GOLDEN, Colo. - Another terrific defensive performance helped #13/24 Colorado School of Mines start off RMAC play with a win, beating South Dakota Mines 70-49 at Lockridge Arena.

The Orediggers (2-0, 1-0 RMAC) pulled away late in the first half after a feisty first 10 minutes from the young Hardrockers (0-1, 0-1 RMAC), who returned just one starter from their RMAC Tournament semifinalist squad last year. 

Austin Means led the Orediggers with 15 points and five rebounds, while Kobi Betts (12), Brendan Sullivan (11), Ben Boone (10), and Titus Reed (10) contributed to a distributed scoring load. Kolten Mortensen was the only Hardrocker in double figures with 12 points. 

Mines' defense was lights-out, holding SDM to 39 percent shooting overall as they committed 22 turnovers. Sullivan had four steals and a block while Boone swiped three among the Orediggers' 10 steals. 

It was a close game until a four-minute scoreless stretch by the Hardrockers helped the home team extend its lead for good. Means sparked a 9-0 run with a jumper at the 11:51 mark of the first half, and the Oredigger lead ballooned to as much as 13 before leading 33-23 at the break.

Back-to-back buckets by Means and Michael Glen early in the second half started an 11-0 run that ended with Betts' floater making it a 23-point lead at 50-27. SDM never got closer than 15 points the rest of the way as the Orediggers were able to clear out their bench in the closing minutes.

NOTABLES
- The last time Mines held opponents to under 50 points in consecutive games was the 2013-14 season, doing it against Colorado Mesa (48) and Western Colorado (45). 
- The Orediggers improve to 16-9 all-time against SDM, and snapped a three-game regular-season losing streak to the Hardrockers. 
- The Hardrockers' 49 points were the second-fewest in the series, since a 74-48 Orediggers' win in the 1962-63 season.
- Mines shot 50 percent for the game (27-54) despite being just 3-for-15 from beyond the arc. SDM was 16-of-41 overall and 5-for-20 for three. 
- SDM led 35-23 on the boards.
- Ben Grusing hit a basket and three-pointer in the closing minutes for a career-high five points. 

UP NEXT
Mines will visit Colorado on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in a game televised on the PAC-12 Network. The Orediggers return to RMAC play Saturday, Dec. 12 hosting UCCS.