GOLDEN, Colo. - In a match-up of the RMAC's two top teams, #11 Colorado School of Mines made sure there was no question of who was the best.

The Orediggers (29-4) ran away from #23 Fort Lewis late in the first half, stunning the Skyhawks in an 86-67 win to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the second time in program history.

Mines will host West Texas A&M, a 76-64 winner over Texas A&M-Kingsville in the other regional semifinal, Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the South Central regional final. The winner advances to the Elite Eight in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Gokul Natesan had a terrific 16-point, 9-assist, 2-steal performance with Ben Clare coming off the bench for 14 and Luke Schroepfer and Adam Laine pouring in 13 apiece.

It was the third meeting between Mines and Fort Lewis this season, with both prior engagements going Mines' way in overtime. This match-up would be decisively different, however, after the Orediggers ended the first half on a 26-10 run to take control of the game for good.

It was a tight opening 10 minutes as Fort Lewis countered a hot start from Mines to tie the game at 20-20 with 8:32 left. Things quickly turned as FLC's Will Morse, Brandon Wilson, and Rasmus Bach were forced to sit on two fouls, and that gave Mines the opening it needed. With those three starters on the bench, the Orediggers hit on an 11-1 run keyed by two straight Clare buckets, and ran away to the half to lead 46-30, the largest lead of the game to that point.

Mines held its lead in the second half and shut the door with a 13-0 run in the middle of the half, holding Fort Lewis without a field goal over a 9:44 span.

NOTABLES
- Mines' only other appearance in the Sweet 16 came in 2011-12.
- Mines' win ties that 2011-12 team's program record for victories in a season at 29.
- In his final home game on Tuesday, Natesan will have a chance to become only the fourth 2,000-point scorer in program history. The senior has 1,987 points in his career. He surpassed 400 career assists against FLC, and now has 408, only the third Mines player to cross 400.
- Natesan matched up against RMAC Player of the Year Joshua Blaylock and was outstanding on the defensive end, holding Blaylock to only four first-half points and three field goals while on him. 
- Mines shuffled the starting lineup to put Laine at center, and he delivered with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting, adding nine boards. That gave them Clare off the bench, and he provided 14 points, four boards, and a block on 7-of-9 shooting.
- Mines score 46 points in the paint to Fort Lewis' 26.
- The Orediggers owned the glass, outrebounding the Skyhawks 39-24.
- In addition to Natesan's nine assists, Zach Rusk dished six and Caleb Waitsman kicked out four. Mines assisted on 25 of their 35 baskets.
- Blaylock ended with 16 points to lead Fort Lewis.

QUOTABLES
"We really, really executed our game plan. I thought that Gokul was just tremendous. His defense, and I can't say enough about how he passed up shots to get better shots." - coach Pryor Orser on Gokul Natesan's play.

"When I can really focus on my defense, I feel like the offensive side takes care of itself... I'm usually getting assigned one of the leading scorers on the other teams, and I focus more on my defensive assignment. I embrace that responsibility." - Natesan on drawing the match-up with Blaylock.

"The most important thing is getting a win Tuesday night. It would mean so much to go out with a win." - Natesan on looking forward to his final home game on Tuesday, win or lose.