Pack defense leads the way to victory

Final	1	2	T
CSU-Pueblo	29	26	55
Simon Fraser (B.C., Canada)	31	19	50
The Kelp Bed - Seaside, CA

CSU-Pueblo	Simon Fraser (B.C., Canada)
Pts: Jennelle Branting - 16	Pts: RAINCOCK-EKUNWE,Nayo - 14
Reb: 2 Players (#22, #TM - 12)	Reb: RAINCOCK-EKUNWE,Nayo - 22
Ast: Kendall Babler - 3	Ast: 2 Players (#03, #10 - 2)

Team Statistics	CSU-Pueblo	Simon Fraser (B.C., Canada)
Field Goal %	32.8% (21-64 )	35.2% (19-54 )
Rebounds	49	34
Assists	10	7
Turnovers	13	18
Pts off Turnovers	8	9
2nd Chance Pts	16	6
Bench Pts	2	12

full stats

ThunderWolves hold Simon Fraser to four points in final 10 minutes to claim win.

SEASIDE, Calif. (GoThunderWolves.com - Nov. 25, 2011) - CSU-Pueblo's defense came to play Friday in the finale of the CSU-Monterey Bay Classic Friday, holding a physical Simon Fraser squad to a grand total of four points in the game's final 10 minutes en route to a 55-50 win.

In the team's first ever game against a Canadian school (Simon Fraser hails from British Columbia), CSU-Pueblo played back and fourth with the Clan for the first 30 minutes of the game.  The thorn in the Pack's side was Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, who turned in arguably the best defensive performance against the ThunderWolves in the modern era, recording an unreal 22 rebounds and 14 points.

The Pack, though, proved it wouldn't let Raincock-Ekunwe beat them, keeping the rest of the Clan to a combined eight rebounds and 36 points. 

The ThunderWolves finally shut down the Clan's leader in the all-important final ten minutes, holding her to just five rebounds and no points.  With her in check, the Pack made its move.

CSU-Pueblo would outscore Simon Fraser 14-4 in the final ten minutes, overturning a 46-41 Clan advantage.  As it has all season long, senior leadership led the way as six of the final points were scored by Jennelle Branting (Sr., Littleton, Colo.), who led all scorers with 16 points, and Kendall Babler (Sr., Rifle, Colo.) added five points, part of her 11 in the game.

Defensively, CSU-Pueblo would overcome Raincock-Ekunwe's dominance to out-board Simon Fraser 49-34, led by a career-high 12 rebounds by Erica Hicks (Jr., Lakewood, Colo.) and the first 10-rebound game by true freshman Katie Nehf (Fr., Broomfield, Colo.).  Both Hicks and Nehf were a bucket away from double-doubles, scoring eight points each.

CSU-Pueblo, now at 3-1 on the young season, will begin RMAC play next Friday when it travels to Adams State to take on the Grizzlies.