LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The #10/11 Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team got a career night from sophomore Markus Pastorcic-Straun Thursday against #3/2 West Liberty in their opening game of the DII Holiday Hoops Classic at the South Point Casino Thursday evening, but it wasn't enough as turnovers and missed free throws proved to be the Orediggers' (8-2) undoing, as the Hilltoppers (11-0) scored 32 points off 17 turnovers and converted at the stripe to escape with a 92-87 result.
 
It was shades of Monday to start the game off as the Orediggers opened up a 9-0 lead over the first three minutes as Cade Mankle started the run with a driving layup before burying a three to end it with Jonathan Moore and Grant Pressly contributing as well. Kyler D'Augusino scored the first points of the night for WLU at 16:55 as the Hilltoppers looked to work their way back.
 
A three-point play by Alex Romack at 14:18 made it a 14-5 lead, but an 8-0 quickly erased that as a Kameron Tinsley free throw made it 14-13 with just under 11 minutes to play. Majok Deng and Moore each scored on the next two possessions for Mines to stop the run for a moment. A quick 8-0 burst from West Liberty including five from Daniel Autrey flipped the lead in favor of the visitors on the scoreboard at 21-18. Another field goal by the Hilltoppers made it 23-18 before Moore broke up the 10-0 run with a layup inside but was unable to complete the three-point play as it remained 23-20.
 
The fast-paced action continued for the remainder of the half as WLU ran their lead to as much as seven at 32-25 with just over five minutes before the break. Pastorcic-Straun and Deng closed the deficit to three a about a minute later and though a three-point play briefly made it a six-point lead, the sophomore from Ontario and Juani Dassie cut the gap down to 35-34 with 2:44 to play.
 
Both teams closed out the opening period strong as Alex Romack and Pastorcic-Straun did their part to keep it a one-point game going to the break with Mines trailing 39-38.
 
As play resumed in the second half, West Liberty opened the final frame on a 7-0 run, using their trademark full court press to extend their lead to 46-39 before Deng went 2-2 at the free throw line to stem the tide. Mines never let WLU pull away by more than eight for the balance of the game, and did make it a one-possession game several times down the stretch but could never quite draw back even or get in position to retake the lead.
 
A late three-pointer from Juani Dassie at 2:46 made it 85-83 and after a pair of JJ Harper free throws, Riley Schroeder kept it two-point game with a layup from Pastorcic-Straun at 87-85, but that was as close as Mines made it in the closing moments as the clocked expired with a final score of 92-87.
 
NOTABLES
-Pastorcic-Straun ended the night with 24 points on 10-11 shooting with four rebounds; both his point total and field goals made were career highs
-Schroeder chipped in 13 on 5-10 shooting with two boards and two dimes
-Dassie finished the night officially with 12 points on 4-7 shooting which included a 3-6 night from deep with four rebounds and two assists
-Deng ended with nine points and seven rebounds while dishing out three assists
-Romack added nine of his own with five rebounds on 2-4 from the floor and 5-7 at the line
-Moore netted eight points, just one off his season high, with four boards on 4-7 shooting
-The Orediggers managed to shoot .534 (31-58) for the game despite a .333 (7-21) night from beyond the arc
-An 18-28 (.643) night from the free throw line loomed large in the result as did a season-high 17 turnovers
-For the third time this season, Mines got a 50-point performance from their reserves
 
UP NEXT
Fans will want to grab a cup of coffee if they plan to follow along Friday night as Mines wraps up action in the 2024 calendar year at 8:15 p.m. PT against Angelo State in the final game of the Holiday Hoops Classic.

Fans can keep up with Mines men's basketball on X and Instagram at @minesmbb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.