GOLDEN, Colo. - #11/13 Colorado School of Mines clinched a share of its fifth RMAC regular-season championship this decade, blowing past New Mexico Highlands 100-73 to win for the 20th straight game.

The Orediggers (21-3, 18-0 RMAC) had a prodigious shooting night as they solved the Cowboys' high-pressure defense early on, with three players - Michael Glen, Ben Clare, and Joe Miks - each scoring 19 and five players in double figures overall. Ben Sonnefeld put together a 17-point, 8-rebound, 6-assist effort while Mason Baker scored 16 with a career-high 9 assists.

Mines clinched at worst a share of the title, but no matter what will be the RMAC Tournament's #1 seed. Four games ahead of Regis with four to play, the Orediggers can win the title outright with one more victory.

The Orediggers never trailed after the opening minutes, blowing the game open with an early 15-2 run and never looking back. By halftime, Mines led 45-27 after limiting the Cowboys (the RMAC's #1 scoring offense) to just .355 shooting with zero trips to the foul line.

It was more of the same in the second half as Mines opened on an 11-0 run to balloon the lead to as much as 29, but NMHU would not go away quietly. The Cowboys slowly ate away at the deficit as Mines suffered a 4+ minute field goal drought that enabled the visitors to cut it to 72-54 with 8:22 to go. A 10-0 run moments later keyed around a pair of Adrian LaFleur three-pointers made it a 13-point game, 81-68, but Mines answered with an 8-0 run and got eight late points from Miks to secure the win and the conference crown.

NOTABLES
- The title is the 10th all-time for Mines, tying them with Colorado Mesa for the most among active RMAC members. Northern Colorado's 11 is the most by any team.
- The win extended the Orediggers' program-record streak to 20 games, now the second-longest active win streak in college basketball behind Northwest Missouri State's 25. 
- Mines' post duo of Ben Clare and Michael Glen had an incredibly efficient night, combining to go 14-of-17. Each had a pair of blocks at the defensive end.
- Miks sank 5-of-7 three-point tries on his way to 19 points.
- As Mines was forced to pass its way out of NMHU's press, the Orediggers assisted on an eye-popping 27 of 33 baskets, one shy of their season high. Baker had nine of those as Sonnefeld dished six, Brendan Sullivan four, and Ben Boone three off the bench.
- Raquan Mitchell led all scorers with 26 for NMHU. The Cowboys were held to .403 for the game and 9-for-30 (.300) from three. 
- Mines was red-hot from the outside hitting 13-of-22 (.591) for three paced by Miks' five; Baker canned three while Sonnefeld and Glen each had a pair.
- It was Mines' second time cracking 100 points this season including a 109-60 win at Western Colorado on Dec. 7.
- The RMAC title is the eighth won by a Mines team this year, joining regular-season crowns by men's soccer, women's soccer, volleyball, football, and wrestling. Both soccers also won their respective RMAC Tournaments.

NEXT UP
Mines will host CSU-Pueblo Saturday at 7 p.m.