Mines vs. Regis, Friday, 5 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
Mines vs. Chadron State, Saturday, 5 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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ON THE RMAC NETWORK
Every Mines game can be seen live and for free on the RMAC Network at minesathletics.com/tv. The RMAC Network can also be found on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Android TV devices by going to the app store and searching "RMAC". In addition, Mines home basketball games can also be seen on Facebook Live at facebook.com/minesathletics.

SETTING THE SCENE
The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team returns home this weekend for a pair of home games with Regis Friday and Chadron State Saturday, both inside Lockridge Arena. Regis comes to Golden with an overall record of 10-9 and a 9-5 mark in RMAC play. Just one game behind Mines in the standings, the Rangers are playing for their RMAC Tournament lives as they sit sixth in the league standings.  Regis scored a huge 74-70 win over nationally-ranked Fort Lewis College earlier this month. However, the Rangers are currently recovering from a 51-52 loss to first-place CSU-Pueblo. Unlike Regis, Chadron State comes to town on the outside looking in as the Eagles are 2-13 in the RMAC and 4-17 overall. Despite sitting last in the conference, the Eagles are coming off a 66-57 win over New Mexico Highlands. Chadron State's other conference win came in an 80-69 win over Colorado Christian at home.
 
LOOKING BACK
After starting the New Year at 3-2, Mines had a huge week as they dominated Colorado Christian 72-45 inside Lockridge Arena last Tuesday and drubbed Adams State on the road Saturday, 89-66.  Nicole Archambeau came up big in the Oredigger's win over the Cougars with 26 points and 12 rebounds. She also grabbed four steals and recorded two blocks. Cassidy Budge stole the show in Alamosa as she broke the program record with nine 3-pointers against the Grizzlies. She finished the game with 31 points – just the 11th Oredigger in program history to record at least 30 points. Mines' 89 points at Adams State are the most scored since the 2014-15 season.
 
TOP PLAY OF THE WEEK
Cassidy Budge's nine 3-point baskets were selected as the top play in the RMAC Top 5. Her record-setting performance also garnered RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. The last time an individual scored nine 3-pointers in RMAC play was the 2009-10 season.
 
SECOND TIME AROUND
Mines opened 2017-18 RMAC action on the road against Chadron State and Regis – winning both contests 77-71 and 82-74, respectively. Nicole Archambeau scored a career-high 27 points versus the Eagles and also recorded three steals. Emily Bailey was the star at Regis, dropping 28 points with two assists, a block and a steal. Anna Kollmorgen, Cassidy Budge and Elizabeth Tomon also scored in double digits against the Rangers. In the all-time series, Mines is 26-33 against Chadron State and 22-50 against Regis.
 
POSTSEASON OUTLOOK
Mines has eight games remaining in the 2017-18 regular season and is currently fourth in the RMAC standings at 13-7 overall and 10-4 in the RMAC. The Orediggers are just 2.5 games back of first-place CSU-Publeo. Any loss by the ThunderWolves puts Mines in a position to take a share of first place. However, the Orediggers will have to take care of business as they sit only 2.5 games ahead of ninth-place South Dakota Mines. With the top eight in the league slated to go to the conference tournament, the Orediggers will need to stay above .500 down the stretch to remain in contention. At the top of the standings is CSU-Pueblo (15-6, 13-2 RMAC) with Fort Lewis (17-4, 11-4 RMAC) and Black Hills State (17-4, 11-4 RMAC) tied for second. MSU Denver sits fifth at 14-7 overall and 10-5 RMAC, followed by Regis (19-9, 9-5 RMAC) in sixth and Colorado Mesa (16-6, 10-6 RMAC) in seventh. If the season were to end today, Westminster would round out the tournament field in eighth place at 10-9 overall and 9-6 in league action.
 
APPROACHING 1,000
Senior guard Emily Bailey is just 28 points away from 1,000 for her career. The Oregonian sat out both of last week's games to rest, but is expected to return to action against Regis. With a 12.5 pointer-per-game career average, Bailey sits in fine position to exceed the milestone this weekend inside Lockridge Arena.
 
RMAC LEADERS
As a team, Mines continues to lead the RMAC on the boards this season, generating 42.5 total rebounds per game. The Orediggers also lead the league in defensive rebounding at 29.8 boards per game. Mines also boasts the fewest turnovers in the league with just 244 on the season. Individually, Nicole Archambeau leads the RMAC with 10.0 rebounds per game including a league-best 162 defensive boards. Archambeau is the only RMAC player averaging a double-double so far this season. Emily Bailey ranks third in the league with 1.3 blocked shots per game.
 
OREDIGGERS ON CET
The RMAC opened the new year with the announcement that five Colorado School of Mines basketball games were selected to air on Comcast Entertainment Television in February. Mines' home doubleheaders against Regis on Feb. 2 and Fort Lewis on Feb. 16 will have both the women's and men's games televised, while Mines' men's game at MSU Denver on Feb. 24 will also air on CET. As a result, all five game times have changed; the two home doubleheaders will now be 5 p.m./7 p.m. tip-offs changed from 6 p.m./8 p.m., while the men's game at MSU Denver is pushed back to a 7:30 p.m. start time from 7 p.m.