Mines vs. #14 Fort Lewis, Friday, 7 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats] [TV: CET]
Mines vs. New Mexico Highlands, Saturday, 7 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".

WATCH US
Friday's men's and women's games will also be seen live on Comcast Entertainment Television (CET) on Front Range Comcast systems. CET is located on channels 900 (HD) and 105 (SD).

THIS WEEK
The Orediggers will play their final two home games of the regular season this weekend, hosting #14 Fort Lewis Friday at 7 p.m. and New Mexico Highlands Saturday at 7 p.m. Friday is Rock The Lock night and Saturday will be Senior Night.

ROCK THE LOCK
Join Mines basketball Friday night for Mascot Madness at Rock the Lock 2018, presented by Nucor. The game features free t-shirts to the first 1,000 fans, tailgating in the SRC rec gym, fan activities, special appearances, giveaways, and more. Halftime will feature the Colorado Disc Dogs! Visit minesathletics.com/rockthelock for more information.

IN THE RANKINGS
The first NCAA regional rankings were released Wednesday, with Mines appearing at #10. Fort Lewis was at #4 and Regis #5. The top eight teams in the region at the end of the season make the NCAA Championship bracket, minus any conference automatic qualifiers that were ranked outside of the top eight.

WE MEET AGAIN
Friday's game will be the only regular-season meeting between rivals Mines and Fort Lewis after the Orediggers went 3-0 against the Skyhawks last year. Mines won 94-82 in an overtime game in Durango last season, then came back to beat FLC 102-98 - against in overtime - in an epic RMAC Tournament final that saw Mines erased an eight-point deficit in the final minute. The two met again in the NCAA Tournament Second Round as Mines left no doubt in an 86-67 win at Lockridge Arena.
Mines and New Mexico Highlands meet for the second time in a month after the Orediggers escaped with an 81-78 road win back on Jan. 18. Mines received career-highs in scoring from Duke Douglas (26) and Michael Glen (19) as Luke Schroepfer drained 20 in that game.

THE PLAYOFF PUSH
Mines' win at South Dakota Mines clinched a spot in the RMAC Tournament, with Fort Lewis, Regis, and MSU Denver also already holding spots (Westminster, currently second, is ineligible as they are in their final year of reclassifying to NCAA Division II). Mines sits in the fourth spot with a 12-6 record; Fort Lewis is in first at 17-2. New Mexico Highlands is battling for a spot at 9-10, currently tied for seventh.

SONNEFELD SHOOTS THE LIGHTS OUT
Ben Sonnefeld has been on a tear over the last two weeks, averaging 17.0 points per game including a career-high 26 against Colorado Christian. Even more impressive is how well he's getting shots to fall - Sonnefeld is shooting a ridiculous .750 over the last four games. He's been even better from three-point ranking, sinking 12 of his 15 tries in that span (.800). He's done all that while still averaging 4.5 assists per game over the last four outings.

SHARPSHOOTERS
Speaking of shooting percentages, Mines enters the weekend #1 in NCAA Division II in three-point percentage at .444 (196-441) for the season. Mason Baker is making them at a .554 clip followed by Luke Schroepfer (.477) and Ben Sonnefeld (.474).

NO NO NO
One category in which Mines ranks among the national leaders might seem surprising - blocks. The Orediggers have played with a small lineup for much of the second half of the season, but still average 4.7 swats per game, which leads the RMAC and is 20th in NCAA Division II. Michael Glen had 38 blocks (1.6 per game) with Felix Scheytt at 20 (1.1 per game), Zach Rusk at 12 (0.5 per game), and Duke Douglas at 10 (0.4 per game).