PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball team continues its six-game homestand this coming weekend, welcoming three teams to Massari Arena for a Thanksgiving Classic against South Central Regional opponents.

CSU Pueblo, who has opened the season 4-0 for the second consecutive year, will open the two-day event on Friday, Nov. 28, at 5 p.m. against UT Permian Basin, before hosting Eastern New Mexico for a 5 p.m. game on Saturday, Nov. 29. MSU Denver is the other team in the event as they will face Eastern New Mexico at 2:30 p.m. on Friday and UT Permian Basin on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Coming into this weekend's action, the ThunderWolves are the lone remaining undefeated team in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and are one of 37 Division II teams without a loss.

The 4-0 start is the third in the last four seasons for the Pack as they also started 4-0 in both 2024-25 and 2022-23. The Pack hasn't started a season 5-0 since the 2006-07 season when they opened 5-0 before losing their sixth game of that season at home to Nebraska-Omaha, 66-60.

ABOUT THE PACK
Leading the way offensively for the ThunderWolves through the first four games of the season are sophomore guard/forward Jordan Blair (Keller, Texas/Keller Central) and junior guard Jaden Kennis (Windsor, Colo./MSU Denver). Blair is averaging 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game is shooting 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from the 3-point line, and has scored in double figures in all four games this season, including tying a career-high with 17 points last time out against North American, while Kennis is averaging 14.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game and is shooting 42 percent from the field, 31 percent from the 3-point line and 90 percent from the free throw line and has tallied double figures in all four games, including a season-high 19 points in the season opener at Cameron.

In addition to Blair and Kennis, three other Pack players are averaging between 7.0 and 8.5 points per game as freshman guard Bryce Riehl (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mesa Ridge) is averaging 8.5 points per game and is shooting 46 percent from the field, and 38 percent from the 3-point line, while senior center Kaleb Mitchell (Fountain, Colo./Northern State) is averaging 7.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game and is shooting 59 percent from the floor and tallied a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds last Friday against Kansas Christian and redshirt sophomore guard/forward Corbin Garver (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) is averaging 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 39 percent from the field and 70 percent at the free throw line.

As a team, the Pack, who is coached by first-year head coach Zach Ruebesam, enters the weekend as one of the top field goal percentage defense and rebounding teams in Division II, as the Pack leads the RMAC and is third nationally in Division II in field goal percentage defense (31.8 percent) and leads the RMAC and is seventh nationally in rebounds per game (46.50). In addition, they lead the RMAC and are 12th nationally in rebound margin (+12.3).

Offensively, the Pack is scoring 82.3 points per game and has scored 80 or more points in two straight games and three times on the season, and is allowing 61.3 points per game, which is tops in the league and 11th nationally in Division. The Pack's 21.0 scoring margin is tops in the league and 14th nationally.

Another strength for the Pack is sharing the ball, as the Pack is second in the league in assists as they are averaging 17.5 per game. Sophomore guard Mac Terry (Castle Pines, Colo./South Dakota Mines) is fifth in the league in total assists with 16 and is fourth in assists per game at 4.0, while Kennis is ninth in the league in assists per game (3.3). Along with being fourth in the league in assists per game, Terry leads the league and is 12th nationally in assist/turnover at 5.33 as he has dished out 16 assists and committed just three turnovers.

The Pack has also gotten strong play off the bench this season as their bench is second in the RMAC in scoring as they are averaging 33.5 points per game off the bench. The top scorers off the bench are Riehl, Mitchell, junior forward Kyren Allen (Commerce City, Colo./Trinidad State) (6.0 ppg), and junior guard Dylan Sanders (Aurora, Colo./Pearl River CC) (5.5 ppg).

ABOUT UT PERMIAN BASIN
UT Permian Basin is the third member from the Lone Star Conference that the Pack is playing in its non-conference schedule. The Falcons, who were tabbed to finish ninth in the Preseason LSC Poll, enter the weekend sporting a 2-2 overall record with their losses being an 81-69 setback in their season opener to Adams State and a 67-61 loss last weekend at Sul Ross State. UTPB's two wins have come at home against Western Colorado (83-71) and McMurry (104-76).

The Falcons' start this season has been paced by an efficient offensive effort (six players are averaging over 6.8 points per game) and a strong presence on the glass as they are averaging 79.3 points per game, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field, 41.8 percent from the 3-point line, and 76.1 percent at the free throw line, and have a +7.8 rebound margin, which is third-best in the LSC. The Falcons are averaging 17.5 made free throws per game.

Defensively, UTPB's opponents are shooting 46.5 percent from the field and are making 10 3-pointers per game, and are averaging 73.8 points per game.

The top player this season for the Falcons has been 6-foot-6 graduate student forward Tash Lunday. Lunday, who is a transfer from Mount Marty and a South Dakota native, is averaging 16.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 48.8 percent from the field, 50 percent (3-for-6) from the 3-point line, and 77 percent (20-for-26) at the free throw line. He has tallied two double-doubles on the season and is going to free throw line nearly seven times per game in the early going.

Senior guard Sharrod Taylor is the No. 2 scorer as he is averaging 12.8 points per game and is shooting 41 percent from the field, 45 percent from the 3-point line, and 77 percent at the free throw line and is making 2.3 treys per game and has dished out 13 assists.

The No. 3 scorer for the Falcons is senior guard Bryceson Burns, who is averaging 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field, 47 percent from the 3-point line, and has a 3.0 assist/turnover ratio (18 assists, six turnovers).

Last season, the Falcons posted a 16-12 overall record and were sixth in the LSC West Division with a 7-7 record and an overall league record of 12-10.  The Falcons return just four players from last season's team.

UTPB is coached by Kyle Tolin, who is in his fifth season directing the Falcons men's basketball coach. Tolin has posted a 64-56 record at UTPB and has led the program to three winning seasons and one LSC Tournament appearance. Before UTPB, Tolin spent seven seasons at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, where he led the program to two NCAA Tournament appearances, two regular season Great American Conference titles, and 108 wins. His career coaching record in 11 seasons is 172-145.

Friday's match-up will be the second-ever meeting between the two schools on the hardwood as the Pack won the only previous meeting, 96-90 on Nov. 15, 2015, in Kingsville, Texas, at the Emerald Beach Hotel Javalina Tip-Off Challenge. In that game, the Pack shot 43 percent from the field and hit 12 3-pointers and overcame 52 percent shooting from the field and 14 treys from the Falcons to post the victory. Chris Golden paced the Pack with 33 points as he was 10-for-17 from the field and knocked down eight treys, while Nelson Kahler added a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.

ABOUT EASTERN NEW MEXICO
Eastern New Mexico is the fourth member from the Lone Star Conference that the Pack is playing in its non-conference schedule. The Greyhounds, who were tabbed to finish tied for sixth in the Preseason LSC poll, enter the weekend having won three straight games after opening the 2025-26 campaign with a 76-73 setback at home to Fort Lewis. The win streak began with a 73-53 home win over New Mexico Highlands, and continued last week with a 92-73 home win over Northern New Mexico and an 83-63 win at Northwestern Oklahoma.

The Greyhounds' strong start to the season can be attributed to an efficient offense (48.2 field goal percentage) and a strong defense that is forcing nearly 17 turnovers per game and collecting 11 steals per contest. In addition, EMNU also has a +8.5 margin on the boards as they are averaging 37.8 boards per game.

Offensively, the Greyhounds are averaging 80.3 points per game and are shooting 48 percent from the field, but have struggled from downtown as they are making just 5.0 treys per game and are shooting 28.6 percent from the 3-point line. In addition, they are also just shooting 67.1 percent from the free throw line.

Defensively, ENMU's opponents are averaging 66.3 points per game and are shooting 43 percent from the field, 41 percent from the 3-point line and 68 percent at the free throw line. Along with their ability to force turnovers and collect steals, ENMU also is averaging 3.0 blocked shots per game and have an assist/turnover ratio of 1.14.

The top players for the Greyhounds is senior forward Jose Murillo, who is averaging 17.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 75 percent from the field, which is second in the LSC and sixth nationally in Division II. In addition, he has also blocked four shots and collected 10 offensive rebounds. He has scored in double figures in all three games he played and tallied a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds in the season opener against Fort Lewis.

Sophomore guard Mo Austin, who is a graduate of Pueblo South High School, is the No. 2 scorer for the Greyhounds as he is averaging 14.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game. He is shooting 53 percent from the field and leads the team in steals (12) and assists (20) and has a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio. Austin, who was named to the LSC's All-Freshman Team last season, is coming off a 25 point, five rebound, and three steal performance last time out against Northwestern Oklahoma.

The team's third double-digit scorer is junior guard Austin Abrams. Abrams is averaging 14.2 points per game and is shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent from the 3-point line. He is also shooting 76.9 percent from the free throw line. He is tied for the team lead in made treys with five.

Last season, the Greyhounds went 18-11 overall and 13-9 in the LSC in head coach Daven Vo's first season in Portales. The Greyhounds advanced to the LSC Tournament for the third straight season and just missed qualifying for the NCAA Tournament after falling in the first round of the LSC Tournament in overtime to Lubbock Christian (79-78).

The Greyhounds are coach by Vo, who is in second season at ENMU. He has compiled a 21-12 record with the Greyhounds. Prior to be named the head coach at ENMU, Vo spent the 2023-24 season as the associate head coach at UCCS. Vo was an assistant for the Greyhounds from 2020-23.

Saturday's match-up will be the 27th all-time meeting between the two schools in basketball as the Pack hold an 18-8 edge in the series. The two teams haven't played against each other since the Pack earned a 105-66 win in Portales, N.M., on Dec. 31, 2014. The Pack has won two straight games in the series and is 12-0 against the Greyhounds in Pueblo.

UP NEXT
Following this weekend's action, the Pack will turn its attention to RMAC play as they open their 20-game league next week with back-to-back home games on Thursday, Dec. 4 against Westminster and on Saturday, Dec. 6 against Western Colorado. The Westminster game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip, while the Western Colorado game will tip-off at 3 p.m.