Box Score
A monster second half lifted Colorado School of Mines to its fifth straight win as it came away with an 88-73 victory on the road at Chadron State.
The Orediggers (17-6, 12-5 RMAC) had their best shooting night of the season, including an eye-popping 20-of-25 (80%) from the floor in the second half, and used a 23-4 run sandwiched around halftime to break open what had been a largely one-basket game in the first half.
Gokul Natesan led Mines with 21 points and six assists, and Adam Laine continued his hot streak with 19 points and seven rebounds. Ben Sonnefeld did a little bit of everything with 10 points, five assists, and four boards.
The game went back and forth during the first half with 14 lead changes and seven ties, and Chadron actually led as late as the 0:46 mark of the first. The Orediggers ended with two straight buckets, however, thanks to Ben Clare's jumper and Zach Rusk's buzzerbeater, and that sparked a larger 23-4 lead over the next seven minutes heading into the second half that started with back-to-back three-pointers by Natesan and Schroepfer.
Chadron never recovered from the Oredigger blitz, making only two field goals in the first 6:30 of the half as Mines extended its lead to as much as 19 points by the 12:52 mark.
NOTABLES
- Mines' five-game win streak is its longest of the season. The Orediggers are averaging a whopping 89.6 points per game in that span.
- Mines' second-half shooting marked a season-best for a half. Their first half wasn't too shabby, either, checking in at 15-for-30. The Orediggers shot 63.6% for the game and 53.8% from beyond the arc - both season bests.
- Natesan scored 17 of his 21 in the second half, going 6-for-8 from the floor.
- The win, combined with New Mexico Highlands' win over Colorado Mesa, moves Mines into a tie with Mesa for second overall in the RMAC standings.
- Caleb Waitsman snagged a game-high eight rebounds.
- Chadron was led by Sharif Black's 21 points.
- Both teams kept it clean, as Mines gave away only six turnovers and Chadron five.
NEXT UP
With only five games left in the season, Mines returns home next Friday to host New Mexico Highlands at 8 p.m.
