GOLDEN – Led by a pair of 21-point performances by juniors Luke Meisch and Trevor Wages, the Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team overcame 18 turnovers and battled through a combined 17 tie scores and lead changes to outlast visiting Regis, 72-71, on Friday evening at Lockridge Arena.
Mines (8-4, 5-3 RMAC) got back in the win column behind a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double from Wages, who also added team highs in assists and steals with three and five, respectively. The Littleton native finished 9-of-14 from the floor, including four backboard-shaking dunks to help the Orediggers rebound from their first pair of consecutive losses in over two years.
Wages' double-double was his team-leading seventh of the season and the sixth in the last seven games for the reigning RMAC Male Athlete of the Month.
Meisch, the conference's 10th-leading scorer entering the weekend, posted his third 20-plus point performance of the season with a game-high 14 second-half points, including a 4-of-6 effort from the field and a 6-for-6 effort from the foul line. Meisch also tied for second on the squad with seven rebounds during the game and added three steals defensively as well.
Sophomore guard Brian Muller added 13 points on a 5-of-12 shooting effort, including a 2-of-6 effort from the foul line. Nico Mucci finished 4-of-6 from the field in addition to tying with Meisch with seven rebounds.
The Orediggers posted leads as much as 10 points in the first half, but 11 turnovers by the home squad during the first stanza allowed the Rangers (2-8, 2-6 RMAC) to erase each deficit before Mines carried a 36-35 lead into the break.
Regis took its first lead since the first minute of the first half with a 3-point basket by Dylan King to go up 44-42 with 17:45 to play, and that lead would be increased to a 51-46 advantage with 15:57 showing on the clock. Mines would cut the lead down to four at 51-47 on a Muller free throw with 14:33 remaining, and neither team would be able to push a lead more than four points throughout the rest of the game.
The two squads battled to a 10th tie score when King knocked in a pair of free throws with 3:46 remaining, but a layup by Wages with 1:55 reaming put the home squad up 71-69. Wages recorded both his blocks on the ensuing possession to help Mines hold on to the lead until Joe Bodman tied up the game for an 11th and final time on a layup with 11 seconds remaining.
The Rangers then fouled Wages, who made 1-of-2 at the line to put Mines in front, 72-71, with five seconds remaining. The Rangers would get the ball in bounds for a shot to take the lead, but Meisch was able to steal the ball away and preserve the win.
Mines will be back at it tomorrow when the squad faces second-ranked Metro State at 7 p.m. at Lockridge Arena in Golden.
