GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Colorado State University Pueblo Women's Basketball heads into one of its toughest road weekends of the season looking to flip the script and halt a two-game skid, as the ThunderWolves travel to face No. 9 Colorado Mesa on Thursday night before continuing on to Westminster on Saturday. The two-game swing marks the beginning of the second half of RMAC play and presents both the league's most dominant team and an opportunity for a bounce-back result against a familiar foe.
The ThunderWolves enter the weekend at 9-9 overall and 5-5 in conference play, sitting in a four-way tie for seventh place in the RMAC standings. After dropping back-to-back road games at Adams State and New Mexico Highlands, CSU Pueblo is looking to rediscover the identity that fueled its midseason surge, when it won eight of 13 games following a 1-4 start. The Pack have already proven they can win away from Massari Arena, posting road victories at Chadron State and South Dakota Mines earlier in conference play, and the weekend now serves as a critical measuring stick as postseason positioning begins to take shape.
Head coach Tommie Johnson, now in his seventh season at the helm in Pueblo, has guided the ThunderWolves through one of the most roster-intensive rebuilds in the conference. With only three returning players from last year's 18-win team and 11 newcomers integrated into the rotation, Johnson's emphasis this season has been on defensive consistency, ball movement, and patience in late-game situations. That approach has produced a team that ranks among the RMAC's top units in scoring defense and assist-to-turnover ratio, while also establishing CSU Pueblo as one of the league's most active teams in the passing lanes.
Individually, the ThunderWolves continue to lean on balanced scoring and emerging confidence across the lineup. Senior guard Seneya Martinez leads the Pack at 11.2 points per game and has scored in double figures in five of her last six outings, while Genesis Sweetwine continues to serve as the engine of the offense, averaging 9.9 points and 3.7 assists per game. Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck has developed into one of the RMAC's most reliable perimeter threats, shooting better than 38 percent from three and over 90 percent at the free-throw line. Dasani Nesbit provides a steady presence in the frontcourt and is coming off a career-high at the Division II level with 14 points at New Mexico Highlands, adding another offensive dimension for the Pack heading into the weekend.
Thursday's matchup in Grand Junction pits the ThunderWolves against a Colorado Mesa team that has been the gold standard of the RMAC all season. The Mavericks are 20-1 overall, unbeaten in conference play at 10-0, and riding a 17-game winning streak. Colorado Mesa is currently ranked No. 9 in the nation and has paired elite offensive efficiency with one of the stingiest defenses in Division II, averaging more than 74 points per game while allowing just over 51. Their scoring margin sits among the best in the country and has made Brownson Arena one of the most difficult road environments in the RMAC.
At the center of Mesa's dominance is senior forward Olivia Reed Thyne, the reigning RMAC Player of the Year, who continues to anchor the Mavericks on both ends of the floor. Reed Thyne leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging nearly 20 points and over 10 boards per game, while also serving as the focal point of Mesa's interior defense and rebounding attack.
Colorado Mesa is led by head coach Taylor Wagner, now in his 14th season, and one of the most accomplished coaches in Division II. Wagner's teams are known for their physicality, rebounding discipline, and ability to dictate tempo, and his Mavericks once again sit atop the RMAC after being picked to win the league in the preseason. Wagner's system thrives on interior-out play, drawing defensive attention inside before creating high-percentage looks on the perimeter, making Mesa especially difficult to slow down once it establishes rhythm.
Adding a personal layer to Thursday night's matchup is the long-standing friendship between Wagner and CSU Pueblo head coach Tommie Johnson. The two coaches played together at Otero Junior College during their playing days and have remained close ever since, sharing both a competitive bond and mutual respect. While their friendship is well-documented, all sentiment will be set aside when the ball tips in Brownson Arena, as both coaches look to put their teams in position for a critical conference result.
For CSU Pueblo, slowing Mesa begins with controlling pace and defensive discipline. The ThunderWolves rank among the top defensive teams in the RMAC, allowing just 61.4 points per game and holding opponents under 40 percent shooting in multiple contests this season. The Pack are 7-1 when keeping opponents at 60 points or fewer, and that benchmark looms large against a Maverick offense that thrives on balance and ball movement. CSU Pueblo's ability to contest shots, protect the paint, and limit second-chance opportunities will be paramount, particularly against a Mesa squad that owns a significant rebounding margin.
Offensively, the ThunderWolves will look to their perimeter game as a catalyst. CSU Pueblo ranks second in the RMAC and among the national leaders in three-pointers made per game, averaging 7.6 treys per contest. The Pack are 9-2 when they make more three-pointers than their opponent, making perimeter efficiency a potential equalizer against Mesa's size and depth.
Historically, Colorado Mesa has held the upper hand in the series, winning eight of the last ten meetings, including a 72-65 decision last season in Grand Junction. But CSU Pueblo has shown it can compete with elite teams when it controls turnovers and stays connected defensively. The ThunderWolves average more than 10 steals per game and force over 17 turnovers per contest, and that pressure could be key in disrupting Mesa's offensive rhythm and creating transition opportunities.
After Thursday's test, CSU Pueblo will travel to Salt Lake City for a Saturday afternoon matchup against Westminster. The Griffins enter the weekend at 5-11 overall and 2-8 in RMAC play, but the ThunderWolves know the margin for error is slim. Earlier this season, CSU Pueblo escaped with a 62-60 home win over Westminster, a game that came down to late-game execution and shot-making.
In that first meeting, Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck and Seneya Martinez put the ThunderWolves on their backs in the fourth quarter, combining to hit several critical shots down the stretch to seal the victory. Sweeney-Spitzeck finished with 18 points in the win, while Martinez added 12, providing the late-game spark that allowed CSU Pueblo to fend off a Westminster rally.
The Pack have won six straight in the series and seven of the last ten meetings, but road games in conference play have proven unforgiving all season. Westminster has been more competitive at home and relies on balanced scoring and perimeter shot creation, making defensive rotations and transition defense critical for CSU Pueblo.
For Johnson's squad, the emphasis will again be on composure and execution, particularly in second-half stretches where the Pack is most successful when leading at halftime.
The weekend represents a pivotal stretch for the ThunderWolves. A strong showing against the nation's ninth-ranked team could restore momentum and confidence, while a win at Westminster would keep CSU Pueblo firmly in the RMAC tournament picture. With the second half of conference play underway, every possession now carries postseason weight. For a team that has been reshaped through transfers and newcomers, the road trip offers both a challenge and a chance to define who the ThunderWolves will be down the stretch.
