Pack's dream ends with loss to Metro State

RMAC Semifinal: No. 1 (#11) Metro State 76, No. 5 CSU-Pueblo 65

There's no doubt about it - CSU-Pueblo's 2008-09 season has been one of the most exciting in recent memory. 

But no level of excitement and emotion could stop the top-seeded Metro State Roadrunners Friday, as the ThunderWolves fell short by a 76-65 score in the RMAC Semifinal at the Colorado State Fair Events Center in Pueblo.

CSU-Pueblo was hampered by turnovers to a crafty Metro State team, committing 24 turnovers, 15 coming by way of steals by the Roadrunners, as a stellar offensive effort by the ThunderWolves, which shot an even 50 percent from the field, was undone.

Rome Smith (Sr., Denver, Colo.) did his best to lift the Pack in his swan song, helping the ThunderWolves to a high lead of four points in the first half by putting up a double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds, in the first half alone.  Smith finished with one of his finest nights statistically in his career, scoring 24 points and registering 12 rebounds.  He also added three steals.

But Smith was largely left alone to fluorish while the Roadrunner defense focused primarily on the Pack's two momentum-shifting playmakers, point guard Jordan Surratt (Sr., Morgantown, W.V.) and post Jake Trahern (Sr., Kit Carson, Colo.).

Metro State preyed on the normally sure-handed Surratt, forcing him into seven turnovers, and cut down on Trahern's effectiveness, only allowing him to put down one dunk and get off just three shots overall.  Trahern scored five point on 2-for-3 shooting, taking down four boards.

Meanwhile, four Roadrunners scored in double-digits, led by recently-crowned RMAC Player of the Year, Jesse Wagstaff, who scored 22 points and took down seven boards.  Wagstaff also went 11-for-15 from the charity stripe.

CSU-Pueblo's loss in its first appearance in the RMAC semifinals since 2000 brings to an end a season that was one of the Pack's best in several years.  The ThunderWolves turned in a winning record for the first time in six seasons, and saw several players register high marks statistically.  Roman Van Allen (Jr., Los Angeles, Calif.) will finish in the top 15 in the nation in steals, the highest output by a CSU-Pueblo player since 1998, and Trahern hit over 65 percent of his shots on the season, the third highest shooting percentage by a CSU-Pueblo player in school history.  He also finished his career with 110 blocked shots, the third most in school history.