GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - In a clash of two of the RMAC's hottest teams, Colorado School of Mines erased a late deficit and held off Colorado Mesa in overtime, 99-94, to improve to 3-0 in RMAC play.

The Orediggers (6-3, 3-0 RMAC) won their fifth in a row, overcoming 18 turnovers and foul trouble by key personnel to erase a 10-point deficit with 1:49 left in regulation and force overtime. The Mavericks (7-2, 3-0 RMAC) saw their six-game win streak snapped.

Ben Clare poured in 23 points to go with nine rebounds, and Ben Sonnefeld had 20 as Mason Baker scored 19 to key the Mines offense. Joe Miks scored 14 off the bench, including a key go-ahead three-pointer in overtime. Connor Nichols led CMU with 26 points and nine rebounds.

The Orediggers led for the entire first half, going up as much as nine at 15-6 after a five-point outburst from Miks off the bench. CMU, however, ended the first half on a 10-4 run keyed by three-pointers from Brandon Hoffer and two by Kolton Peterson, and that made it a 40-40 game at the half.

The first 11 minutes of the second half were largely bucket-for-bucket as the two sides traded leads before the Mavericks hit a 5-0 run on Nichols' jumper and a Jess Spivey three-pointer to lead, 67-61, with 8:29 left. The hosts maintained at least a two-bucket advantage over the next six minutes and led 84-74 after Tommy Nuno's dunk at the 1:49 mark seemingly put the game away.

Mines had other plans, however, and Baker slashed to the hoop for an and-one to cut it it to 84-77 before he and Ben Boone sank back-to-back three-pointers to cut it to 85-83 with 19 ticks left. Hoffer made one of two free throws at the other end, and Baker then sank a game-tying three with 11 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

In the extra period, Mines was 3-for-5 from the floor and 6-for-8 at the line but no bucket was bigger than Miks' three-pointer with 1:24 left to give Mines the lead, 95-92. CMU didn't make a field goal after that as both Baker and Austin Means hit their free throws to ice the win.

NOTABLES
- Both teams had key players in foul trouble as Brendan Sullivan fouled out in regulation for Mines and CMU lost Damon Dubots and Tommy Nuno; Austin Means was also limited to 11 minutes due to fouls in both halves for the Orediggers.
- It was Mines' second overtime game of the year after a 75-71 loss at Fort Hays State. The Orediggers had not played an RMAC regular-season overtime game since beating Fort Lewis in the 2016-17 season and have won their last three conference games to go to overtime.
- Miks was 4-for-6 from the outside e a night after he was 9-for-11 to score 29 points at Western Colorado. Miks is shooting an RMAC-leading .561 for three this season (23-of-41).
- Sonnefeld dished a team-high six assists to go with seven rebounds. He shot 7-for-12 overall.
- Baker was 7-for-7 at the line as he built his 19 points; the redshirt sophomore is Mines' top foul shooter this season at .827.
- Mines held a 45-37 rebounding advantage.
- The Orediggers committed a season-worst 18 turnovers a night after a season-low total of five at Western Colorado. 
- Mines sank 10 three-pointers for the fourth time in five games; as a team, the Orediggers are shooting .492 from the outside in RMAC play.
- After two weekends of league play, Mines is one of four 3-0 RMAC teams left along with New Mexico Highlands, Regis, and Black Hills State.
- Colorado Mesa was receiving votes in the most recent national top 25 polls.

NEXT UP
Mines returns home to host Colorado Christian and Regis next weekend. Note that due to winter Commencement in Lockridge Arena on Friday, Mines' weekend series will be played on Saturday and Sunday.