REGIONAL CROSSOVER TOURNAMENT
Regis vs. Lubbock Christian, Friday, 5 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#14 Mines vs. St. Mary's, Friday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Regis vs. St. Mary's, Saturday, 5 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#14 Mines vs. Lubbock Christian, Saturday, 7 p.m. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
 

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THE TOURNAMENT
The 2019-20 men's basketball season opens at home for #14 Colorado School of Mines as they host the four-team Regional Crossover Tournament on Friday and Saturday, with Regis, St. Mary's, and Lubbock Christian taking part. Mines opens Friday night against St. Mary's, while Saturday will feature a rematch of the 2019 NCAA First Round as Mines takes on Lubbock Christian.

TICKET/PARKING INFORMATION
Fans can purchase tickets online or at the door. All seating in Lockridge Arena is general admission. Note that for Friday's early game, fans need to pay for parking if arriving before 5 p.m.; parking after 5 and on Saturday is free. 

A DECADE OF DOMINANCE
The 2010's have been owned by Colorado School of Mines as the Orediggers are coming off their fifth RMAC regular-season title since 2011, and second in three years. Mines nearly ran the table in the RMAC last year, going 21-1 as they went on a program-record 22-game win streak in the middle of last season to qualify for their sixth straight NCAA Tournament.

IN THE POLLS
Mines is nationally ranked in both major preseason polls, appearing at #14 in the NABC Coaches' Poll and #17 in the D2SIDA media poll. The Orediggers ended last year at #14 in the NABC poll and #21 in the D2SIDA media poll; they are the only RMAC team ranked in preseason.

OREDIGGERS TOP PRESEASON RMAC POLL
Mines was the overwhelming favorite to repeat as RMAC champion in the annual preseason coaches' poll announced in mid-October. The Orediggers (25-6, 21-1 RMAC in 2018-19) earned 224 votes overall and 14 of 16 first-place nods, with Dixie State, Regis, New Mexico Highlands, and MSU Denver rounding out the top five. In addition to the poll, Mason Baker and Michael Glen were named "Preseason Players to Watch" by the conference.

WHO'S BACK
Mines will be led by a strong returning core of three starters from 2018-19 in Mason Baker, Michael Glen, and Brendan Sullivan. Baker, a First-Team All-RMAC pick, led the team in scoring at 15.0 ppg while dishing 3.7 assists per game and shooting a terrific .455/.417/.877. Glen anchored the frontcourt with 11.2 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game, earning Honorable Mention All-RMAC while leading the league in blocks at 1.4 per game. Sullivan started as a true freshman at the 3, averaging 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game shooting .495 overall and .750 at the line.

The Orediggers also have nearly all of their bench production returning with a group including returning depth including Joe Miks, Ben Boone, Dustin Gaddis, Austin Means, Luke Golter, and Tylor Trinh. Miks, Boone, and Means all averaged more than 14 minutes per game off the bench as Miks was a deadly outside shooter (55 3PTRs, .470), Boone emerged as a solid rotation contributor as a freshman (3.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg), and Means showed his athleticism in the post with 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Golter – who is the team's only returning senior – added 8.0 minutes and 2.3 points per game but had a great last quarter of the season averaging 4.3 points and 16.4 minutes per game over the final seven contests.

WHO'S NEW
Mines also has a big group of players coming off of redshirt years including Air Force transfer Kobi Betts and freshmen Trent Dykema, Bede Hooper, Thurman Knowles, and Paul O'Leary. Add to that UCCS transfer Titus Reed and true freshmen Ben Grusing, Kai Barr, and Noah Honetschlager, and head coach Pryor Orser has plenty of options in building his lineup. Betts is a likely starting guard candidate after redshirting last year; he sat out his rookie year at Air Force and appeared in one game in an injury-shortened 2017-18. Reed, a junior, was a rotational contributor at UCCS averaging 2.6 points per game in 23 appearances last year.

SCOUTING ST. MARY'S [Series: Mines, 5-0]
St. Mary's was 12-17 overall a year ago in the former Heartland Conference as they now join the Lone Star this year and have been picked 13th in that conference's preseason poll. The Rattlers return leading scorers Caleb Jordan (14.8 ppg) and Markques Houston (14.2 ppg); they scored 71 points per game last year but gave up 73.3. The two teams met last year in San Antonio, a 61-56 win for the Orediggers in the second game of the season. Mines overcame a halftime deficit led by Brendan Sullivan's 18 points and five rebounds, outscoring the Rattlers 38-29 in the second half. The two have met five times since 2014, all Mines wins.

SCOUTING LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN [Series: Tied, 3-3]
Lubbock Christian is coming off an NCAA appearance last year, going 21-10 overall and 11-5 in the old Heartland Conference. They were picked seventh in this year's Lone Star Conference preseason poll. The Chaps look a lot different than last year with the loss of stars Isaac Asrat and Brennan Fowler, but return Rashaan Proctor (9.0 ppg/4.4 rpg) and Silas Crisler (6.1 ppg, 44 3PTR). Mines and Lubbock Christian first met in 1984 and since then each team has won three of six meetings. LCU won both last year as they took the season opener 70-62 in San Antonio despite 19 Brendan Sullivan points; Rashaan Proctor's 16 led the Chaps. In the NCAA First Round at St. Edward's, Mines had a dismal start but never gave up, surging in the second half before LCU held them off 82-73. Ben Sonnefeld scored 37 in his final career game while Asrat's 21 points and a 17-point, 14-rebound game by Fowler led the Chaps.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines has a friendly early schedule with seven straight home games to start, hosting Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney next weekend before beginning RMAC play Nov. 30 against UCCS.