GOLDEN – Led by a 25-to-8 advantage on made free throws and another healthy advantage in the paint, the No. 13 Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team tied the program record with its 10th-straight win to start the season with a 76-62 victory over Western State on Friday evening at Lockridge Arena. 

Mines (10-0, 6-0 RMAC) overcame a 1-for-11 effort from the perimeter by limiting itself to a season-low three turnovers in the contest to give head coach Pryor Orser his 200th victory at the helm of the program. Friday's win marked the Orediggers' 10th-straight win to start the season which ties the program record that was set during the 2010-11 season. 

The squad's three turnovers were the least the squad has committed in Orser's tenure, eclipsing the mark of four turnovers set in a 75-69 win at Chadron State on Jan. 28, 2011 in Chadron, Neb. 

After setting a new RMAC record for made free throws with a 51-of-55 performance at the foul line against the Mountaineers (0-11, 0-7 RMAC) in Golden last season, Mines again used the line to post a 25-of-33 mark while WSCU made 8-of-11 opportunities. 

As they have all season, the Orediggers again owned the block with a 46-to-24 advantage in the paint, led by a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double by senior Trevor Wages, who recorded his fifth such performance of the season. A member of Mines' 1,000-point club, Wages added to his total with a 5-of-7 effort from the field and a 5-of-8 mark from the foul line. He added three assists, two blocks and a steal in 29 minutes of action. 

Senior Brett Green, another member of Mines' 1,000-point club, finished second on the team with 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including a 6-of-8 mark from the foul line. He added two assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes as well. 

Senior Luke Meisch kept up his strong play of late with 13 points, mostly coming from a 9-for-9 effort from the line. He finished 2-of-5 from the floor while adding two assists and five rebounds. 

Freshman Gokul Natesan closed out four Diggers in double figures with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting. He led the team with two steals and posted three boards and an assist in 29 minutes. 

Will Carr added eight points, three rebounds and two assists on 3-of-5 shooting while Trevor Ritchie notched six points on a 3-of-7 shooting performance with two assists and a steal. 

After trailing by as much as six points late in the first half, the Orediggers closed the stanza with a 17-2 run over the final six-plus minutes to head into the break up 35-26. 

Mines carried that momentum from the first half into the second, and pushed its lead to as much as 19 points with 13:14 remaining before closing out the game with a 76-62 victory. 

The squad will close the weekend tomorrow with a 7 p.m. matchup against Colorado Mesa at Lockridge Arena in Golden. The Mavericks (7-4, 5-2 RMAC) lost to Colorado Christian on Friday in Lakewood by a score of 97-60.