Mines at Westminster, Friday, 7 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Stats] 
Mines at Colorado Mesa, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Stats] 

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OREDIGGERS HEAD OUT ON PIVOTAL ROAD TRIP
With only two weeks left in the regular season, Colorado School of Mines hopes to improve its postseason prospects with its final road trip as it heads to Westminster and Colorado Mesa this weekend. The Orediggers visit the Griffins Friday in Salt Lake City for a 7 p.m. tipoff, then head back to Colorado to visit the Mavericks Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

MASKS REQUIRED AT WESTMINSTER
Fans are reminded that masks are required for all spectators, regardless of vaccination status, for indoor events at Westminster College.

LAST TIME OUT
After falling in the final seconds to Fort Lewis on Friday, Mines bounced back with a 79-74 thriller over Western Colorado on Saturday. Kai Barr's career-high 19 points and Justin Engesser's 15/15 double-double powered the Orediggers in a game that featured 15 lead changes and 16 ties. Mines didn't secure the win until the closing seconds on late free throws by Brendan Sullivan and Engesser. 

THE POSTSEASON HUNT
At 12-6 in the RMAC, Mines is currently tied for fifth in the standings with UCCS. Only two losses separate first-place Black Hills State (14-4) from Mines and UCCS, however, and with four games left the conference race is still very much up in the air. Colorado Mesa currently sits second (13-5) with Regis third (12-5) and Fort Lewis fourth (11-5). A win in one of two games this weekend should be enough to clinch Mines at least an RMAC Tournament berth, however. 

SULLIVAN NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Senior Brendan Sullivan was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team on Thursday for the third consecutive season, recognizing the civil engineering major's outstanding combination of athletic and academic achievement. Sullivan was also a repeat winner of the RMAC's Academic Player of the Year award earlier this season. This season, Sullivan leads Mines in scoring (15.2 ppg), rebounding (4.9 rpg), steals (1.3 spg), and blocks (1.0) while adding 1.8 assists per game and shooting .521/.364/.732 in a team-high 30.6 minutes per game. Sullivan ranks in the RMAC top-10 in scoring, field goal percentage, and blocks.

ORSER SETS NEW STANDARD
Mines' win over Westminster on Jan. 22 marked the 387th of Pryor Orser's career at Mines, which set the program's all-time record for victories. In his 21st season, Orser is now 393-209 to surpass Jim Darden, who coached Mines from 1954 to 1992 with 386 wins. Orser is also 280-144 in RMAC play which marks the second-most wins in conference history. Under Orser, Mines has won five RMAC regular-season championships and two RMAC Tournament titles, and qualified for 11 NCAA Tournaments including two Elite Eight trips. 

ENGESSER PRODUCES BIG OFF THE BENCH
Redshirt senior Justin Engesser has been a versatile addition to the lineup this season, and his work off the bench over the past five games has continued to ramp up. Last weekend Engesser averaged a double-double as he had 10 points and 7 rebounds against Fort Lewis before 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Western Colorado; over his last five games, Engesser is averaging an impressive 13.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting .705 overall and .571 for three. 

MINES VS. WESTMINSTER
Westminster has struggled since last meeting Mines on Jan. 22, losing seven of their last eight including road losses at CSU Pueblo and Adams State last weekend, the latter coming in double overtime. The Griffins are 9-15 overall and 7-11 in the RMAC. They are led by Yusuf Mohamed's 13.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and Jarrett Jordan adds 12.5 points per game as well.

Mines blasted WC when the two met in Golden, 88-48, as Adam Krasovec had a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double and Trent Dykema scored 11 off the bench. Mines led wire-to-wire and held Westminster to .340 shooting. Mines has won the last two over Westminster, with the Griffins leading the all-time series 28-26. 

MINES VS. COLORADO MESA
Like Mines, Colorado Mesa is battling for a playoff spot at 19-8 overall and 13-5 in the RMAC, and they have been hot with four straight wins and five out of their last six since losing to Mines in January. Trevor Baskin is their leading scorer at 13.7 points per game, but the Mavericks are deep with seven players scoring 8.9 or more per game and five in double digits including Blaise Threatt (13.2) and Mac Riniker (10.5). The Mavericks ranks second in the RMAC in both field goal percentage (.489) and field goal percentage defense (.415). 

When the two first met on Jan. 21, Mines prevailed 68-58 thanks to a big second half performance led by Kai Barr, who scored 16 points, and Ben Boone and Brendan Sullivan had 15 each. Mines held CMU to .373 overall including .292 in the second half; Georgie Dancer had 16 for the Mavericks. Mines and CMU will be meeting for the 84th time since 1976, with Mesa leading the series 52-31. 

LOOKING AHEAD
The Orediggers wrap up the regular season at home Feb. 25 vs. Adams State and Feb. 26 vs. CSU Pueblo. The RMAC Tournament begins with quarterfinal play on Tuesday, March 1.