GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines picked up its first RMAC win of the season, pulling away and staying away from Western Colorado in an 85-67 win.

In a physical battle that felt closer than the score indicated, the Orediggers (3-3, 1-1 RMAC) wrapped an 11-2 run around halftime to take control of the game led by Mason Baker's 19 points. Baker went 9-for-10 at the line and had six assists.

Brendan Sullivan returned to the lineup and scored 16 with eight rebounds, while Paul O'Leary scored a career-high 12 off the bench and Titus Reed also had 12. 

Western Colorado was led by center Jackson Ehrlin's 17 points. Mines preyed on 21 Mountaineer turnovers with 15 steals, led by Sullivan's four.

Mines took control of the first half with an early 11-0 run with five different scorers in that stretch to make it a 15-7 lead at the 12:05 mark. Mines never led by fewer than six after that as an O'Leary dunk midway through the half stretched the lead to 10, and the Orediggers led by as much as 13 just before the half.

Mines began the second half on a 12-4 run capped by back-to-back Baker three-pointers, and that suddenly blew the game open at 51-31. Mines held the lead around 20 despite Western going nearly point-for-point the rest of the way; the Mountaineers never drew closer than 17 after Mines made it as much as a 26-point lead on Luke Golter's three midway through the half.

NOTABLES
- Mines' 15 steals were its most since 22 against Diné College in 2016-17. Five players had two or more thefts led by Sullivan (4) and O'Leary (3). 
- Mines scored 21 points off turnovers.
- The Orediggers held a significant rebounding margin at 42-30, including 14 offensive boards.
- O'Leary also set his career high in rebounds (5) and steals (3) in addition to points despite being limited to 19 minutes in foul trouble.
- Glen pitched in 10 points and five boards in 22 foul-limited minutes. 
- Mines shot 45.6 percent for the game to WCU's 40.4 percent. The Mountaineers were just 29.6 percent in the first half but 55 percent in the second.
- Mines was 16-for-22 at the line to WCU's 25-for-32; multiple Orediggers were in foul trouble as O'Leary fouled out and three starters - Sullivan, Reed, and Glen - ended with four fouls.
- The series is now 98-84 in favor of Western Colorado after the 182nd meeting between the two programs. Mines has won 10 of the last 11.

NEXT UP
Mines hosts Colorado Mesa Saturday at 7 p.m.