GOLDEN, Colo. - A monster effort from Ben Sonnefeld helped propel Colorado School of Mines to its seventh straight win, taking down Regis 80-73 on Sunday.

The Orediggers will enter the new year unbeaten in the RMAC at 5-0 as they improved to 8-3 overall. The Rangers - voted the preseason favorite in the RMAC - dropped their second in a row to fall to 6-4 overall and 3-2 in the RMAC.

Sonnefeld did it all, draining 25 points and dishing seven assists to lead the Orediggers. Michael Glen had 15 points and seven boards with Mason Baker scoring 10 with seven rebounds and four assists despite being limited by foul trouble. Christian Little led Regis with 19 points, and Jarrett Brodbeck had 15. 

After a first half in which the two sides matched each other nearly point for point, Mines took control of the game with an 11-0 run midway through the second half, with Sonnefeld scoring five points in that span. That put Mines ahead 60-50 with 10:38 remaining, but Regis chipped away at the deficit with a huge 17-3 run, and took the lead outright, 71-69, on a Ryan Beisty layup with 3:57 remaining.

Glen and RU's Brian Dawson traded baskets to make it 73-71 Regis with just over two minutes left, and that's when Sonnefeld put Mines on his back for the win. The redshirt senior canned an NBA-range three-pointer at the 2:13 mark for a 74-73 lead, then hit another trifecta on an off-balance shot from the wing a minute later to lead 77-73. Sonnefeld then drw a charge from Christian Little at the other end, and dished the assist on Brendan Sullivan's slash to the hoop with 41 seconds left, suddenly putting Mines ahead 79-73. Mines held Regis scoreless for the final 2:28 of the game.

NOTABLES
- Sonnefeld's 25 points was one off his career high. The senior is averaging a career-best 15.1 points per game this season. As impressive as his scoring has been his distribution - over the last four games, Sonnefeld is averaging a healthy 6.0 assists per game, including matching his season high on Sunday.
- The Orediggers shot 54.7 percent for the game including 66.7 percent (14-for-21) in the second half. Mines was red-hot from the outside, sinking 11 of 17 three-point tries, including four by Sonnefeld and two each from Baker, Sullivan, and Glen.
- It was the second straight night that Mines made a halftime defensive adjustment that paid off; after shooting 51.7 percent in the first half, Regis was held to 36.7 percent in the second.
- Mines held a commanding 35-24 rebounding advantage in the game led by Baker and Glen with seven each. 
- Ben Clare had another impressive defensive game, grabbing six rebounds with three blocks. He helped limit the Regis post duo of Ryan Beisty and Roberto Vercellino were limited to a combined 12 points. 
- Mines was one of two unbeaten teams left in RMAC play entering Sunday along with Black Hills State; BHSU was playing at Fort Lewis later on Sunday. 
- The Orediggers have not entered the new year unbeaten in RMAC play since the 2014-15 season.

NEXT UP
Mines will host Westminster on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.