GOLDEN, Colo. - #18 Colorado School of Mines returned to the top of the RMAC for the fifth time in program history, winning the outright regular-season title as they thrashed rival MSU Denver 89-57.

On Senior Night, the Mines seniors combined for 52 points as the Orediggers (24-4/19-3 RMAC) outscored the Roadrunners 44-23 in the second half to blow open the game. Mines, the #1 seed, will host Adams State Tuesday at 7 p.m. in an RMAC Shootout quarterfinal; if they advance they will host the semifinals and final on March 3-4.

After both teams went back-and-forth in the first half, the second half turned into a coronation for the champions as they held MSU Denver without a field goal for an 11:23 span after they made the opening bucket out of the break. That span turned a 45-36 Mines lead into a 62-40 blowout, and the Orediggers piled on with another 13-2 run that made the lead 75-42 with 5:23 to go.

That let Mines give seniors Murphy Gershman, Ruben Jackson Kaan Korkmaz, Gokul Natesan, and Caleb Waitsman a curtain call in the closing moments as they secure their second career RMAC crown.

NOTABLES
- Mines clinched a share of the title with their win over UCCS but needed the win Saturday to clinch the title outright.
- Six Orediggers scored in double digits with Natesan having an outstanding all-around game at 13 points, six rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Waitsman had 12 points and eight boards with two blocks, and Korkmaz had 11 points, three blocks, and two steals. 
- Gershman, Ben Clare, and Ben Sonnefeld each pitched in 10 points.
- Senior Ruben Jackson, who performed the national anthem on saxophone before the game, electrified the crowd with two three-pointers in the second half as he started his first career game.
- Mines shot 55.8 percent for the game, including 10-of-19 for three and 21-of-24 at the line. Metro was held to 33.3 percent shooting including a 26.7 percent second-half showing.