Home > Metrospective

CSU-Pueblo players await the presentation of the RMAC
Shootout trophy moments after their win over Nebraska-
Kearney in the final tournament game. From left,
Mary Rehfeld, Caresa Marino, Rachel Espinoza, Amanda
Bartlett and Ashleigh Ackerman.

Underdogs, crowd win the game

By Zac Taylor
ztaylor2@mscd.edu

The auditorium at the State Fairgrounds Arena in Pueblo was packed and chaotic in the waning seconds of the women’s semifinal game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Shootout that pitted No. 1 ranked Fort Lewis versus No. 5 ranked CSU-Pueblo. Locals watched in suspense and excitement as they cheered on the underdog home team to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament.

The game was locked at 61 with 47 seconds remaining and Fort Lewis had the ball. The Fort Lewis women moved up the floor for a possible go-ahead basket as the home crowd erupted, giving the Thunderwolves that extra boost of energy to make the crucial stop.

CSU-Pueblo locked down the court, denied any chance at a basket and forced a shot-clock violation.

The Thunderwolves’ cheerleaders stopped their routine to focus on the final possession of the second half. With only 23 seconds remaining the Wolves were in control of their destiny.

Pueblo’s star guard Lisa Black drove the lane for a layup to beat the buzzer, but a defender met Black with a hard block and the ball fell short of the basket as time expired. CSU-Pueblo head coach Kip Drown was animated as he called along with the crowd for a foul, but it was to no avail as none was given.

The chance of an upset was put on hold as the teams prepared for overtime.

For five minutes the two teams continued to trade baskets, both teams fighting to go to the final. But CSU-Pueblo wanted it more, and a second chance basket by guard Mary Rehfeld put the Thunderwolves ahead 70-68 with 13 seconds remaining, and the biggest upset of the tournament was in their grasp.

Fort Lewis raced up-court for the last shot, but it was swatted away by Rehfeld for her only block of the game to secure the win. The arena exploded with excitement as fans saw the improbable happen, and the No. 1 Skyhawks left the court in shock and disarray.

“I personally did not realize we were ahead by two,” an awe-struck Rehfeld said, after she had made the game-saving block.

The Thunderwolves didn’t miss a beat the following night as they continued on their momentous upset and cruised over No. 2 Nebraska- Kearney for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship much to the delight of an even larger crowd.

It was past 11 p.m. on March 8, but none of the fans yawned as their home team cut down the nets after the 70-54 wallop of the Lopers that punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament as RMAC champs.

This all took place March 7-8 in an arena tucked into the Pueblo fairgrounds. Eight men’s and eight women’s basketball teams battled for number one in the RMAC Shootout.

For the women it was No. 5 seeded CSU Pueblo who, with determination, grit and bruising defense, stunned the tournament and thrilled their fans with the victory.

The Metro women’s game was the only other game to go down to the wire, but unlike the CSU Pueblo game, the 59-58 Roadrunners’ loss to Kearney had little more attention than the journalists in the press box. The few Metro fans there were very vocal, but they were drowned out by the Kearney band. However, these diehards who made the trip were treated to an excellent basketball contest, even if it ended in a loss for the Roadrunners.

It was sad to see the smallest crowd come out to see the Roadrunner’s game, but it wasn’t anything that I shouldn’t have expected. Watching a Roadrunner men’s game vs. Colorado Christian, it was clear that the Cougars’ fans vastly outnumbered Metro supporters, and at the Roadrunners’ home court.

So after witnessing such low turnout for home games throughout the season, going to Pueblo opened my eyes to the multitude of fans who ravenously watch the great Division II basketball the RMAC Shootout showcased. One fan in particular caught my eye. He was an older man who carried a workout bag filled with different outfits he would wear for different games. And he intently watched all six games during the two days. When I talked to Dan McCann, he admitted that he was just a fan of the game, especially RMAC basketball. He said that he had over 180,000 miles on his car but had still made the trip from his home in Alamosa to Pueblo.

“My main interests are the students. I like being around them, and I try to keep them on track because they’re the future leaders of this country.”

McCann was not on a soapbox when he said this. Though his statement didn’t seem to fit with the game, his excitement for the sport made the games more exciting.

McCann danced. Kearney’s band played. CSU-Pueblo’s cheerleaders cheered. CCU fans crowded the sidelines and yelled. And the fans saw six teams have their hopes dashed, and two who clutched tight scissors and cut down the victory nets.

Now I don’t know if Metro’s lack of fans in the semifinal game resulted in their one-point loss, but I did witness an underdog rise to the top and the incredible support that they had along the way. I saw an amazing game with an amazing crowd, and an amazing game with almost no crowd, and I can say that the intensity of the crowd in the CSU-Pueblo game spread to the teams on the floor, and just might have spurred a senior guard to make the block that sealed the game.

TOP: Devin Stewart, right, gives
support to Trey Clarkson, in the
final seconds of the Western
New Mexico University vs.
Fort Lewis College semifinal
game on March 7 at the State
Fair Events Center in Pueblo.
The final score was 90-66,
giving Fort Lewis a seat in
the championship game the
following night.

BELOW: Fort Lewis men’s
basketball seniors take hold of
the winning net following their
victory over Colorado Christian
Univeristy in the final game of
the RMAC Shootout on March 8
in Pueblo.

TOP: Cougar fans traveled on March
7 and 8 to the State Fair Events
Center in Pueblo to watch the
Colorado Christian University
team make it to the championship
game. The fans’ screams filled the
arena as they cheered their team
on. They stood for the duration
of both games on the sidelines
behind the team’s basket.



ABOVE: Dan McCann is known as
RMAC’s No. 1 Fan. McCann has
more than 160,000 miles on his
car from driving to hundreds
of different events. McCann
currently supports Adams State.