Mines vs. Lubbock Christian (at St. Mary's), Friday, 5 p.m. CT [Live Video] [Live Stats]
Mines at St. Mary's, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. CT [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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THE NEW SEASON
With a mix of returning experience and promising new faces, Colorado School of Mines begins the 2018-19 season in Texas this weekend, visiting San Antonio for games with Lubbock Christian and the host St. Mary's on Friday and Saturday. The Orediggers are coming off a 22-9 2017-18 season that included an NCAA Tournament appearance.

WHO'S BACK
Mines will be led by a trio of returning starters in center Ben Clare, forward Michael Glen, and point guard Ben Sonnefeld. All three earned preseason all-RMAC honors in October. Clare suffered an injury midway through last season but is ready to go in 2018-19 after averaging 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game in his shortened campaign. Glen, the RMAC Freshman of the Year, averaged 10.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game a year ago at the 4. Sonnefeld returns to run the point for a fourth consecutive year after the best season of his career with 12.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.6 boards per game.

Mines also returns sharpshooter Mason Baker, who figures to earn the starting slot at shooting guard, after he averaged 9.6 points per game and shot .514 for three as a redshirt freshman. Luke Golter saw 7.8 minutes per game and added 2.2 points per game last year, and Joe Miks (2.6 mpg) and Dustin Gaddis (2.5 mpg) are also returners from last year's squad.

WHO'S NEW
For as much production as Mines brings back, the story of the season will be how the team integrates ten new players into the mix. Mines has a pair of redshirt freshmen in Austin Means and Landon Walker who will vie for minutes in the frontcourt, and several true freshmen will also get minutes this season. Brendan Sullivan is penciled in as the starter at small forward, while Trent Dykema and Ben Boone also saw minutes in the exhibition at Colorado last week. Throw in Bede Hooper, Tylor Trinh, Thirman Knowles, Paul O'Leary, and Air Force transfer Kobi Betts, and Mines has plenty of lineup options this season.

LAST WEEK
For the second straight season, Mines visited Boulder for an exhibition game at the University of Colorado, and for the second straight year, the Orediggers pushed the Buffs to the limit. Mines led 33-27 at halftime on the way to a 66-57 loss, a very respectable performance against a much bigger CU lineup. Ben Sonnefeld led the way with 18 points and five assists, while Mason Baker scored 11 and Brendan Sullivan had eight.

MINES PICKED SECOND IN THE RMAC
The Orediggers were picked second in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll behind Regis. The Orediggers (22-9 in 2017-18) received 203 points and four first-place votes to sit second in the poll behind last year's RMAC Tournament winner Regis (216 points, 8 first) but ahead of defending regular-season champ Fort Lewis (199 points, 2 first) and new RMAC member Dixie State (185 points, 2 first), who won last year's PacWest regular-season and tournament titles.

LAST YEAR
Mines played Lubbock Christian and St. Mary's on opening weekend last year, in Denver, and came away with two wins. Mines beat LCU 82-78 as Luke Schroepfer and Ben Clare each dropped 17 points and the Orediggers were 18-of-21 from the foul line. Mines then beat St. Mary's 67-53 as the team piled up 10 steals and Duke Douglas scored 16 points.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will visit Fort Hays and Nebraska-Kearney Nov. 17-18, and will not open at home until Nov. 23 taking on Kansas Wesleyan.