#18/23 Mines at Black Hills State, Friday, 7:30 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
#18/23 Mines at South Dakota Mines, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

---

LAST WEEKEND
Mines got off to a 2-0 start to RMAC play, beating Chadron State 78-66 and Regis 81-69. Against Chadron State, Waitsman drained 23 points with nine rebounds on 10-of-15 shooting while Natesan was 7-of-9 and 10-of-12 at the line for 25 points in the win. Versus Regis, rebounding was key as Mines outscored Regis 23-7 on second-chance buckets. Waitsman scored 19, Luke Schroepfer 15, and Natesan 12 to knock off their cross-town rivals.

IN THE RANKINGS
Mines bumped up one spot to #18 in this week's NABC top-25 poll, the fourth straight poll they've appeared in. The Orediggers also entered the D2SIDA media poll for the first time this season at #23. Mines' only loss this season came to Wayland Baptist, which debuted in the NAIA Division I poll this week at #21.

RECENT HISTORY
Mines swept this weekend last year, beating Black Hills State 88-63 behind Adam Laine's career-high 31 points and eight boards. Mines throttled SDSMT 97-43 in Golden last year with Gokul Natesan draining 20 and Laine 19 in only 16 minutes. The Hardrockers were held to 21.3 percent shooting. Mines has not lost to either team since the pair joined the RMAC; since 2011-12, Mines is 8-0 against BHSU and 4-0 against SDSMT.

NATESAN CROSSES 1,500 POINTS
Gokul Natesan continues to move his way up the Mines record book, and last weekend became the 14th player in program history to score 1,500 points. Natesan now has 1,524 points in his career, and also ranks among the best in Mines history in assists (307, 4th), steals (193, 3rd), three-pointers (217, 4th),  and free throws (417, 6th). Natesan is only the third player in program history – and first since 1996 - to notch 1,500+ points and 300+ assists, joining Raul Varela and Mike Ziegler. This season, Natesan's 19.8 points per game is second in the RMAC.

MINES SIGNS TWO
Coach Pryor Orser signed forward Austin Means (Frenchtown, Mt.) and Landon Walker (Scottsbluff, Neb.) in late November during the early signing period. The pair will help bolster Mines' frontcourt for years to come. [Read more]

GLASS CLEANERS
Mines has been one of the RMAC's best rebounding teams this season, averaging a league-best +8.8 rebounding margin per game. Mines' 27.5 rebounding defense per game also leads the league.

BETTER THAN LUKE WARM
Luke Schroepfer has been one of the RMAC's top outside shooters so far this season, draining 54.3 percent of his three-point tries, which ranks second in the league. His 3.2 three's per game is fourth in the league, and he also ranks ninth in free throws percentage (82.5%).

SCOUTING BLACK HILLS STATE
The Yellow Jackets are out to a 3-5 start and are 0-2 in RMAC play after losses to UCCS and MSU Denver last weekend. Zach McLemore is the only Yellow Jacket averaging double digits at 13.6 points per game, with Fraser Malcolm (9.8 ppg), Wyatt Krogman (9.7 ppg), and Patrick Mendes (8.9 ppg) behind him. Sam McCloud's 6.9 rebounds per game is a team high. BHSU is shooting 38.4 percent overall for the season and 28 percent for three.

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
The Hardrockers are 4-4 overall and 0-2 in RMAC play to start the season. SDSMT is led by one of the league's top frontcourt players in Konor Kulas, who averages an RMAC-best 20.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Brian Orr (12.9 ppg), Jamall Taylor (9.5 ppg), and Marco Pascolo (9.5 ppg) add to the scoring. SDSMT shoots 46.8 percent from the floor and 38.8 percent for three.