CHADRON, Neb. -- February 21 -- Senior forward Brian Rodriguez fired in 35 points Friday night while leading the Chadron State College men's basketball team to an 82-73 victory over Colorado State-Pueblo in the Chicoine Center in Chadron.

The win broke the Eagles' 12-game losing streak and was their first since the holidays.

"It's a lot more fun when you win," Chadron State Coach Houston Reed acknowledged. "Brian took the right shots tonight. He found a rhythm. He wasn't hunting shots nearly as much. They just kind of came to him. When he's cooking, he is hard to guard."

Rodriguez's output, was double his season average and is the most by a Chadron State player since Marcus Ligons scored 35 points against CSU-Pueblo on the ThunderWolves home court on January 4, 2007.   The 6-foot-4 native of Phoenix was 13 of 17 from the field, including four of eight from 3-point range, and made all five of his free throws.

While Pueblo scored the game's first four points, the Eagles tallied the next eight and led the rest of the way. Their largest lead was 12 points (30-18) with five minutes left in the first half and three times in the second half.  The halftime score was 36-29.

A pair of 3-pointers by Pueblo's senior guard Donovan Oldham, cut the difference to just 48-46 with 14:22 to play in the second half.  The ThunderWolves also trimmed the margin to three points once and four twice, but they could never completely catch up.  

The last time it was four points was at 72-68 with 2:45 remaining.  Neither team scored again until Rodriguez sank three free throws nearly a minute later. The Eagles also got a driving layup from Brady Delimont and a pair of free throws by both Colby Jackson and Michael Sparks in the next 74 seconds to clinch the verdict.

Chadron State was 29 of 60 from the field, including 10 of 29 from long range, and was 14-16 at the line.  Pueblo was 26 of 53 from the field, including eight of 24 from behind the arc, and 13 of 21 at the charity stripe.

The Eagles out-rebounded the visitors 32-30 and had just eight turnovers - half the ThunderWolves' total.

Besides Rodriguez's 35 points, the Eagles got 13 from Jacob Jefferson to go with a game-high seven rebounds, 11 points from Sparks that included three of six on treys and 10 from Jackson besides six assists.

Oldham paced Pueblo with 26 points on 9-of-16 field goal shooting that included 5-of-10 on threes and three of four at the line. Another senior, Brandon McGhee, finished with 21 points on eight of 11 from the field, but only five of 11 at the charity stripe.

Bendeguz Bonifert added 12 points and Tyson Gilbert 10 for Pueblo, now 11-15 for the season and 8-11 in the RMAC.

Eagles' Coach Reed said a defensive adjustment helped his team hold down the ThunderWolves, who won 85-71 when they met on Jan. 18 in Pueblo.  In that game, 6-8 center James Anderson made 10 of 11 field goal shots while scoring 24 points.  Anderson took just two shots and did not score Friday night.

Chadron State, now 4-22 overall and 3-17 in the RMAC, will host New Mexico Highlands on Saturday night. The Cowboys improved to 11-9 in the conference by beating Metro State 77-71 Friday night in Denver.       

                Colorado State-Pueblo--Donovan Oldham 26, Brandon McGhee 21, Bendeguz Bonifert 12, Tyson Gilbert 10, Jaedon Bowles 4. Totals: 26-52 (8-24) 13-21, 73 points, 30 rebounds, 16 turnovers.
                Chadron State--Brian Rodriguez 35, Jacob Jefferson 13, Michael Sparks 11, Colby Jackson 10, Brady Delimont 6, Andre Sepeda 5, Kenan Gray 2. Totals: 29-60 (10-29) 14-16, 82 points, 32 rebounds, 8 turnovers.

                CSU-Pueblo           29          44            ---83
                Chadron State       36          46            ---82

                3-pointers: CSU-P--Oldham 5, Gilbert 2, Bonifert 1.  CSC--Rodriguez 4, Sparks 3, Jackson 1, Sepeda 1, Delimont 1.