by PUEBLO, Colo. — South Dakota Mines started the game slow and got down big early, trailing by 17, before fighting all the way back.
Early in the first half CSU Pueblo had control, taking a 12-4 lead and held a 25-14 lead with 7:57 to go in the first half. Later in the first half, back-to-back threes from Alejandro Rama (Oglala Lakota) would start to get things going for the Hardrockers and cut the deficit to single digits, 29-21 with 5 minutes to go in the half. South Dakota Mines would continue to cut into the Thunderwolves lead, first getting a pair of free throws then another Rama three, cutting the deficit to 31-26 and that would be the score heading into halftime after a 12-2 run in favor of South Dakota Mines to close it.
South Dakota Mines would continue to fight back, getting back-to-back early layups from Rama and Keagen Smith, increasing the run to 16-2 and decreasing the Thunderwolves lead to 31-30, before a three-pointer from Meekness Payne briefly stopped the run. A couple minutes later Rama hit another three, and the Hardrockers were off. South Dakota Mines would take the lead, then expand it to 48-42. The Thunderwolves would fight back though, scoring 6 of the next 8 to cut the Hardrocker lead to 2. Over the next few minutes, the offenses would slow, but South Dakota Mines would maintain a narrow lead, 52-48 with 7:15 to go. The Hardrockers would expand their lead to 55-49 before CSU Pueblo would get a pair of free throws from Malcolm Little going into the media timeout at 3:46. With 1:44 to go and the lead at just two, Kolten Mortensen would hit a big jumper for the Hardrockers extending lead to two possessions. CSU Pueblo would answer with a huge three, cutting the lead to one but as he has done all day, Rama hit a huge three, giving him 29 for the game. Following that the Hardrockers would just have to hit their free throws and they did, pulling away and winning 72-61.
