Box Score Gokul Natesan scored his 1,000th career point among his 27 to lead Colorado School of Mines to an 85-71 win over Adams State.
It was a night full of career performances for the Orediggers (10-4, 5-3 RMAC) including Caleb Waitsman's 22-rebound, five-steal night, Adam Laine's 19-point effort, and Kaan Korkmaz's seven assists.
Mines needed a late 10-0 run to secure the lead after Adams State (5-8, 4-4 RMAC) rallied back from a 40-28 halftime deficit to cut the game to a basket in the second half. Up 63-61 with 6:57 to go, Mines embarked on the run with Waitsman's layup and a 35-footer by Natesan to beat the shot clock. Laine jammed home a putback and added a tip-in moments later, and a pair of Natesan free throws suddenly made it a 75-61 game with 3:59 to go.
Adams State ended its field goal drought at 3:21 with a Shakir Smith three-point play, but it was too late as Laine answered with his own and-one chance and the Orediggers made several key free throws in the closing two minutes.
NOTABLES
- Natesan joined the 1,000-point club with 27 points, his career-best in a regulation game. Needing 14 entering the game, he notched his 1,000th on a fadeaway jumper early in the second half. Natesan ended up going 11-of-16 at the line and 6-of-14 overall with four three-pointers.
- Waitsman had an incredible game off the glass, skying for 15 defensive and seven offensive boards. That ties for the second-most rebounds ever in a game for Mines and the most since 1986-87, when Pete Dawson did it against Texas College; the program record is 26 by Dave Roller, set in 1969-70. It was only the seventh 20-rebound game in Mines history. Waitsman's five steals were also a career-high, and he drained 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting, as well.
- Laine's 19 points surpassed his career-high of 16 set last season against Colorado Christian, shooting 8-of-9 overall. The big man did it despite being saddled with foul trouble that limited him to 24 minutes.
- Kaan Korkmaz handed out a career-high seven assists, surpassing his previous best of five set last weekend at Western New Mexico.
- Mines outrebounded the Grizzlies 41-32, and had 22 second-chance points thanks to 16 offensive boards.
- Adams States' Shakir Smith, one of the RMAC's leading scorers, led the Grizzlies with 20 points. Bryan Umoru was the only other Grizzly in double digital (10 points) coming off the bench. ASU was held to 36.1% shooting overall.
NEXT UP
Mines hosts #16 Fort Lewis with first place in the RMAC Mountain Division on the line. Fort Lewis (6-2 in RMAC play) fell at Colorado Christian Friday night.
