GOLDEN, Colo. - #6 Colorado School of Mines improved to 5-0, but it wasn't without drama as they fought off Concordia (Neb.) in overtime to win 86-84.

The Orediggers, playing their second overtime game in three outings, benefited from a career game by Ben Clare, who was absolutely superb pouring in 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting while grabbing seven boards with four blocks. Ben Sonnefeld hit 19 points, including six in the extra period, to go with six assists while Mason Baker scored 14 off the bench and Luke Schroepfer had 12.

Jake Hornick paced Concordia (6-3) with 26 points.

Concordia got up big early, racing out to a 21-13 lead before Mines took the lead on a 9-0 run that included five points from Schroepfer and a Duke Douglas dunk. An 8-0 run later in the half gave Mines its largest margin of the game to that point at 40-32, but Concordia ended the half on Hornick's buzzerbeater to trail 41-37.

Mines barreled out of halftime on a 7-0 run as Clare, Sonnefeld, and another Douglas dunk forced CU to call a timeout, but they responded with a 10-2 run to cut the Mines lead to a basket at 50-47. It was back-and-forth from there, with Concordia finally taking the lead on consecutive Hornick layups, 70-69, with 3:05 remaining as part of an 8-0 spurt.

Mines wrestled the lead back on Clare's three-point play and a pair of free throws from Sonnefeld, making it 74-72 with 1:03 to go, but those would be the Orediggers' final points in regulation, and Kyle Pierce's jumper with five seconds left forced overtime.

The Bulldogs started the extra period on a 4-0 run, but Clare's layup and Schroepfer's three-pointer retook the lead for Mines. After Brevin Sloup's three-pointer made it 81-79 with 1:27 left, Mines got a huge break that turned the game around. Sonnefeld lost the ball to Tanner Shuck, but a high elbow after his steal was deemed a flagrant foul and sent Sonnefeld to the line to shoot two; he made both and then made the layup after Mines kept possession, swinging it to an 83-81 lead.

Hornick answered with an and-one layup with 26 ticks remaining to take the lead back, but Sonnefeld hit a bucket at the other end, and Hornick missed to send Mines to the line. Zach Rusk made one of two to keep it a one-basket game, but Hornick's bid to send it to double-overtime missed as time expired.

Mines shot 50.8 percent in the game, including 17-of-24 at the line. The Bulldogs shot 48.6 percent and stayed in it with nine three-pointers as they were 7-of-10 at the stripe.

The Orediggers host Bethel Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip.