ALAMOSA, Colo. - The Colorado State University Pueblo ThunderWolves return to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action this weekend with a demanding two-game road swing, opening Thursday night in Alamosa against Adams State before closing the trip Saturday afternoon at New Mexico Highlands.
CSU Pueblo enters the weekend at 9-7 overall and 5-3 in RMAC play, continuing to trend upward after an 82-78 overtime victory over Regis last Saturday. The ThunderWolves have won eight of their last 11 games overall and sit firmly in the middle of a tightly packed conference race as the season approaches its midpoint.
Under seventh-year head coach Tommie Johnson, the Pack have developed a defensive-minded identity while also emerging as one of the RMAC's most dangerous perimeter shooting teams. CSU Pueblo is allowing just 60.3 points per game, ranking third in the conference, while leading the RMAC with 7.8 three-pointers made per contest.
Offensively, the ThunderWolves are led by senior guard Seneya Martinez, who enters the weekend averaging a team-high 11.3 points per game while adding 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. Martinez has scored in double figures in 11 of 16 games this season and is riding a stretch of four consecutive double-digit scoring performances.
Senior guard Genesis Sweetwine continues to serve as the catalyst for the Pack offense, averaging 9.3 points per game while ranking second in the RMAC with 3.7 assists per contest. Sweetwine is also contributing 3.1 rebounds per game and shooting 35 percent from three-point range, providing steady leadership on both ends of the floor.
Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck has emerged as one of the conference's most efficient shooters, averaging 8.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 43.4 percent from beyond the arc and nearly 90 percent at the free throw line. Sweeney-Spitzeck is coming off a career-high 29-point performance against Regis, knocking down six three-pointers in the overtime victory.
In the frontcourt, Dasani Nesbit leads CSU Pueblo with 5.9 rebounds per game to go along with 5.4 points per contest, while also contributing 2.4 assists per game. Laci Roffle adds 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, providing interior defense and versatility as the Pack continue to rely on balance across the lineup.
ABOUT ADAMS STATE
Thursday's matchup pits CSU Pueblo against an Adams State squad that enters the weekend at 13-5 overall and 7-1 in RMAC play, one of the league's top records. The Grizzlies are led by head coach Mario Caetano, who has guided Adams State to a 90-50 record over five seasons with a fast-paced, aggressive style of play.
Adams State features one of the RMAC's most potent scoring combinations in senior guard Kiiyani Anitielu and sophomore forward Taejhuan Hill. Anitielu leads the Grizzlies with 15.9 points per game while adding 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists, while Hill is averaging 14.3 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per contest. Guards Ashiian Hunter and Elaina Watson provide additional scoring punch, averaging 10.2 and 9.9 points per game, respectively, with Watson also ranking among the league leaders at 3.1 steals per game.
The ThunderWolves will look to rely on their defensive pressure and three-point efficiency to slow an Adams State team that has been particularly strong on its home floor.
ABOUT HIGHLANDS
CSU Pueblo closes the weekend Saturday in Las Vegas, New Mexico, against the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls, who enter the contest at 7-8 overall and 3-5 in RMAC play. Highlands is led by second-year head coach Lindsey Fearing, who has implemented an up-tempo system centered around guard play and offensive efficiency.
The Cowgirls are paced by Kapiolani Anitielu, one of the RMAC's top scorers at 16.7 points per game while also contributing 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest. Aspen Salazar adds 10.3 points and 2.6 assists per game, while Kamalani Anitielu averages 9.9 points and 2.3 assists. Veteran forward Hailey Long rounds out the rotation with 5.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
These two matchups also features a future Pack connection, as the Anitielu's younger sister, known as "BAM," recently committed to head coach Tommie Johnson and CSU Pueblo and is set to join the ThunderWolves next season, adding another layer of familiarity to the contest.
Against Highlands, the Pack will look to disrupt offensive rhythm with defensive pressure and force turnovers, areas where CSU Pueblo has excelled throughout the season. Rebounding and perimeter defense will be key against a Cowgirls team that thrives in transition and high-scoring games.
With RMAC positioning on the line, the ThunderWolves head into the weekend focused on execution, defensive intensity, and continuing the momentum built over the past month as conference play heats up.
