DENVER, Colo. - Colorado State University Pueblo came up heartbreakingly short Wednesday night, as the ThunderWolves fell 86–85 to MSU Denver in a tightly contested RMAC battle at the Auraria Events Center.
The Pack led for more than 20 minutes and built a double-digit advantage late, but MSU Denver closed the game with a strong fourth-quarter push to escape with the one-point win.
The opening quarter set the tone for what would be a fast-paced, physical matchup. MSU Denver struck first behind early activity in the paint and on the offensive glass, jumping out to an early lead. CSU Pueblo quickly settled in, sparked by perimeter shooting and strong transition play. Laci Roffle provided an immediate lift off the bench, while Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck and Genesis Sweetwine helped stabilize the offense as the Pack steadily chipped away. Pueblo closed the quarter trailing just 20–19 after ten minutes.
The second quarter turned into a back-and-forth stretch with both teams trading momentum. Brooklyn Meza made her presence felt inside, converting second-chance opportunities and drawing fouls to keep CSU Pueblo within striking distance. Seneya Martinez attacked downhill and got to the free-throw line, while the ThunderWolves continued to defend with energy. Despite shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the stripe in the period, Pueblo went into halftime trailing 42–37 after a late fast-break three swung momentum back toward the home team.
Coming out of the locker room, the ThunderWolves delivered their best stretch of basketball. Pueblo opened the third quarter with renewed defensive intensity, forcing turnovers and turning them into points on the other end. Sweetwine knocked down a timely three, Anyla Owens connected from the corner, and Martinez caught fire from deep. The Pack rattled off a decisive run midway through the period, capped by back-to-back triples from Martinez, and outscored MSU Denver 28–17 in the quarter. CSU Pueblo closed the third with a 65–59 lead, firmly in control heading to the final ten minutes.
The fourth quarter, however, saw MSU Denver slowly claw its way back. The Roadrunners increased the tempo, attacking in transition and capitalizing at the free-throw line to trim the deficit. Despite the shift in momentum, the ThunderWolves continued to respond. Roffle finished through contact inside, Sweetwine made strong decisions late in the shot clock, and Pueblo briefly rebuilt a multi-possession lead midway through the quarter.
Down the stretch, the game tightened into a possession-by-possession battle. MSU Denver delivered timely baskets in the final minutes, while CSU Pueblo continued to fight on both ends. The ThunderWolves had a chance in the closing seconds, but the Roadrunners were able to hold on as time expired, sealing the 86–85 decision.
Martinez led CSU Pueblo with 25 points, knocking down five three-pointers while adding three assists and three steals. Sweetwine was highly efficient, finishing with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting to go along with three assists. Roffle provided a major spark off the bench with 14 points and five rebounds, while Meza added 10 points and four boards in limited minutes. The ThunderWolves shot 45.6 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three, and outscored MSU Denver 31–6 in bench points.
Espinosa finished with a game-high 37 points, controlling the tempo and shouldering the offensive load throughout the night. Millard added 22 points, consistently making her presence felt in the paint and at the free-throw line, while also contributing on the glass and defensively.
The loss drops CSU Pueblo to 13–12 overall and 9–8 in RMAC play, while MSU Denver improves to 13–12 and 11–6 in conference action.
The ThunderWolves will have little time to dwell on the result, as CSU Pueblo faces a quick turnaround with another critical RMAC matchup looming. Despite the narrow loss, the Pack remain in seventh place in the conference standings and firmly in the hunt for postseason positioning. CSU Pueblo will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Golden, Colorado, to take on Colorado School of Mines, looking to bounce back and secure a key road win as the race tightens heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
