PUEBLO, Colo.  A double-digit halftime evaporated over second-half action, but visiting Western Colorado hit clutch free throws in the closing seconds to hold on for a 62-60 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win over host Colorado State Pueblo Saturday afternoon.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. CSU Pueblo, 62-60
Records: Western 4-4 overall (2-0 RMAC), CSUP 6-2 (1-1)
Location: Massari Arena, Pueblo, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• First-half action was much to Western's liking, as it trailed only after the opening basket of the game then steadily built a 12-point, 35-23 lead heading into the halftime break behind 45 percent shooting from the floor while limiting the ThunderWolves to just 37%.
• The Mountaineers pushed the lead to 15 (44-29) on Tyler Halligan's layup at the 16:42 mark in the second half after he had pulled down a defensive rebound at the other end of the floor.
• The Pack responded with a 7-0 run to cut into their deficit, then slowly chipped away until pulling ahead at 60-59 with 2:29 to play on a layup and one by CSUP's Dylan Sanders.
• Both teams suffered through turnovers, missed shots and fouls over the final two minutes until a Halligan defensive rebound at one end became free throw opportunities for Aidan McDowell at the other end, when he was fouled driving in for a layup from the right side.
• McDowell dropped in both free throws to lift Western back in front with 8 seconds on the clock.
• Pueblo in-bounded and raced up the right sideline, but when trying to set a screen, the ball was knocked away by Mason Mottashed and scooped up by Jordan Kuac who was immediately fouled with now only 5 seconds on the clock.
• Kuac sank the first of his chances before throwing his second off the rim to keep the ball in play, though the Pack did got off a desperation 3-pointer that was wildly off target to allow Western to escape with a win that gave it a 2-0 RMAC record after opening the conference season on the road.

COURT NOTES

• McDowell led all scorers with 22 points, one of three Mountaineers to reach double figures as Halligan added 16 and Kuac chimed in with 10.
• Western's starters did the bulk of the scoring in the game, combining for 56 of the final 62 points.
• Though the Mountaineers shot 57 percent from the floor in the second half, Pueblo had six more shots from their 48% shooting half to climb back into the game with a 10-point edge over the final 20 minutes.
• Free throws played a significant role in the final score. The Mountaineers went to the line 24 times and hit 15 of those chances to shoot 62.5% from the stripe, while Pueblo hit just 9 of 20 from the line for a 45% afternoon from the foul line.
• McDowell, on top of his two key tosses at the end, finished the day 7-of-8 from the line.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers continue RMAC action with their next two games, welcoming MSU Denver to Paul Wright Gym on Thu., Dec. 11 followed by a visit from Regis University two days later.