrew (Perris, Calif./San Bernardino Valley) are tied for second in scoring at 11.5 points per game. Along with averaging 11.5 points per game, Walter is also averaging 3.2 rebounds and a team-best 2.5 assists per game and is shooting 36 percent from the field and is tied for seventh in the RMAC in free throw shooting at 81.8 percent, while Muldrew, who was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Hoops in Hawai'i Holiday Classic, is averaging 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.6 steals per game and is shooting 42 percent from the field and 78 percent at the free throw line and has reached double figures in three straight games and eight times overall on the season.
 
Three other Pack players are averaging between 7.5 and 6.9 points per game this season as junior forward Victor Lado (Louisville, Ky./Vincennes University) is averaging 7.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and is shooting 61 percent from the field and is second in blocks with eight, while redshirt sophomore guard Jaden Kennis (Windsor, Colo./MSU Denver) is averaging 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 38 percent from the field and is second on the team in made treys with 12 and freshman forward Jake Lafferty (Bruner, Mo./Sparta) is averaging 6.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 58 percent from the field and 72 percent at the free throw line.
 
As a team, the Pack, who is coached by sixth-year head coach Matt Hammer, enters this week's first games of the New Year averaging 74.8 points per game, but leads the RMAC in both scoring defense and is third in scoring margin as they are allowing 64.5 points per game and are outscoring their foes by a +10.3 margin. The Pack has scored over 80 points in five of its first 12 games. The Pack is ranked 17th nationally in Division II in scoring defense.
 
While being one of the top scoring defensive teams in the RMAC, the Pack comes into the week leading the league and ranking in the Top 10 nationally in both field goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense. The Pack's opponents are shooting just 38.5 percent (282-for-732) from the field, which is tied for ninth in Division II and 25.8 percent (68-for-264) from the 3-point line, which is third nationally in Division II. Only five teams have shot better than 40 percent from the field this season against the Pack, while seven of the Pack's first 12 opponents haven't shot better than 25 percent from the 3-point line.
 
Another strength for the Pack this season has been their ability to shoot the ball effectively from the floor as the Pack is seventh in the RMAC in field goal percentage as they are shooting 46.3 percent from the field. In RMAC play, the Pack is shooting 43.3 percent from the field. Two Pack players – Copper and Lado - are each shooting over 60 percent from the field on the season.
 
The Pack comes into this week's action ranking third in the RMAC in assists per game as they are averaging 15.6 per game and have recorded an assist on 56.3 percent of its made field goals (332 made field goals, 187 assists). Walter leads the way with 30 assists and is averaging 2.5 assists per game, while junior guard Denim Johnson (Omaha, Neb./Trinity Valley CC) is second with 27 assists and is averaging 2.5 per game and Muldrew is third with 26 assists.
 
In addition, the Pack is the leading rebounding team in the RMAC entering this week's action as they are averaging 39.5 boards per game, but is just fourth in rebound margin at +4.7 boards per game. The Pack has collected 40 or more boards in a game six times.
 
ABOUT COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Colorado Christian comes into Thursday's game with CSU Pueblo having lost four of its last five games with the lone win being a 77-56 home win to open the New Year this past Friday against Northern New Mexico. The Cougars are sporting a 6-7 overall record and is 2-3 in the RMAC after suffering an 84-59 loss on Tuesday at home to UCCS. CCU's RMAC wins have come at Colorado Mesa (75-65) and at home to South Dakota Mines (60-54), while their league losses came at Western Colorado (83-77) and at home to both UCCS and Black Hills State (85-56).
 
The Cougars have played 10 of its last first 13 games at home as CCU is 4-6 at home this season and is 2-1 on the road, including being 1-1 on the road in RMAC play.
 
CCU, who was tabbed to finish 14th in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as they earned 41 points from the league's head coaches, has one player averaging in double figures this season as redshirt sophomore forward Bradley Land is averaging 14.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and is shooting 57 percent from the field, 50 percent from the 3-point line and 77 percent at the free throw line. Land has scored in double figures in three straight games and 11 times on the season and tallied a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds in the season opener against Dallas Baptist.
 
In addition to Land, senior guard Shaylen Woodberry is averaging 7.8 points per game and is shooting 56 percent from the field and an RMAC-leading 55 percent from the 3-point line, while redshirt junior guard Schafer Reichart is averaging 7.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and is fifth in the RMAC in assists per game at 3.5.                                             
 
As a team, CCU is averaging 69.8 points per game and is allowing 69.8 points per game. The Cougars are third in the RMAC in both field goal percentage (49.0 percent) and 3-point field goal percentage (36.5) and are shooting 70.8 percent from the free throw line. CCU has made 89 treys on the season and is averaging 6.8 treys per game. In addition, they are averaging 31.9 rebounds per game and are averaging 13.2 assists and 2.7 blocked shots per game. Defensively, CCU's opponents are shooting 46 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from the 3-point line.
 
CCU is coached by Liam Simmons, who is in his fifth season with the Cougars and has compiled a 39-77 overall record and has led the program to back-to-back 10 win seasons.
 
Thursday's game with CCU is the first of two meetings this season between the two schools as the Pack will play in Lakewood, Colo., against the Cougars on Feb. 11. The Pack leads the all-time series 17-10 and they have won 10 straight games in the series, including collecting a 95-87 win in the most recent meeting last season at CCU on Feb. 16, 2024. The Pack leads the series, 8-5 at home and leads 9-5 on CCU's home court.

ABOUT UCCS
UCCS, who played at Colorado Christian on Tuesday before hosting the Pack on Saturday, comes into this week's action having won four straight games, including posting an 84-59 road win on Tuesday at Colorado Christian after opening the New Year with a 77-66 win at Western Colorado last Friday. The Mountain Lions have won of its last seven games overall with the losses coming at Westminster (81-64) and in overtime at home against Black Hills State (95-89). UCCS is sporting a 9-4 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the RMAC as their league wins have come at Colorado Mesa (63-58), at home against Chadron State (84-79) and at CCU (84-59).
 
The Mountain Lions have been strong at home this season as they are 4-2 on its home court, including being 1-1 at home in RMAC play. Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, UCCS has posted an 18-14 record at home. 
 
UCCS, who was tabbed seventh in the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll as they earned 122 points in the poll, has two players averaging in double figures with graduate student 6-foot-9 forward William Becker leading the way as he is averaging 15.7 points and an RMAC-leading 8.9 rebounds per game and is shooting an RMAC-best 70.7 percent from the field and 85 percent at the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in 12 games and has tallied an RMAC-best six double-doubles on the year.
 
In addition to Becker, sophomore guard Xavier Martinez is averaging 10.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game and is shooting 43 percent from the field and 88 percent at the free throw line.
 
As a team, UCCS is averaging 77.3 points per game is allowing 73.1 points per game. The Mountain Lions are shooting 47 percent from the field, 28 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent from the free throw line. UCCS is second in the league in blocks per game (3.2) and fourth in the league in rebounds per game (37.2) and is third in assist/turnover ratio (1.3). Defensively, UCCS' foes are shooting 44 percent from the field and 33 percent from downtown.
 
UCCS is coached by coached by Jeff Culver, who is in his 13th season with the Mountain Lions and has compiled and has compiled a 195-154 record and led the program to its only RMAC Championship in 2015.
 
Saturday's game with UCCS marks the first of two games this season between the two schools as the Pack will host UCCS in Massari Arena on Feb. 13. The Pack holds a slight 19-15 all-time lead in the series, including collecting a 92-69 win last season at UCCS in the second to last game of the 2023-24 regular season. UCCS, though, has won six of the last 10 games in the series. The Pack leads the series, 9-8 in Colorado Springs and holds a 10-7 lead in Massari Arena.
 
UP NEXT
Following this weekend's action, the Pack will remain on the road for two games next week as they travel to Golden, Colo., for a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday, Jan. 16 against 15th-ranked Colorado School of Mines and concludes the road trip with a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, Jan. 18 in Denver against Regis University.