GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines avenged an earlier-season loss to South Dakota Mines in a big way, going up big early in a 92-64 win.

The Orediggers (11-3, 6-2 RMAC) held the Hardrockers (8-6, 4-4 RMAC) without a field goal for the first 5:07 of the game, building a 15-point lead in the meantime that never dipped into single digits for the remainder of the game.

Luke Schroepfer continued his outstanding shooting with a 24-point, 9-of-12 performance that included five three-pointers, and Adam Laine came off the bench for 17 points and eight rebounds. They were two of five Orediggers in double digits, including Gokul Natesan (16 points), Ben Clare (12 points, 9 rebounds), and Caleb Waitsman (10 points, 5 rebounds).

Defensively, Mines held RMAC leading scorer Konor Kulas to only two points on two shots, and they led the rebounding battle by a huge 47-27 margin. 

The Orediggers came out of the gate red hot on a 12-0 run which included a pair of Schroepfer threes, and they ballooned the lead to as much as 23 early in the second half before winning going away with a 28-point margin.

NOTABLES
- Mines committed a season-low five turnovers, including two in the first half. SDSMT only had seven giveaways, but the Orediggers scored 13 points off of them.
- Clare's nine rebounds were a game high and tied his career best set earlier this season. 
- The game featured the RMAC's two leading scorers in Kulas and Natesan. Both were held under their average, but Natesan scored 11 of his 16 in the second half. Kulas got in early foul trouble and was limited to 12 minutes. 
- Jamall Taylor led SDSMT with 16 points. 
- Mines shot 53.3 percent for the game; the Hardrockers were held to 35.1 percent.
- The Hardrockers were the best defensive rebounding team in the RMAC coming into the weekend; they were out-rebounded 35-19 on the defensive glass by the Orediggers.

NEXT UP
Mines will visit Westminster on Jan. 7.