#16/17 Mines at CSU-Pueblo, Friday, 7:30 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
#16/17 Mines at New Mexico Highlands, Saturday, 7 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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THE WEEKEND AHEAD
Colorado School of Mines concludes a four-game road swing as it heads down I-25 to face CSU-Pueblo on Friday and New Mexico Highlands on Saturday. Both games will be streamed live on the RMAC Network.

THE STREAK CONTINUES
Mines ran its win streak to 15 consecutive games last weekend with wins at MSU Denver and Chadron State. The stretch represents the second-longest win streak in program history after a 17-game run in 2011-12. Mines has not lost a game in more than two months, since falling in overtime at Fort Hays State on Nov. 17.

IN THE POLLS
Mines moved up seven spots in this week's NABC Top-25 poll to #16, and advanced four spots to #17 in the D2SIDA poll. The Orediggers broke into the national rankings last week for the first time this season.

IN THE RMAC
Mines enters the weekend with a three-game lead in the RMAC standings at 13-0, with Regis in second place at 10-3. New Mexico Highlands is in third at 9-4, tied with UCCS, while CSU-Pueblo, at 3-10, is next to last in the standings. Mines could clinch an RMAC Tournament berth with two wins this weekend and a loss by MSU Denver.

LAST TIME OUT
Mines survived two tough road contests as it won 77-71 at MSU Denver last Friday and 82-75 at Chadron State on Saturday. In Denver, Mines hung on as the trio of Mason Baker, Ben Sonnefeld, and Ben Clare combined for 55 points, taking control of the game with a 21-6 stretch early in the second half. At Chadron, Mines had to erase an 11-point halftime deficit to win, outscoring CSC 50-32 in the second half. Brendan Sullivan scored 20 and Ben Clare had 18, while Mason Baker scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half including seven in a crucial late 8-2 run to take the lead.

SEEING DOUBLE
Michael Glen has had a red-hot two weeks, coming into this weekend with three consecutive double-doubles under his belt. Glen is averaging 12.0 points and 11.7 rebounds per game over his last three, which includes 11/12 against Black Hills State, 10/13 at MSU Denver, and 15/10 at Chadron State. This season, Glen is averaging 10.9 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game.

SEEING DOUBLE
Glen isn't the only Oredigger working double-doubles as Brendan Sullivan notched the first of his career last Saturday at Chadron State. Sullivan matched his career high with 20 points and snagged a career-high 10 rebounds in the game. The last time Mines had had two players record double-doubles in the same game was Feb. 17, 2017 at Fort Lewis when Ben Clare had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Caleb Waitsman scored 20 with 11 boards.

THANKS FOR THE HELP
Last weekend, Ben Sonnefeld became the fourth player in program history to reach 400 career assists, dishing three at Chadron State to now sit at 401. Sonnefeld joins Jeff Rhodes (607), Gokul Natesan (427), and Mike Ziegler (416) in the club. Sonnefeld ranks third in the RMAC this season in assists (4.4 per game) and first in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9).

SECOND HALF SUCCESS
This season, Mines has been absolutely outstanding in the second half, dominating teams after halftime to build big leads. Mines has been by no means shabby in the first half, shooting .467 to opponents' .443. But the second-half disparity, and particularly the defensive adjustment, is dramatic: Mines is shooting a huge .547 compared to opponents' .435 overall, including a .444/.333 three-point split, a +7.8 scoring margin, and +3.7 rebounding edge. Mines has outscored its opponents in the second half in 10 consecutive games, including by a +10.5 point margin over the last four games.

MINES NOTABLES
The Mines-New Mexico Highlands game will be a match-up of the RMAC's top two scoring offenses with NMHU first (85.9) and Mines second (83.8) … The Orediggers own the RMAC's top scoring margin at +13.1, more than double Regis' second-place pace of +6.2 … Mines leads the RMAC in three-point shooting at .414 and blocks at 4.79 per game … Ben Clare leads the RMAC in shooting percentage at .586, averaging 12.1 points per game … Mason Baker remains Mines' leading scorer at 15.5 points per game, having scored in double digits in all but one contest this season … Brendan Sullivan had a career-high 10 rebounds and matched his career-best with 20 points at Chadron State … Mines' perimeter defense has held opponents to .355 for three this season … Mines is out-rebounding opponents by a +7.4 margin this season.

LAST YEAR
The Orediggers will look to avenge an 84-79 loss at home to CSU-Pueblo last year in a game that saw the Thunderwolves drain 13 three-pointers in the second half and 20 overall to comeback from a 41-24 halftime deficit to win. Mines won both of its meetings with New Mexico Highlands last year, winning 81-78 on the road and 68-50 at home. In the first meeting, Duke Douglas (26) and Michael Glen (19) scored career highs as Mines erased an eight-point second-half deficit to take the lead on a late Glen jumper. In the second game, Mines outscored NMHU 44-27 in the second half to break open a one-point game as Luke Schroepfer scored 19 points and Ben Sonnefeld scored 12 with six assists.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
CSU-Pueblo is 5-14 overall and 3-10 in RMAC play having lost five straight heading into the weekend. The Thunderwolves score 75.6 points per game while allowing 81.3. Donovan Oldham is their top scorer at 14.1 ppg followed by Jason Anderson at 11.0 ppg; Anderson is also the team's leading rebounder with 5.3 per game.

A year after going 10-12 in conference play, New Mexico Highlands is one of the RMAC's most improved teams at 14-5 overall and 9-4 in the RMAC. The high-paced Cowboys lead the RMAC in scoring at 85.9 ppg, including two of the league's top three individual scorers in Gerad Davis (20.6 ppg) and Raquan Mitchell (19.6 ppg). NMHU is 2-2 in their last four games with losses to Chadron State and Black Hills State, and wins over MSU Denver and South Dakota Mines.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines returns home Feb. 8 to host Chadron State and Feb. 9 to play MSU Denver; the latter game will be Mines' annual Rock the Lock game.