PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's basketball team continued its undefeated start to the 2025-26 season here Friday as the ThunderWolves used a dominant first half and a balanced offensive effort to secure a 78-69 win over UT Permian Basin in the second game of the Thanksgiving Classic held at Massari Arena.
With Friday's win, the Pack improves to 5-0 on the season, and the 5-0 start to the season is the best for the program since the 2006-07 season, when the Pack also started the season 5-0. In addition, it is just the fifth 5-0 start in the program's four-year school era (1963-present). UTPB fell to 2-3 with the loss.
The Pack will conclude the Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, Nov. 29, with a 5 p.m. game against Eastern New Mexico (4-1), which collected a 78-65 win in Friday's first game against MSU Denver. MSU Denver will face UTPB on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2:30 p.m.
CSU Pueblo, which improved to 3-0 at home this season, controlled the tempo from the jump and seized momentum midway through the opening period. After trailing 6-5 in the opening two-plus minutes, the Pack responded with a 24-11 surge fueled by defensive pressure, second chance scoring, and efficient shooting to take a 29-17 lead following a lay-up from senior guard Sam Howery (Colorado Springs, Colo./St. Mary's).
Following that run, UTPB scored four of the next six points to pull within 31-21 with 3:11 left in the opening period. The Pack closed the opening half on an 11-7 run to take a 42-28 halftime lead.
In the opening half, the Pack forced seven first-half turnovers, which led to 12 points, while shooting 58 percent from the field, 33 percent from the 3-point line, and converting 10-for-11 free throws (90.9 percent). Meanwhile, UTPB shot just 33 percent from the field, 46 percent (6-for-13) from the 3-point line, and 43 percent (6-for-14) from the free throw line.
In the second half, the Pack led by as much as 18 points at 8:23 left in the second half, before UTPB mounted a late rally to pull within seven points on several occasions in the final minute, before redshirt junior guard Jaden Kennis (Windsor, Colo./MSU Denver) capped the score with two free throws with 16 seconds remaining.
Sophomore guard Jordan Blair (Keller, Texas/Keller Central) paced the Pack offense with 14 points and six rebounds, while Kennis added 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists while shooting 5-for-7 from the floor, including going 2-for-3 from the 3-point line. Junior forward Kyren Allen (Commerce City, Colo./Trinidad State) added 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Sophomore guard Mac Terry (Castle Pines, Colo./South Dakota Mines) and junior guard Dylan Sanders (Aurora, Colo./Pearl River CC) each had 10 points. Terry also had four assists and two steals in the win.
On the night, seven players tallied six or more points in the game. The Pack bench also held a 27-26 edge in points off the bench.
For the game, the Pack shot 47.9 percent from the field and 36 percent (8-for-22) from the 3-point line, while UTPB shot 37 percent from the field and 35 percent (9-for-26) from downtown.
The Pack held a slight 36-34 edge on the boards, but UTPB picked up 13 offensive rebounds to give the Falcons a 16-11 edge in second-chance points. In addition, the Pack also lost the turnover battle (14-12), but the Pack finished the night with an 18-8 edge in points off turnovers.
UTPB was paced by the play of Rashad Kee and Kainan Thomas, who each scored 15 points, while Bryceson Burns tallied 14 points and Tash Lunday added 12 points in the loss. Kee finished the night with nine rebounds, while Burns nabbed three steals for the Falcons.
The game was dominated by whistles as the two teams combined for 52 fouls and shot a combined 64 free throws, including 29 fouls and 39 free throws in the second half. The Pack were 24-for-33 (72.7 percent) at the line, while UTPB was 20-for-31 (64.5 percent) at the line.
