GOLDEN, Colo. - #8 Colorado School of Mines' big second half helped them overcome a halftime deficit as they dispatched UCCS, 64-54, to remain unbeaten.
The Orediggers (4-0, 3-0 RMAC) were led by
Michael Glen's 17-point performance and a 16-point spark from
Ben Boone, who had 14 of those in the second half.
It was truly a tale of two halves for Mines, who struggled with foul shots in the first half (4-of-10) to trail UCCS 26-25, but were a much-improved 16-of-18 at the line after the break to make up the difference.
After a lackluster first half for both teams, it was Mines that came out of the locker room with the greater intensity. Boone set off a 12-2 run to start the half as Mines held UCCS (1-2, 1-2 RMAC) scoreless for a four-plus minute stretch, and that turned a one-point deficit into a 37-28 lead when Glen hit a jumper in the paint at the 15:11 mark.
Glen would score eight straight points for the Orediggers before Boone took over with nine straight of his own, and that gave Mines its largest lead at 50-36 after the junior's three-pointer with 9:14 remaining. UCCS chipped away with a 9-1 run to pull the game to 53-49 on Alijah Comithier's layup with 3:48 left, and after two Glen free throws, Patrick Lanipekun made it a one-possession game with a three-pointer at the 2:36 mark.
Following a missed Mines bucket, Comithier's layup drew it to a 55-54 Oredigger lead, but Glen came up with a key basket with 1:41 left, and
Kobi Betts' full-extension block of Lanipekun on the next possession was the defensive stop the Orediggers needed. Boone, Sullivan, and Betts then made their free throws in the final minute to seal the game as Mines' defense held UCCS scoreless in the final two minutes.
NOTABLES
- Mines is 4-0 under
Pryor Orser for the seventh time.
- UCCS' 54 points were the most scored against Mines this season. The Orediggers are allowing a NCAA Division II-best 50.3 points per game, the program's lowest total through four games in the three-point era.
- Glen was 6-of-8 overall and 5-of-7 from the line to build his 17 points, and he added six rebounds and a block.
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Austin Means led Mines with 11 rebounds, one off his career high. He added six points.
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Titus Reed was a defensive spark with a career-high four steals and a block off the bench.
- Alijah Comithier led UCCS with 15 points and DaRaun Clark chipped in 12. William Becker had a game-high 14 rebounds.
- The Orediggers turned the ball over a season-low seven times to UCCS' 17, and Mines scored 19 points off the giveaways. Mines opponents are averaging 16.5 turnovers per game this season.
- Mines improved to 35-12 all-time against UCCS.
NEXT UP
Mines finishes calendar year 2020 at home against Western Colorado and Fort Lewis next Friday and Saturday.
