CHADRON, Neb. – Dale Minschwaner, Brett Green and Trevor Wages combined for 58 points and a 23-of-23 effort from the foul line to lead the No. 6 Colorado Mines men's basketball squad to a 73-65 victory over Chadron State on Sunday afternoon at Armstrong Gymnasium in Chadron, Neb.
The Orediggers (8-1, 4-1 RMAC) posted a season-high 84.8 percent shooting effort from the foul line (28-of-33), and their efficiency on free throws was especially important because Mines shot a season-low 14.3 percent (1-of-7) from long range. Chadron State (2-7, 2-3 RMAC) shot better from the field (44.2 percent) and from 3-point land (45.0 percent) in the loss, but were doomed by a collective 10-of-19 effort from the foul line while committing 17 turnovers compared to 11 by Mines.
With the victory, CSM head coach Pryor Orser recorded his 99th career Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win.
For the third-straight contest CSM had trouble getting off to a good start, and fell behind 10-2 through the first 2:16 of the contest. Chadron State continued to increase its lead throughout the first half – going 12 points up, 16-4, with 13:45 to go in the half on a dunk by Moala Tautuaa.
A jumper by Green with 6:28 remaining in the half got Mines within five points at 26-21. The Orediggers continued to battle and trimmed the Eagles' lead to four points, 37-33, with 35 seconds remaining. A jumper by Sammy Hines with five seconds remaining in the half pushed the Eagles' lead back out to six points, 39-33, at the break.
The Orediggers methodically trimmed the Chadron State lead through the first part of the second half, and took their first lead of the ballgame, 46-45, on a pair of free throws by Minschwaner with 13:15 to go in the contest.
The two squads battled back-and-forth over the next four minutes to a 51-51 tie with 9:51 to play. CSM then took its final lead - one it would not relinquish - on a jumper by Wages.
The Orediggers pushed their lead out to as much as nine points with 4:57 to go on a layup by Wages, but had it cut back to four points, 66-62, with 2:08 to play on a 3-point basket by the Eagles' Hines. The Orediggers put the game away with a 7-to-3 run to close out the game.
Minschwaner posted a season-high 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the floor, including an 8-of-8 effort from the free throw line. He added a season-high four blocks and tied a season high with three steals in 32 minutes of action.
Trevor Wages recorded his fifth-career double-double (second of the season) with a season-high 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. He finished 5-of-9 from the floor, 8-of-8 from the foul line and added two blocks and two steals.
Brett Green posted 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor while going 7-of-7 from the free throw line. He added two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 38 minutes of action.
The Orediggers will return to action after the holiday break for a matchup against New Mexico Highlands on Friday, December 30, at 8 p.m. in Las Vegas, N.M.
