#21 Mines vs. Wayland Baptist, Friday, 3 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
#21 Mines vs. Diné, Saturday, 5 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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NO PLACE LIKE HOME
This weekend's games will be the first of the season at home for the Orediggers. Mines went 14-3 in the friendly confines of Lockridge Arena last season and they have won eight consecutive home openers dating back to 2008-09.

NOT JUST US…
The weekend will feature three games each day as the Fort Lewis men will visit Golden to also play Wayland Baptist and Diné, and the Mines women will host one game each day. The full schedule:

Friday
1 p.m. - Fort Lewis vs. Diné (men)
3 p.m. - Mines vs. Wayland Baptist (men)
5 p.m. - Mines vs. Florida Southern (women)

Saturday
1 p.m. - Mines vs. Embry-Riddle (women)
3 p.m. - Fort Lewis vs. Wayland Baptist (men)
5 p.m. - Mines vs. Diné (men)

SO FAR, SO GOOD
Mines is out to a 4-0 start to the season with road wins against St. Mary's, Lubbock Christian, Fort Hays State, and Nebraska-Kearney. Mines had a pair of dramatic victories last weekend at FHSU and UNK, with Gokul Natesan's buzzerbeater three winning it at Fort Hays and his late and-one at UNK overcoming a deficit with 13 seconds left.

HE'S GOOD AT BASKETBALL
For his heroics over the weekend, senior Gokul Natesan was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. In four games this season, Natesan is averaging a team-best 20.3 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Natesan has six combined RMAC offensive and defensive player of the week honors in his career.

IN THE RANKINGS
Mines appeared in several preseason polls, showing up at #21 in the NABC preseason poll on Nov. 1. Mines was also #7 in the Sporting News preseason poll in September.

BIG BENCH PRODUCTION
Over the first four games, a key part to Mines' start has been the bench production of Murphy Gershman, Ben Clare, and Kaan Korkmaz. Gershman has done a little bit of everything averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while Clare has 6.8 ppg (including consecutive career highs of 10 points) and 4.3 rpg and Korkmaz is averaging 6.3 points and 2.0 assists per game.

FROM THE OUTSIDE
Mines is making three-pointers at a ridiculous clip so far this season, shooting 27-of-55 (.491) from beyond the arc. Luke Schroepfer has been especially hot with a 12-for-21 (.571) rate.

THE SERIES
Mines will be meeting both Wayland Baptist and Diné for the first time.