CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State will take on one of the league's best offense and the league's best defense, though not at the same time, in a pair of home games this week at the Chicoine Center.

The Eagles (2-7, 0-2 RMAC) will take on CSU Pueblo (6-2, 1-1 RMAC) on Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. with free admission. The irregular start time is to accommodate the facility transition ahead of CSC's winter commencement ceremonies in the Chicoine Center on Friday. On the weekend, the Eagles host UCCS (5-3, 2-0 RMAC) with a 3 p.m. tip from the Chicoine Center.
 
CSU Pueblo is the league's top defense, allowing the fewest points per game (62.8) in the RMAC while the ThunderWolves rank 10^th in scoring offense. On the flip side, UCCS ranks second in the RMAC by scoring 86.3 points per game, although they give up nearly as many (85 ppg, 11^th in RMAC). 

Tickets remain available for both games, but fans outside Chadron can also stream live on the RMAC Network with a subscription, listen live on Double Q Country FM and doubleqcountry.com with Dave Collins or follow along with online live statistics.
 
Looking Back
Chadron State dropped its first two conference games of the 2025-26 season, falling on the road to No. 21 Black Hills State 90-67 and South Dakota Mines at home 82-78.

RECAPS: Black Hills State | South Dakota Mines

Tough second halves hurt the Eagles in both contests. The Eagles were within three points of the nationally-ranked Yellow Jackets at halftime, closing the opening period on an 11-2 run, before BHSU outscored the Eagles 49-29 in the second half to pull away with the 23-point win. 

In the South Dakota Mines game, Chadron State led by four at the break, but an early second-half 18-4 run by the visitors helped turn the tides for the Hardrockers.

Promotional Notes
Thursday's game is a free admission for both the women's and men's games of Thursday's doubleheader due to the time change.
 
RMAC Network Reminder
As a reminder, RMAC Network games this season now require a pay-per-view subscription to watch. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league's membership to enhance their broadcast systems and programs.
 
NEWS: RMAC Network Moves To Pay-Per-View Model
 
RMAC fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network, including both home and away RMAC contests for Chadron State. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription (for all sports) costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $10, which grants the viewer access to a single game for 24 hours. Subscriptions can be purchased through Hudl at rmacnetwork.com. 
 
RMAC Network subscriptions apply to any game that is hosted by an RMAC institution, regardless of whether or not Chadron State is playing in the game. CSC's home nonconference games are included in monthly and annual subscriptions. 
 
Fans will technical support issues can contact Hudl, visit the RMAC email the RMAC Network FAQ page, or directly email the RMAC at rmac@rmacsports.org.

Season Tickets/Parking
Season tickets to support Eagle men's and women's basketball remain on sale. 
 
Fans can purchase a reserved seat season for $175 or a general admission season ticket for $100 per seat. Season tickets grant access to all 10 remaining home RMAC doubleheaders for men's and women's basketball (Dec. 6, 11, 13; Jan. 15, 17, 27; Feb. 12, 14, 26, 28).
 
For fans attending all games, season tickets provide a $35 savings on reserved seats and a $25 savings on general admission compared to purchase single-game pricing for every home game.
 
Additionally, Chadron State is offering paid parking stalls for fans who would like to reserve a private parking space close to the arena for all games. Each stall costs $150 for the season and will be marked off with a personalized sign. 
 
Hot and Cold
Chadron State turned in its worst three-point shooting performance of the year on Thursday, followed by its best on Sunday. 
 
The Eagles went just 1-for-17 from beyond the arc against Black Hills State, but then completely turned the tide from deep against South Dakota Mines, setting new team season highs in both makes (11) and percentage (.407, 11-27). 

Jadon Cool and Jovan Jovanovic had three triples apiece in the South Dakota Mines game while Blessing Adesipe and Isaiah Randolph had two each. 

Randolph made it a point to step out behind the line against the Hardrockers. After not attempting more than one three-pointer in any of CSC's first eight contests, Randolph went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc last Saturday with all three attempts coming in the first three-and-a-half minutes.

Simply Cool
Jadon Cool seems to like playing in the Chicoine Center. The Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native is averaging 19.75 points per game across four home games in Chadron, but only 6.6 points per game in CSC's five contests away from home. 

Chadron State's home games include a pair of 22-point outings from Cool against UMary and Colorado Christian. Cool had nearly identical shooting nights, going 8-for-15 from the floor in both games and making two three-pointers and four foul shots. The two games are tied for CSC's highest single-game scoring performance so far this season.

Stat Standouts

• The Eagles are scoring 69.7 points per game and allowing 85.4 points per contest.
• Chadron State is making 74.3 percent of its free throws as a team, which ranks sixth in the RMAC.
• CSC ranks eighth in steals per game (6.56) and ninth in blocks per game (2.67).
• Individually, Isaiah Randolph ranks fifth in the RMAC with an .867 free-throw percentage. Randolph also has a .618 field-goal percentage, which would rank second in the RMAC if Randolph had enough field goal attempts to qualify. 
• Randolph also ranks fifth in the RMAC with 1.9 steals per game. 
• Freshman Luka Djurovic ranks eighth in the RMAC with 7.1 rebounds per game and is one of only 10 RMAC players with over seven rebounds per contest.
• Chadron State has four players averaging nine or more points per game – Isaiah Randolph (12.1), Jadon Cool (11.8), Mack Keighran (9.8) and Luka Djuvoric (9.0). 

In the Polls
Chadron State was picked seventh out of 15 teams in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving one first-place vote. 

Black Hills State was picked to win the league, receiving 10 of 15 first place votes, while reigning champs Colorado School of Mines were second, receiving three first-place votes. Colorado Mesa received the final first-place vote and finished third while UCCS and Fort Lewis rounded out the top five. 

The remainder of the RMAC tournament positions were filled by MSU Denver, the Eagles and Colorado Christian. The poll was rounded out by Adams State, Westminster, New Mexico Highlands, CSU Pueblo, Western Colorado, Regis and South Dakota Mines. 

Black Hills State is the only ranked program in the RMAC at No. 19.

Scouting the Opposition
CSU Pueblo
The ThunderWolves are 6-2 overall with a 1-1 start in conference play. 

In nonconference action, CSU Pueblo went 3-1 against Lone Star Conference foes (defeating Cameron, Midwestern State and UTPB and losing to Eastern New Mexico) and recorded two wins over NAIA programs. In the first week of RMAC play at home, the ThunderWolves beat Westminster 65-56 before losing by two points to Western Colorado, 62-60. 

Points are at a premium when the ThunderWolves take the court. The Pack allow the fewest points per game in the league (62.8), hold opponents to 35.9 percent shooting (first in RMAC, second in Division II) and also grab the most rebounds per game in the conference (42.0). CSU Pueblo averages 74.4 points per game, 10^thin the RMAC.

Sophomore Jordan Blair leads the Pack in scoring at 13.8 points per game, but is coming off his first two single-digit scoring performances of the year (seven points against Westminster, eight against Western Colorado). Pueblo is receiving contributions from intra-conference transfers as MSU Denver transfer Jaden Kennis averages 13.0 points per game while South Dakota Mines transfer Mac Terry leads the team in assists.

CSU Pueblo has a first-year head coach in Zach Ruebesam. A first-time head coach, Ruebesam joins the Pack from the Division I ranks where he was on staff at the University of Colorado for four seasons and also spent time as an assistant with Belmont Abbey and the University of Denver (DI).

UCCS
UCCS is 5-3 overall and off to a 2-0 start in RMAC play. 

The Mountain Lions beat Cameron, Cal Poly Pomona and Western Washington in nonconference action while falling to Midwestern State, reigning national runners-up Cal State Dominguez Hills and Simon Fraser. During the RMAC season-opening weekend, the Mountain Lions defeated Colorado Mesa 92-80 and Westminster 80-79, both at home. 

UCCS is the opposite of CSU Pueblo in that both the Mountain Lions and their opponents have been able to score. UCCS averages 86.3 points per game, second-most in the RMAC, but allow nearly as many (85.0 per game, 11^th in the RMAC). UCCS has never scored below 80 points in a game and cleared 90 three times, but have also never allowed fewer than 79 points.

UCCS has four players averaging in double figures – freshman Brody Hull (14.3 points per game), junior Xavier Martinez (11.3), sophomore Mario Williams, Jr. (10.6) and redshirt sophomore Marzouq Abdur-Razaaq (10.3). Abdur-Razaaq leads with 5.8 rebounds per game. UCCS blocks the fewest shots in the league (1.25 per game) but ranks fifth in steals (8.25 per contest). 

Head Coach Jeff Culver is in his 14^th season with UCCS. Culver coached one of the better RMAC players in history in future NBA first-round pick Derrick White, a two-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection and 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics.

Coach's Corner
Chadron State Head Coach Chris Francis is in his second season leading the Eagle men's basketball program. In his first season, Francis put together a 15-14 overall record with an 11-9 record in RMAC play. The Eagles qualified for the RMAC tournament as the No. 8 seed.

Francis comes to Chadron after serving as the head coach at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (NAIA) where Francis compiled a record of 176-94 in nine seasons.

Francis led the Drovers to five NAIA National Tourney appearances, a Sooner Athletic Conference Championship, and a Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, also taking USAO to an NAIA Elite Eight. Francis is a two-time Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2017 and 2022. 

A former student-athlete, Francis was a starting guard and captain of the men's basketball team at Rogers State University. In 2011, he helped lead Rogers State to the NAIA Elite Eight and a 30-2 record. Following that season, Francis was named the Sooner Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He was recently inducted into the Rogers State Athletic Hall of Fame.