LAS VEGAS, N.M. - #16/17 Colorado School of Mines tied the program record for consecutive wins with their 17th in a row, using a late go-ahead three-pointer by Ben Sonnefeld to finish a courageous comeback at New Mexico Highlands, 81-78.

The Orediggers (18-3, 15-0 RMAC) had to overcome a 17-point deficit in the first half, taking their first lead of the game with 8:41 left. The Cowboys (15-6, 10-5 RMAC) were held to 28 points in the second half after scoring 50 in the first, including eight three-pointers.

Sonnefeld tied his career high with 26 points including the go-ahead three-pointer with 21 seconds left. Michael Glen scored 15 with a crucial late three of his own, while Ben Clare drained 14 and Austin Means had 10 off the bench. 

Mines tied its record winning streak of 17 set during the 2011-12 season. The Orediggers also continued their best-ever RMAC start, remaining three games ahead of Regis for first place.

It was another big second-half defensive adjustment that helped Mines win, limiting NMHU to just 8-of-25 (.320) shooting in the second half after the Cowboys hit a white-hot 19-of-31 (.612) including eight from the outside. Mines trailed by as much as 17 at the midpoint of the first half, but quickly figured out NMHU's high-paced press. Down 48-32 with 4:50 remaining, the Orediggers ended the first half on a 14-2 run to cut it to 50-46 at the break.

Shots were at a premium in the second half, and it hung around a two-score game for the first 10 minutes until the Cowboys ran cold with a 7:11 span without a field goal mid-half. Mines took advantage with a 15-2 run in that span, taking a 69-63 lead after Mason Baker's three-point play with 6:29 remaining.

Highlands wouldn't go away quietly, however, as they erased a seven-point Mines lead in the closing minutes. Jordan Jones sank three free throws with 2:54 to go before back-to-back Raquan Mitchell buckets tied it 75-75 at the 1:35 mark, and his latter basket drew a foul that he converted to lead 76-75.

Glen drilled a three at the other end to retake the lead 78-76 but Nnamdi Okoro's putback with 47 seconds left tied it once again at 78-78; Sonnefeld drained his three with a short shot clock seconds later, and NMHU never got a look at a final shot as the Mines defense locked down for the win.

NOTABLES
- The 17-point deficit was the largest faced by Mines this season. Mines has trailed by double digits and won five times this year.
- Mines has outscored its opponents in the second half in 12 consecutive games.
- New Mexico Highlands came into the game as the RMAC's leading offensive team at 87.2 points per game. 
- NMHU was also the RMAC's top turnover-producing team thanks to a high-pressure defense, generating 18.6 turnovers per game; Mines committed only 11.
- The Orediggers led 32-24 in rebounding. Clare's seven boards led the team as Glen snared six and Means five.
- Sonnefeld equaled his career high of 26 points set at Colorado Christian last year. The senior was 8-of-11, 8-for-8 at the foul line, and added three rebounds, three assists, and three steals to only one turnover. He scored 15 in the second half.
- Mines held the RMAC's second-leading scorer, Gerad Davis, to 10 points in 31 minutes. Raquan Mitchell hit his average of 20 points to lead the Cowboys, and Jordan Jones added 18.
- The Orediggers are a win away from clinching a berth in the RMAC Tournament, with seven games remaining on the schedule.

NEXT UP
Mines returns home to host Chadron State on Friday at 8 p.m.