LAKEWOOD, Colo. - A red-hot Colorado School of Mines shooting performance was simply unstoppable as the Orediggers drained 17 three-pointers on the way to a 98-66 win at Colorado Christian.
Mines (17-6, 11-6 RMAC) earned an important conference win behind career-high games from both
Luke Schroepfer (32 points) and
Ben Sonnefeld (26 points) as the Orediggers sank 56.5 percent of their shots.
The visitors led wire-to-wire, but took decisive control when they ended the first half on a 19-6 run to get up 47-27 heading into the lockers. Mines then put it away when they outscored CCU 29-9 over the opening 10 minutes of the second half as Schroepfer scored 16 of his 32 and Mines hit 10 of 13 shots in that span.
The win takes Mines to a tie for fifth place in the RMAC standings with five games remaining. They could potentially clinch an RMAC Tournament berth this weekend with a win at South Dakota Mines combined with losses by Black Hills State and UCCS.
NOTABLES
- Mines' 17 three-pointers were their most since Jan. 8, 2005 against New Mexico Highlands. The Orediggers shot 17-of-30 (56.7 percent) from range with five different players - Schroepfer (8), Sonnefeld (5),
Joe Miks (2),
Mark Winans (1), and
Duke Douglas (1) - hitting a three-pointer.
- Schroepfer had perhaps the best overall performance of his career, converting 8 of his 11 three-point chances to go 10-of-15 overall while also dishing out four assists and grabbing two steals.
- Sonnefeld was equally impressive, missing only one shot (10-of-11) and sinking all five three-point chances while adding four assists and a steal to compile his 26 points.
- Douglas was the only other Oredigger in double figures as he shot 6-of-9 for 13 points.
- CCU had three players in double figures as well with Isaiah Hanson (16), Jeremiah Hanson (15), and Justin Engesser (13), but were held to 37.9 percent shooting in the first half as Mines ran way with the game.
- Mines swept the season series from CCU having beaten the Cougars two weeks ago at Lockridge Arena, 86-71.
NEXT UP
Mines heads north to South Dakota Mines for a 3 p.m. Saturday tip off.
