Mines vs. New Mexico Highlands, Tuesday, 8 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
Mines at CSU-Pueblo, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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THE WEEK AHEAD
Mines will have a rare split week as they host New Mexico Highlands Tuesday night before heading down I-25 to face CSU-Pueblo Saturday night in a battle of two of the RMAC's best teams.

IN THE HUNT
Mines begins the week in a tie for second place with Saturday's opponent, CSU-Pueblo, at 9-2 in RMAC play. The two are a half-game back of Fort Lewis (10-2) and a game up on Colorado Christian (8-3). Mines owns an RMAC-best seven-game win streak. Tuesday's opponent, New Mexico Highlands, is 4-7 in league play and currently on the outside looking in at one of the eight RMAC Tournament spots.

LAST TIME OUT
Mines is coming off an impressive weekend that saw them blow out Colorado Mesa 89-67 and Western State 103-64. Against Mesa, Mines shot 18-for-23 in the first including 12-of-14 from the outside to lead by 26 at halftime; versus Western State, it was a big second half that did the trick as the Orediggers scored 63 and shot 71 percent after the break to win.

HOT HANDS
Mines's seven-game win streak has been marked by outstanding shooting as the Orediggers are hitting 48.3 percent of their shots in that span. Luke Schroepfer is averaging 19.1 points per game and shooting .528 with 28 three-pointers in that span, while Gokul Natesan is at 17.4 points and 3.6 assists per game while missing only two of 33 free throw attempts. Defensively, Caleb Waitsman is averaging team bests in rebounds (5.7 rpg) and steals (2.1 spg).

SHOOT THE LIGHTS OUT
Mines had an historic three-point shooting weekend, making 16 against Colorado Mesa and 14 versus Western State. Their performance against Mesa was the Orediggers' best in a decade. This season, Mines' .429 three-point shooting percentage ranks second in the RMAC, with Luke Schroepfer ranking third in threes made (50) and first in percentage (.515) among players with 25 or more attempts.

NONE SHALL PASS
Mines owns the RMAC's best defense, allowing only 64.8 points per game, more than two points per game better than any other squad. Accordingly, Mines also leads the RMAC in rebounding defense (28.5 per game) and rebounding margin (+7.5), and is second in turnvoer margin (+3.29). 

NATESAN ON BEVO FRANCIS WATCHLIST
For the second straight season, Gokul Natesan appears on the Bevo Francis Award watchlist for the best small-college basketball player in the nation. Natesan is second in the RMAC in scoring (19.4 ppg) and first in steals (2.1 spg) this season. Natesan is also moving up the Mines all-time career lists; at 1,695 points, he could have a chance this weekend to vault from 11th to seventh on the career scoring list, and he is two assists away from overtaking Raul Varela for third in that category.