GOLDEN, Colo. – A dominating 23-7 advantage in second-chance points was the difference as #19 Colorado School of Mines ground out a 81-69 victory over rival Regis University in RMAC action.

Mines (7-1, 2-0 RMAC) swept the opening weekend of RMAC play as Caleb Waitsman (19), Luke Schroepfer (15) and Gokul Natesan (12) each reached double-digit points to knock off their crosstown rivals the Rangers (6-2, 0-2 RMAC).

The first half was an absolute dogfight as the two teams traded blow-for-blow with each other most of the way. Regis eventually built a seven-point lead (20-13) with 11:34 left in the half. It was then that Kaan Korkmaz would bring the Orediggers back by drilling two three-balls over the next four minutes of action to erase the RU advantage. The second three-pointer gave Mines its first lead, 25-22, in over nine minutes as he completed a rare four-point play. Mines largely kept the lead the rest of the half as Ben Clare's layup with 53 seconds left gave the team a 36-35 advantage at intermission. 

The game remained a nip-and-tuck affair through the first five-plus minutes of the second half until Muphy Gershman and Adam Laine starting bullying their way to the basket to give Mines a 48-42 lead off a 6-0 run. RU eventually closed the Mines advantage to one (50-49) with 11:40 to go, but Gokul Natesan picked the Orediggers up with a massive long range dagger to beat the shot clock. That three-pointer sparked a quick 7-0 run over the next 50 seconds to put Mines up 57-49. That run ended up being the key one of the game as the Orediggers withstood a late mini-run by the Rangers before closing out at the game at the free throw line.

NOTABLES
- Regis entered the weekend 6-0 and was ranked #19 by the D2SIDA media poll. They lost by a bucket a Colorado Christian on Friday.
- Gershman was a huge presence off the bench as he recorded eight points, eight rebounds, and two assists in 14 minutes. Laine was just as good with nine points and seven boards. 
- The Mines bench produced 34 points with Gershman, Laine, Korkmaz (9), and Ben Clare (7) providing the second-shift punch.
- The Mines posts got it done defensively, as well, as they held Regis' leading scorer Dexter Sienko (18.2 ppg) to only eight points and eight shots. Regis was held to 39.7 percent shooting overall.
- Waitsman's 19 comes a night after he drained 23 against Chadron State. For the weekend, Waitsman averaged 21.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.
- Mines held a significant 43-33 rebounding advantage, and second-chance points proved crucial as Mines led 23-7. 
- Foul shooting came up big down the stretch for Mines as they were 14-of-15 in the second half. Waitsman was 7-for-7 and Natesan 4-for-4 as Mines shot 82.6 percent for the game.

NEXT UP
Mines heads north to visit Black Hills State and South Dakota Mines next weekend.