SILVER CITY, N.M. – Coming off of a close game this past Saturday, the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team will return home to face CSU-Pueblo and UC-Colorado Springs.

On Friday, by bringing a new, unwrapped toy admission will be free to the game as all gifts will be donated to Toys For Tots. On Saturday, admission will be free to the games.

First up on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. WNMU will face the ThunderWolves. CSU-Pueblo nearly claimed a pair of wins this past weekend. After defeating Regis, 89-53, they went down to the wire with nationally-ranked MSU Denver before the Roadrunners came away with a 75-74 win. They also split the weekend before, defeating Adams State, but falling to Fort Lewis. CSU-Pueblo is 5-4 overall and 2-2 in the RMAC.

Tyrone Marshall, Rico Spikes and Bronson Moton are all within a point of each other in leading the team in scoring. Marshall tallies 13.7, Spikes with 13.6 and Moton with 12.7 points per game. Moton leads the team in rebounds at 7.6 per contest. The team averages 82 points per game while giving up 74.8.

The ThunderWolves have won the last three meetings with WNMU taking their last victory back on Dec. 14, 2012 in Silver City, 99-87.

Nationally-ranked UCCS will then come in the next night on Saturday also at 7:30 p.m. The Mountain Lions are ranked fourth in the nation and are undefeated on the season with a 10-0 overall record and 4-0 mark in the RMAC.

UCCS has won two of their conference games by double-digits against Adams State and Regis. They bested Fort Lewis by seven and then recorded their first win in program history against MSU Denver with a 69-66 win.
Derrick White continues to lead the way and has already collected three RMAC Offensive Player of the Week awards. He leads the team in points per game (23.4), rebounds (6.4), field goal percentage (57.7), assists (50), blocks (18) and steals (24). Alex Welsh (14.2) and Tim Billingsley (11.9) also average in double-figures. Welsh is tied with White averaging 6.4 rebounds per contest.

The Mountain Lions took both matchups last season. WNMU came away with an 81-80 victory at Colorado Springs the season before on Feb. 1, 2013 for their last win in the series.

WNMU (0-8 overall, 0-4 RMAC) nearly came away with the win on Saturday against Western State falling by four, 63-59. Marcos Castrillo (San Francisco, CA/Pinole Valley) leads the Mustangs at 11.3 points per game. He also leads in rebounds (6.1), blocks (6) and field goals (30). Terrez Scott (Santa Clarita, CA/Valencia) adds nine points per game and leads the team in assists (28) and steals (11). Brandon Tanter (Long Beach, CA/Los Angeles Prep) (8.8) and Gavin Wood (Florence, AZ/Florence ) (7.8) follow in point production.

Live stats, video and audio will be available for both games.