Box Score
 
DENVER — The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team suffered a 75-53 loss to Colorado State University – Pueblo Friday afternoon in the Auraria Event Center in the Holiday Inn Denver Cherry Creek Classic.
 
SMSU falls to 0-5 overall, while CSU-Pueblo improves to 4-1. The Mustangs finished shooting 37.7 percent from the floor on 20 of 53. The Thunderwolves shot 43.9 percent from field goal range on 29 of 66 shooting. Both teams were efficient from the free-throw line as they shot over 80 percent from the line.
 
Annessa Rosch led the Mustangs with 11 points on 4 of 12 shooting including going 2 for 2 from the charity stripe. Hope Bonlander added 10 points, while Lauren Hedlund had nine. Both Bondlander and Hedlund led the defense as they pulled down seven and eight rebounds, respectfully.
 
The Mustangs scored the first two points of the game, but the Thunderwolves came back with nine-straight points to lead five minutes into the first quarter. CSU-Pueblo controlled the rest of the quarter as they held SMSU to seven points to lead 17-7 after the first 10 minutes.
 
The Thunderwolves kept the defensive energy up as they went on an 11-2 run over the first five minutes of the second quarter to lead 30-9. CSU-Pueblo went on to push its lead to its largest of the half after leading 45-21 at the break.
 
The second half the Mustangs found some momentum as they started the half on a 9-0 run to cut the lead down to 15 with 6:40 left in the quarter. The Thunderwolves would retaliate with a 17-5 run down the stretch to push its lead to the largest of the game with 1:01 left in the quarter to lead 62-35.
 
SMSU cut the deficit down to 17 in the final quarter, but could not keep CSU-Pueblo from scoring as it fell, 75-53.
 
 Southwest Minnesota State will face MSU Denver tomorrow at 6 p.m., CT