LAKEWOOD, Colo. - #22 Colorado School of Mines survived a wild game at Colorado Christian, leaving with a 76-75 victory to stretch their win streak to 10 in a row.

The Orediggers (17-3, 12-2 RMAC) moved into a tie for first place in the RMAC with Fort Lewis as the Cougars (11-9, 8-6 RMAC) fell for the fifth time in six games.
Gokul Natesan led Mines with 17 points, and Luke Schroepfer and Kaan Korkmaz each pitched in 13.

It was a foul-filled first half for the Orediggers, and they ended up playing the final 10 minutes of the half with CCU in the double bonus. Despite the foul trouble, the Cougars shot only 5-for-11 from the line in the first, and Mines' offensive rebounding edge kept them down only a point at the break, 35-34.

CCU hit an early 5-0 run in the second half to give them a lead they would hold for nearly 15 minutes. The Cougar advantage was erased during a 6-0 Mines swing late in the half sparked by Murphy Gershman's three to beat the shot clock and a subsequent foul shot to tie it. Ben Clare's putback at the 6:24 mark gave Mines their first lead since the opening half before CCU quickly tied it again at the foul line.

Mines took control with a 5-0 run as another Gershman three and Clare's inside look put them ahead 71-66 with 2:55 left. Korkmaz hit a dagger three-pointer with 1:58 remaining to lead 75-68, but CCU wouldn't quit as four straight points from Dimitri Saliba cut the lead to 72-72. Korkmaz made a free throw at the other end with seven seconds left to lead 76-72, but Brett Brady's off-balance three-pointer three seconds later cut the lead to a point.

CCU sent Natesan to the line, but he missed the front end of his one-and-one, and with 1.6 seconds left to win it, the Cougars couldn't get a good look as their buzzerbeater fell short.
 
NOTABLES

• Mines held a 33-29 rebounding edge, with Schroepfer and Korkmaz each nabbing give.
• Natesan moved up to seventh on the Mines career scoring list, surpassing Jay Godley (1,734 from 1966-70). He now has 1,743 career points.
• Only six Orediggers scored in the game but all scored more than nine points.
• Mines made 11 three-pointers to CCU's six, proving key in the end. CCU went to the line 24 times and made 17, compared to Mines' 7-for-13 night.
• Mines shot 48.3 percent overall to CCU's 53.1 percent.
• The game featured nine ties and as many lead changes.
• CCU's Saliba had 20, with 16 in the first half, and Brady scored a game-high 21.

NEXT UP
Mines will host Adams State on Saturday at 7 p.m.