GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado men's basketball team looks to build off a convincing win over CSU Pueblo on Tuesday as it hosts the ThunderWolves 7:30 p.m. Friday followed by a home matchup with Adams State 7 p.m. Saturday at Paul Wright Gym.

The Mountaineers will honor three seniors - Jackson Ehrlin, Joran Ticeson and Jake Wilcox - prior to Saturday's contest and it will be shown at GoMountaineers.com/live (no spectators are allowed).

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | SEASON STATS
Western is coming off a historic night in a 107-82 victory at CSU Pueblo on Tuesday in Pueblo. Sophomore Matthew Ragsdale tied a Western Colorado record with 46 points - joining current Western assistant coach Ben Beauchamp (who did it in 2017) and George Rausch (who did it in 1965). It was the fourht-highest scoring game in the NCAA (regardless of division) this season (the highest scoring game is 52 by John Williams of Glenville State). Ragsdale is the sixth player in Mountaineer history to score 40 or more points in game. Ragsdale went 19-for-25 from the field (the second most field goals in program history) while going 6-for-9 from 3-point range. Fellow sophmore Avery Rembao had a career night as well, going for 31 points (going 11-for-13 from the field) to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. They are the first Western teammates to score 40-plus and 30-plus points in the same game.

The big night moved Ragsdale up to sixth in the RMAC in scoring at 19.7 points per game to go along with 3.9 rebounds while shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point range (35-for-90). Rembao is averaging 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game - shooting 41.4 percent from 3-point range - while Cole Sienknecht is averaging 13.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

As a team, the Mountaineers are averaging 77.5 points per game - fifth in the RMAC - while allowing 81.7 points per game (13th in the conference). Western is the top 3-point shooting team in the RMAC at 40.6 percent (good for 17th in the nation) while they are second in 3-pointers made per game at 10.6 (20th in the country.

CSU PUEBLO HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The ThunderWolves have dropped three in a row after losing to the Mountaineers on Tuesday - and in all three games they allowed 100-plus points. In the loss to Western, Bryce Sanchious led the team with 24 points (11-for-12 from the field) and 12 rebounds while Eric Williams (13 points) and Alex Reed (12 points) also scored double digits off the bench (CSU Pueblo's five starters scored 33 points total in the game).

The ThunderWolves are sixth in the RMAC in scoring at 77.5 points per game while they are allowing a conference-worst 85.3 points per contest. Teams are shooting 52.3 percent against CSU Pueblo (worst in the conference, though Western is allowing teams to shoot 51.2 percent - tied for 12th).

David Simental - last week's RMAC Player of the Week - leads the team in scoring at 17.8 points per game followed by Tre Brown (14.3) and Lian Ramiro (11.4). Ramiro leads the team in assists as well at 3.2 per game followed by Brown (2.8).

ADAMS STATE HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | SEASON STATS
The Grizzlies are coming off splitting on the road last week, winning at Westminster 69-65 before falling at No. 8 Colorado Mesa in overtime, 80-66. In the loss to the Mavs, ASU trailed by double figures in the second half before battling back to tie it 62-62 to send it to overtime (the Grizzlies actually led 62-59 in the final two minutes before a CMU 3-pointer). But the Grizzlies went 1-for-9 in overtime and were outscored 18-4.

ASU is the top scoring team in the RMAC at 78.9 points per game while it allows 80.3 points per contest, 11th in the conference. The Grizzlies are second in the conference in turnover margin at plus 2.07 as they commit just 12.9 per game while forcing 15 per contest. The latter stat is helped by averaging 7.5 steals per game - third in the RMAC.

Destan Williams leads the team and is seventh in the RMAC at 19.4 points per game to go along with 5.2 assists and 2.7 steals per game (both first in the RMAC). Frederick Jackson is averaging 14.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, Kaelin Crane is at 13.7 points, and 5.4 rebounds per game while Rylan O'Brien is at 10.3 points per game.

LAST SEASON VS ADAMS STATE
This will be the first meeting between Western and Adams State this season. Last season, the Mountaineers swept the Grizzlies, winning at home 88-85 on Jan. 18, 2020, and in Alamosa 83-58 on Feb. 21, 2020. 
 

WESTERN COLORADO NOTES

- RAGSDALE TIES SCHOOL RECORD FOR POINTS IN A GAME AGAINST CSU PUEBLO
Sophomore Matthew Ragsdale had a night only two other Mountaineers have had in the long history of Western Colorado men's basketball on Feb. 16, 2021. The 6-foot-4 wing tied the school record with 46 points - going 19-for-25 from the field, including 6-for-9 from 3-point range. Ragsale tied current assistant coach Ben Beauchamp (who did it 2017) and George Rausch (who did it 1965) for the most points in a game in Western history. It was the seventh time a Mountaineer has reached the 40-point mark in a game and Ragsdale was the sixth player to do it (Nate Allen did it twice). Ragsdale's 19 field goals is the second most in a game in Western history - only behind Rausch's 21.
 
- SIENKNECHT CHASING ALL-TIME 3-POINT TOP-7 AT WESTERN, 1,000-POINT MARK
While just a junior, Cole Sienknecht has a chance to reach the top seven in 3-pointers made in Western history - even in this COVID-shortened season. The Colorado Springs product has 147 career 3-pointers up to this point, 10 behind the No. 7 spot on the Western all-time list by Mike Legg (157 from 1994-99). The all-time mark is 307 set by Wil Pierce from 1992-96. The No. 2 spot you ask? Current Western assistant coach Ben Beauchamp with 209 (2015-18).

Sienknecht is also looking to hit the 1,000-point mark in his career as he sits with 906 points in 69 career games (13.1 points per contest). 

- RAGSDALE NAMED RMAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (FEB. 1, 2021) (FULL STORY)
Matthew Ragsdale on Monday was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.

The sophomore averaged 22.5 points, shot 51.6 percent from the field, was 8-for-19 (42.1 percent) from 3-point range and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line in helping the Mountaineers go 2-0 on the weekend - including a win over No. 6 and previously undefeated Colorado Mesa. In the win over the Mavericks on Saturday, Ragsdale had a game-high 24 points - going 9-for-17 from the field and 4-for-9 from 3-point range. In a victory over Westminster on Thursday, Ragsdale scored 21 points and was 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-10 from 3-point range.

- ELEVATED RECORD AT THE HIGHEST COLLEGIATE GYM IN THE WORLD IN 2019-20
The Mountaineers since the start of last season are 14-5 at Paul Wright Gym - the highest collegiate gym in the world at 7,723 feet. 

- RAGSDALE NAMED RMAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (JAN. 11, 2021) (FULL STORY)
Matthew Ragsdale was named RMAC Offensive Player of the Week on Jan. 11 after the sophomore averaged 25.5 points and shot 45 percent from 3-point range during the week in helping the Mountaineers win a pair of games. The Monument, Colorado, product scored a career-high 32 points against South Dakota Mines on Tuesday - hitting seven 3-pointers, tied for the second most 3-pointers in a game in Mountaineer history. Ragsdale followed it up by scoring 19 points in a 102-87 win over Colorado Christian - the first time Western hit the 100-point mark since 2018. Overall, Ragsdale went 9-for-20 from 3-point range during the wins over the Hardrockers and Cougars.

This is Ragsdale's first RMAC Player of the Week honor and it's the second time a Mountaineer has won a conference player of the week award this season as Jackson Ehrlin was named the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week on Dec. 9. Ragsdale is the first Mountaineer to win RMAC Offensive Player of the Week since current Mountaineer assistant coach Ben Beauchamp won the honor Nov. 20, 2017.

- RAGSDALE'S SEVEN 3-POINTERS VS SOUTH DAKOTA MINES ONE OFF SCHOOL RECORD
Sophomore Matthew Ragsdale just missed tying a school record as he drained seven 3-pointers against South Dakota Mines on Jan. 5 at Paul Wright Gym. It's the second time Ragsdale has drained seven 3-pointers in a game for the Mountaineers, doing it his freshman year against Regis on Feb. 14, 2020. A Mountaineer has hit seven 3-pointers in a game 17 times in program history with five players doing it twice. The record is eight 3-pointers hit by Nate Allen against Fort Lewis during the 1995-96 season.

- EHRLIN NAMED RMAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (DEC. 9, 2020) (FULL STORY)
Western Colorado forward Jackson Ehrlin was named RMAC Defensive Player after the 6-foot-9 senior averaged 11 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game for the Mountaineers in their two games - grabbing 11 rebounds in each contest while setting a career high with four blocks against Fort Lewis. Ehrlin also averaged 13 points and 2.5 assists per game. It is Ehrlin's first RMAC Player of the Week Honor and the third time in the last two seasons a Western player has earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Week with Monroe Porter earning the honor twice during the 2019-20 campaign.

- MOUNTAINEERS PICKED TO FINISH 10TH IN THE RMAC (FULL STORY)
The Western Colorado men's basketball team was selected tied for 10th in the RMAC's Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches poll. The Mountaineers are tied with Westminster for the 10th spot with 91 points, seven points behind No. 9 CSU Pueblo and 37 points ahead of No. 12 South Dakota Mines. Colorado School of Mines was picked to win the conference with 13 of the 15 first-place votes and 195 points while Black Hills State was picked second with two first-place votes and 172 points followed by UCCS, Colorado Mesa and Fort Lewis in the top five.

- WESTERN IN SEASON OPENERS SINCE 2009
The Mountaineers are now 2-10 in season openers since 2009.

• 2020-21 - L, 89-69 at Fort Lewis
• 2019-20 - L, 96-85 at UTPB
• 2018-19 - W, 77-72 vs. #4 West Texas A&M
• 2017-18 - L, 84-77 at #11 UTPB
• 2016-17 - L, 89-78 vs. Wayland Baptist
• 2015-16 - L, 92-68 at Arkansas-Fort Smith
• 2014-15 - L, 77-63 vs. Midwestern State (in Pueblo, Colo.)
• 2013-14 - L, 75-65 at Hawaii Pacific
• 2012-13 - L, 62-42 at Wyoming
• 2011-12 - L, 78-39 at Wyoming
• 2010-11 - L, 78-52 at Boise State
• 2009-10 - W, 94-79 vs. Northern New Mexico