ST. GEORGE, Utah - Colorado Mesa pulled ahead in the final minute to erase a spirited Colorado School of Mines comeback and win the RMAC Tournament final, 69-61.

The Mavericks (21-10) needed to win to earn the RMAC's automatic bid to get into the NCAA Division II tournament coming into the weekend ranked 10th in the region. Despite the loss, the Orediggers (22-10) are likely to hear their name called as an at-large selection when the NCAA bracket is unveiled Sunday night at 8:30 p.m.

Michael Skinner led all scorers with 19 for CMU while tournament MVP Tommy Nuno had 18 points and 15 rebounds and Ethan Richardson scored 18. Mines was led by Mason Baker, who had 18 points, five boards, and four steals off the bench, and Kobi Betts' 12 points.

The Orediggers led for only 14 seconds in the game after Brendan Sullivan's three-point play put Mines ahead 58-57 with 1:09 remaining. The Mavericks answered with just their second three-pointer of the game, by Georgie Dancer, to retake the lead seconds later, and they made nine of 10 free throw opportunities in the final minute to fend off Mines.

Mines trailed from the start but stayed in contact until a 7-0 run by Colorado Mesa to end the first half gave them a 32-21 lead at the break, their largest advantage to that point. The Orediggers reeled it back to six after a Betts layup and Michael Glen three-pointer early in the half, but a quick 6-0 spurt by CMU made it a 46-34 game with 12:35 to go.

The lead again went down to six after five straight Baker points, and back-to-back buckets by Paul O'Leary and Sullivan a few minutes later put Mines within five. CMU held off Mines until a 7-0 Oredigger run under four minutes to go; Betts sparked it with a cutting layup and Baker made two free throws before Sullivan's and-one opportunity put Mines ahead, 58-57, with 1:09 to go.

Dancer hit his three at the other end to retake the lead, and after a free throw miss by Mines, Nuno hit a pair and Dancer did the same following a turnover. That put CMU ahead six and Mines couldn't catch up as the Mavs made their foul shots in the closing seconds.

NOTABLES
- The NCAA selection show will stream on NCAA.com at 8:30 p.m. MT Sunday. Mines came into the weekend ranked #5 in the South Central region with the top eight making the tournament field; with no serious upsets in the Lone Star Conference Tournament and only Mesa's win bumping a ranked team out of the top eight, the Orediggers are likely safe to be in.
- Ben Boone and Michael Glen were Mines' representatives on the all-tournament team. 
- Mines was held to .400 shooting for the game; CMU hit at a .472 clip but was a red-hot .571 in the second half.
- The Mavericks dominated inside with 42 points in the paint and a 37-33 rebounding advantage.
- Baker tied his career high with four steals.
- Glen had four blocks, all in the first half. 
- Sullivan ended up with 11 points. Paul O'Leary pitched in nine off the bench.