GOLDEN, Colo. - #11/13 Colorado School of Mines captured the outright RMAC regular-season championship, remaining unbeaten in conference play with a 93-56 rout of CSU-Pueblo on Saturday.

The Orediggers (22-3, 19-0 RMAC) used a monster second half to blow past the Thunderwolves and cut down the nets at Lockridge Arena. Austin Means paced Mines with a career-high 23 points off the bench.

Mines sewed up its fifth championship of the decade under Pryor Orser and 10th all-time with three games remaining in the regular season. They did it by shooting an eye-popping .654 and holding CSU-Pueblo to just .355 from the floor, outscoring the visitors 52-29 in the second half to pull away with the victory. 

Led by Means, five Orediggers scored in double figures including Ben Sonnefeld, who had 13 points to go with six assists and five rebounds, and Joe Miks, who had 11 off the bench on 3-for-4 shooting from the outside. Mines' bench was a huge contributor accounting for a season-high 48 points largely thanks to Means (23), Miks (10), and Luke Golter (7).

CSU-Pueblo kept it close early and led at 14-9 before an 11-0 Mines run gave them control of the game midway through the first half. The lead only grew from there as the Orediggers outscored the Pack 21-10 over the final 8:33 of the first half to lead 41-27, then keyed on a 10-2 run early in the second to lead 55-38. The lead only grew from there as Mines shot a red-hot .643 in the second half, eventually ballooning to a 37-point advantage in the closing minute.

NOTABLES
- The Orediggers had clinched a share of the RMAC title with Friday's win over New Mexico Highlands, but needed one more win to capture the crown outright. As it turned out, Regis' loss to Colorado Mesa meant that Mines had secured the outright title shortly after tipoff; the Orediggers are now 19-0 to Regis' second-place 14-5 record, with three games left. 
- Mines extended its program-record win streak to 21 games, now the second-longest active streak in all divisions of college basketball.
- Means was an efficient 7-for-9 overall and went 9-for-9 at the foul line while also grabbing seven rebounds. 
- The Oredigger defense was absolutely outstanding, producing five blocks and holding CSUP to .355 shooting for the game, the lowest opponent shooting percentage in an RMAC game this season.
- Mines shot .563 (9-for-16) for three while limiting CSU-Pueblo to 7-for-31 (.226). 
- Golter saw a season-high 25 minutes off the bench and stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal, and three blocks. 
- The Orediggers continued to stay hot at the charity stripe with a 16-for-18 night. Over the last six games, Mines has shot a remarkable .880 at the line.
- Mines led 36-25 on rebounds and asserted itself inside to the tune of a 44-28 points-in-the-paint advantage.

NEXT UP
Mines heads to Black Hills State next Friday.