COLORADO SPRINGS – Led by swarming defense that limited the hosts to just 30.9 percent shooting from the floor, the No. 13 Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team got back in the win column on Friday with a 77-54 victory over UC-Colorado Springs at the Gallogly Events Center in Colorado Springs.
Mines (13-1, 9-1 RMAC) used 90.0 percent shooting on 20 attempts from the line to right the ship following its first loss of the season last Saturday at the hands of No. 4 Metro State.
The Orediggers opened up a seven-point, 36-29 halftime lead with a 41-point second half, while also limiting UCCS (9-5, 6-4 RMAC) to 25 points in the second stanza. It was Mines' seventh victory this season with a winning margin of 20 or more points.
Senior Trevor Wages led the team with 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in 24 minutes of action. The Littleton product finished 7-of-8 from the floor and made his lone free throw attempt while also leading the second half charge with 11 of his 15 points coming after the break.
Senior Luke Meisch notched 13 points – all in the second half – and added three assists and three steals in a game-high 37 minutes of action. He pulled down four rebounds and posted another perfect mark at the line with a 6-for-6 performance.
Senior Brett Green contributed 14 points, four rebounds and two assists, while also finishing without a miss at the line in four attempts. He knocked in 2-of-4 attempts from long range as well.
Junior Trevor Ritchie finished 5-of-8 from the field on the way to 12 points, three rebounds and an assist and classmate Brian Muller closed out five players in double figures with 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal on a 4-of-11 shooting effort, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range.
Senior Will Carr chipped in seven points, four rebounds and a block, with most of his offensive production coming on a 5-of-6 effort at the free throw line.
The Orediggers will close out their four-game road swing tomorrow when the squad continues down I-25 for a 7:30 p.m. matchup against CSU-Pueblo at Massari Arena on Saturday.
The Thunderwolves (8-6, 6-4 RMAC) fell to Colorado Christian on Friday by a score of 71-62.
