PUEBLO, Colo. - Colorado State University Pueblo women's basketball turned in one of its most complete performances of the season on Tuesday night, defeating UCCS 79–68 at Massari Arena to move to 12–11 overall and 8–7 in RMAC play. The ThunderWolves controlled the game for nearly wire to wire, building a sizable halftime lead and holding off a late Mountain Lions push to secure an important conference victory.
CSU Pueblo set the tone early, jumping out to a strong start behind defensive pressure and efficient offense. After a brief early deficit, the Pack went on a run midway through the first quarter, forcing turnovers and converting in transition to take control. The ThunderWolves limited UCCS to just 11 points in the opening frame and carried a 20–11 advantage into the second quarter.
The Pack continued to build momentum in the second quarter, outscoring the Mountain Lions 20–13 to take a 40–24 lead into halftime. CSU Pueblo shot 50 percent from the field in the period and made UCCS work for every look. Seneya Martinez began to heat up offensively, while Genesis Sweetwine directed the offense and kept constant pressure on the UCCS defense with her penetration and passing. The ThunderWolves also capitalized on turnovers, turning defense into offense to stretch the lead.
UCCS opened the third quarter with renewed energy, attacking the paint and cutting into the deficit, but CSU Pueblo responded with composure. Martinez continued her scoring barrage, and the Pack answered every run with timely baskets to keep control of the game. Strong execution on both ends allowed CSU Pueblo to extend its lead to 58–41 heading into the final quarter.
The Mountain Lions made a late push in the fourth quarter, scoring 27 points and trimming the margin, but the ThunderWolves never let the game slip away. CSU Pueblo maintained its composure, knocked down key shots, and made crucial defensive stops to keep UCCS at bay. The Pack led for more than 35 minutes of game time and pushed the advantage to as many as 24 points before closing out the win.
Martinez delivered a historic performance, scoring a career-high 36 points on an ultra-efficient 14-of-18 shooting, including 8-of-9 from three-point range. Her 36 points tied for the fifth-most in a single game in CSU Pueblo women's basketball history, while her eight made three-pointers rank third all time in program history. Sweetwine was just as impactful, recording a career-high 11 assists to go along with 15 points, consistently creating opportunities for her teammates and keeping the offense in rhythm.
Dasani Nesbit filled the stat sheet with six assists and four steals, providing key defensive energy, while Anyla Owens added six points and steady play on the perimeter. As a team, CSU Pueblo shot 44.6 percent from the field and an impressive 56 percent from beyond the arc, while forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 15 fast-break points.
With the win, Colorado State University Pueblo ThunderWolves moved into sole possession of seventh place in the RMAC standings. The Pack will look to carry the momentum into Thursday night when they travel to Lakewood, Colo., to take on Colorado Christian University Cougars.
