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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES TO REGIS, 87-71

GOLDEN, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) scored a game-high 27 points and moved into 10th place on the all-time scoring list at Mines with 1,486 points, but it was not enough as the Orediggers lost their season finale, 87-71, to Regis University in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Thursday night in Volk Gymnasium.

Regis, which led by four points (37-33) at halftime, outscored Mines, 50-38, in the second half to claim the win.

In addition to his 27 points, Bahl totaled five assists and three rebounds. Junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) added 20 points and three steals, while freshman guard Matt Witwer (Minot, N.D./Minot) posted a career-high 11 points off the bench.

Austin Christensen led the Rangers (14-12, 8-10 RMAC) with a double-double effort of 23 points and a game-best 10 rebounds. Kent Brown posted 20 points and five assists, while Brandon Jones (17) and Zach Gelhaus (16) also reached double figures for Regis.

Mines concludes the season with a 7-20 overall record, including 4-15 in conference play.

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CSM MEN’S BASKETBALL UPSETS COLORADO CHRISTIAN, 99-98,
IN TWO OVERTIMES

GOLDEN, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) hit a baseline jumper with seven seconds left in the second overtime to lift the Orediggers to a 99-98 double overtime victory over Colorado Christian in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action on Tuesday night in Volk Gymnasium.

Mines (7-19, 4-14 RMAC) had a chance to win the game in regulation and the first overtime, but a jumper by Bahl was short at the end of regulation and junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) was called for an offensive foul near the end of the first overtime.

CSM appeared to be in good shape in the first extra session when it took a 93-88 lead with 1:57 left on a pair of free throws from freshman center Clayton Moores (Denver, Colo./Ranum). However, Matt Vaughn hit a three-pointer on CCU’s next possession and a layup from Ash Cannan tied the game at 93-93 with 57 seconds to play. Following Luedtke’s offensive foul, the Cougars had a chance to win the game, but Cannan missed a wild jumper at the buzzer.

In the final overtime, CSM scored first on an offensive rebound and putback from redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett), but the Cougars used a free throw from Lance Goeddel and a layup from Cannan to take a one point lead (96-95) with 1:50 to play. After a driving layup from Bahl, CCU’s Josh Gallagher gave his squad a 98-97 lead with a finger-roll layup in the lane with 38 seconds to play. That set up Bahl’s heroics and Luedtke stripped the ball from Curi Yutzy in the lane with four seconds left and the Orediggers ran out the clock to pull off the upset.

Bahl scored a game-best 28 points, while Luedtke added 27 and sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) chipped in 21 points and five assists. Moores finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots.

The Cougars (18-8, 11-7 RMAC), who were ranked first in the North Central Region earlier this year, were paced by Vaughn’s 25 points. Goeddel added a double-double of 15 points and a game-best 10 boards and Brent Hobba produced 17 points and five rebounds.

Mines will conclude its regular season on Thursday night when it hosts Regis beginning at 8:00 pm in Volk Gymnasium.

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CSM MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS TO SECOND-RANKED METRO, 90-69

GOLDEN, Colo. -- Second-ranked Metro State improved the nation’s longest Divison II winning streak to 21 games and remained perfect in conference play with a 90-69 win over Colorado School of Mines in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action on Saturday night in Volk Gymnasium.

The Roadrunners raced out to a 54-33 lead at the half and Mines was able to cut the deficit to 13 points with 13:20 to play in the game. But Metro would score the next eight points to assume control of the remainder of the game.

CSM junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) finished with a game-high 32 points, including 8-of-15 from three point land. Junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Metro (23-2, 17-0 RMAC), which placed five players in double figures, was led by Michael Morse’s double-double effort of 15 points and 10 boards. The Roadrunners outrebounded Mines, 46-23, and shot 41 free throws to just seven for Mines.

CSM (6-19, 3-14 RMAC) will return to action on Tuesday night when it hosts Colorado Christian at 8:00 pm in Volk Gym.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL TOPS CHADRON STATE, 70-54

GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball squad snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 70-54 win over Chadron State in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Friday night in Volk Gymnasium. Mines held a 50-37 advantage on the boards for the game.

CSM raced out to a 13-8 lead four minutes into the game, but saw the Eagles use a 16-6 run to take a five point advantage with seven minutes to play in the first half. Mines would rebound to take a three-point lead at the half, 39-36.

The Orediggers then opened the first four minutes of the second stanza on a 9-2 run to take a 47-38 lead and Chadron State would not threaten from there.

Mines junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) led all scorers with 25 points, while junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) added 17 points, four assists and three boards. Redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) added nine points and a career-best 12 boards and freshman center Clayton Moores (Denver, Colo./Ranum) added a career-high 12 rebounds off the bench.

The Eagles (8-16, 4-12 RMAC) received 13 points from Jeremy Wissing.

Mines (6-18, 3-13 RMAC) returns to action Saturday night when it hosts fourth-ranked Metro State at 8:00 pm in Volk Gym.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AT KEARNEY, 98-80

KEARNEY, Neb. – Colorado School of Mines junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) scored a game-high 29 points and dished out four assists, but the Orediggers were dealt a 98-80 setback at eighth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney’s Heath & Sports Center on Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.

CSM junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) added 19 points and four rebounds and redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) produced 13 points and five boards. Mines shot 14-of-27 from three point land for the game.

UNK (21-2, 13-2 RMAC) received 28 points and six boards from Will Taukiuvea and 23 points from Nick Branting, the leading scorer in the RMAC.

Mines (5-18, 2-13) will return to action on Friday night when it hosts Chadron State at 8:00 pm in Volk Gymnasium.

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CSM MEN’S HOOPS FALLS AT FORT HAYS STATE, 89-77

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State totaled 56 points in the second half and claimed an 89-77 win over Colorado School of Mines in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Friday night in Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Leading 33-28 at the break, the Tigers would go on to outscore Mines, 56-49, over the final 20 minutes and win their second straight game over the Orediggers this season.

Mines received 24 points apiece from junior guards Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) and Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) as the duo hit a combined eight three pointers. Bahl also added five assists, four rebounds and three steals, while Luedtke contributed four assists, four steals and three boards.

FHSU (14-8, 8-6 RMAC) was led by Terrell Young who posted a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Dominique Townes added 22 points and Marques Woods also reached double figures for the victors with 10 markers.

Mines (5-17, 2-12 RMAC) will be back in action on Saturday night when it plays at Nebraska-Kearney beginning at 8:00 pm.

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MINES MEN'S HOOPS LOSES AT METRO STATE, 94-59

DENVER, Colo. - The Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team dropped a 94-59 decision at fifth-ranked Metro State Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action. Junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Orediggers, while junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) added 16 markers and five boards.

Lester Strong led the Roadrunners with 26 points and six boards.

Mines (5-16, 2-11 RMAC) will be back in action Friday night when it travels to Fort Hays State for an 8:00 pm contest.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AT CHADRON STATE, 90-74

CHADRON, Neb. – Colorado School of Mines junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) scored a game-high 32 points, but the Orediggers could not overcome a 50-26 halftime deficit and fell at Chadron State, 90-74, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Thursday night.

Bahl also grabbed three rebounds and notched three steals and dished out two assists on the night. Junior guard Matt Luedkte (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) added 16 points and four rebounds, while redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) totaled seven points and nine rebounds.

The Eagles (8-12, 4-8 RMAC) were paced by Eric Griffo who produced 16 points and nine boards off the bench. Darnell Williams added 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Jay Wissing tallied a team-high 17 points, while twin brother, Jeremy, added 16 points and five boards.

Mines (5-15, 2-10 RMAC) will return to action Saturday night when it travels to fifth-ranked Metro State for a 7:00 pm tip.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS TO NEBRASKA-KEARNEY, 95-71

GOLDEN, Colo. – Nebraska-Kearney raced out to a 47-33 lead at the half and used a 28-point, eight rebound effort from Nick Branting to knock off the Colorado School of Mines, 95-71, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday night in Volk Gymnasium.

Leading 26-24 with 7:11 to play in the first half, the Lopers (17-2, 9-2 RMAC) proceeded to go on a 21-9 run to close the first half and take a 14 point advantage to the locker room. UNK maintained a double digit lead the entire second half.

Mines (5-13, 2-9 RMAC) received a double-double of 26 points and a career-high 12 rebounds from junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana). Junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) totaled 16 points and sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) chipped in 10 points and five assists.

The Lopers placed four other players in double figures in addition to Branting. Will Taukiuvea recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 boards and Jacob Mohs (13), Brain Dunagan (12) and Dusty Jura (11) also reached double digits for the victors.

CSM will return to action on Thursday night when it travels to Chadron State for an 8:00 pm tip.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES TO FORT HAYS STATE, 76-72

GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team erased a 15 point halftime deficit, but fell victim to a key late turnover and fell to Fort Hays State, 76-72, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Friday night in Volk Gymnasium.

Trailing by as many as 20 points in the first half, and 42-27, at halftime, the Orediggers mounted a furious rally in the second half and claimed their first lead of the game (54-53) on a pair of free throws from junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) with 10:22 to play. Neither team would claim a lead of larger than four points the rest of the way.

The key moment in the game came when Tiger senior guard Dominique Townes hit a running jumper in the lane with 15 seconds left to make the score 76-72 in favor of the Tigers. The ensuing inbounds pass was stolen by FHSU’s LaJuan Christon and the Tigers would hang on to win despite missing four straight free throws in the final seven seconds.

Bahl led all scorers with 23 points and contributed five rebounds and two assists. Sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) added 16 markers and two assists, while junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) totaled 11 points and four rebounds.

Dontez Dean led the Tigers with 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Townes (12) and Terrell Young (11) also scored in double figures for Fort Hays (11-6, 6-4 RMAC).

Mines (5-13, 2-8 RMAC) will return to action Saturday night when it hosts Nebraska-Kearney at 8:00 pm in Volk Gymnasium. The Lopers won at Colorado Christian, 101-93, tonight handing the Cougars their first conference lost and snapping their 16-game winning streak.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES AT REGIS, 81-43

GOLDEN, Colo. – Regis raced out to a 36-16 lead at halftime and claimed an 81-43 victory over Colorado School of Mines in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at Regis Fieldhouse. The win improves the Rangers to 10-7 overall (4-5 RMAC), while the Orediggers fell to 5-12 overall and 2-7 in conference play.

CSM junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) was the only Oredigger to reach double figures as he led his squad with 14 points.

Regis placed three players in double figures, including Brandon Jones who scored a game-high 23 points. Austin Christiansen added 21 markers and five rebounds, Kent Brown posted 15 points and seven boards, while Zach Gehlhaus scored six points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

Mines will return to action on Friday night when it hosts Fort Hays State at 8:00 pm in Volk Gymnasium.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES AT COLORADO CHRISTIAN, 103-80

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Colorado Christian used six players in double figures to win its 15th straight game, a 103-80 victory over Colorado Mines in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Tuesday night in Cougar Fieldhouse. CCU (15-1, 8-0 RMAC) raced out to a 51-39 lead at the half to claim the win.

Mines (5-11, 2-6 RMAC) was led by junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) who scored a game-best 24 points and notched three rebounds. Junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) was the only other Oredigger to reach double figures as he posted 23 points and five boards.

The Cougars were led by Brent Hobba’s 19 point, nine rebound effort. Micha Kohls (15), Ash Cannan (12), Matt Vaughn (12), Todd Chapman (11) and Josh Gallagher (10) also reached double figures for the victors.

CSM will be out to snap a three-game losing streak when it travels to Regis on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is slated for 3:00 pm.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES TO FORT LEWIS, 91-63

GOLDEN, Colo. – Fort Lewis raced out to a 43-29 halftime lead and claimed a 91-63 victory over Colorado Mines in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday night in Volk Gymnasium.

FLC (10-4, 5-2 RMAC) gained a double digit lead for good (21-11) when Tim Bieri converted a layup with 12:49 to play in the first half.

CSM junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) scored a team-high 16 points, while redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) recorded a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

The Skyhawks, who placed five players in double figures and shot 52 percent from the floor, were led by Ryan Sonnek who scored a game-best 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor. Nick Brooks added 19 points and four rebounds and Derek Yutzy produced 16 markers off the bench.

Mines (5-10, 2-5 RMAC) will return to action Tuesday night when it travels to Colorado Christian for an 8:00 pm game.

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MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES TO ADAMS STATE, 66-63

GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team fell to 5-9 overall and 2-4 in conference play with a 66-63 setback to Adams State in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Friday night in Volk Gymnasium. Sophomore guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) led Mines with a game-best 23 points on the evening.

The first half saw four ties and neither team gaining a lead of more than four points. A pair of free throws by Grizzly guard Brenno Blassioli with two seconds to play in the first half gave ASC a 27-26 advantage at the break.

The Grizzlies (9-8, 2-4 RMAC) claimed their largest lead of the night (64-59) with 2:02 to play on a three-point play from Brandon Norris. However, the Orediggers would score the games next four points to slice their deficit to 64-63. After two free throws by Brenno Blassioli gave Adams a 66-63 lead with five seconds to play, Mines had one final chance to send the game into overtime, but could not convert.

Junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) aided Bahl on the offensive end with 18 points and three boards, while redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) chipped in seven points and seven rebounds.

Blassiolo scored a team-best 16 points and grabbed five rebounds to lead the Grizzlies. Brandon Brochinsky added 10 points and seven boards and Norris contributed eight points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Mines will return to action when it hosts Fort Lewis Saturday night in Volk Gymnasium. Tipoff is slated for 8:00 pm.

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CSM MEN'S HOOPS TOPS NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS, 71-51

LAS VEGAS, N.M. - The Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 71-51 victory at New Mexico Highlands' Wilson Complex on Saturday night.

Junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) led all scorers with 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the floor. Freshman center Casey Schmitz (Williston, N.D./Williston) added a career-high 12 points and four rebounds off the bench, while junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) chipped in 13 points for the victors.

NMHU (4-8, 1-4 RMAC) had two players register double-doubles. Wale Adeyemi produced 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Jamaal Weaver scored 15 points and grabbed 11 boards.

CSM (5-8, 2-3 RMAC) will return to action on Friday night when it hosts Adams State at 8:00 pm in Volk Gymnasium.

MINES MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES AT CSU-PUEBLO, 66-56

PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team dropped its fourth straight game, a 66-56 setback at Colorado State-Pueblo, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Friday evening at Massari Arena.

Trailing 35-24 with 2:26 left in the first half, the Orediggers used buckets from junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) and redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) to slice their deficit to 35-28 at the half.

However, the Thunderwolves would outscore Mines, 20-9, over the first 12 minutes of the second half to assume a 16-point advantage (55-39) with 8:35 to play. CSM managed to cut the lead to nine points (57-48) on a three-pointer from junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) with 4:55 to play, but would draw no closer the rest of the night.

Luedtke scored a team-high 15 points and added five rebounds. Bahl and Iverson added 11 points apiece, while Iverson also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

Chad France led CSU-Pueblo (10-2, 3-1 RMAC) with 17 points and eight boards. Alfred Sanchez scored 16 points, while Gabe Sandoval added 11 markers off the bench.

Mines (4-8, 1-3 RMAC) will return to action Saturday night when it plays at New Mexico Highlands. Tipoff is slated for 8:00 pm.

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MINES MEN'S HOOPS FALLS TO MESA STATE, 84-73

GOLDEN, Colo. - The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team fell to 4-7 overall and 1-2 in conference play with an 84-73 setback to Mesa State in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Saturday night in Volk Gymnasium. The Mavericks improved to 5-6 overall and 1-3 in the conference with the win.

Leading 16-15 with 14 minutes to play in the first half, the Mavericks would proceed to go on a 9-0 run to claim a 24-15 lead with 7:35 to play in the half and hold on to a nine point lead at the intermission (36-27).

Mesa would extend its halftime advantage to as many as 19 points (54-35) with 13 minutes to play in the second half. However, the Orediggers mounted a furious rally to slice the lead to 65-61 with five minutes to play only to see the Mavericks respond with a 9-3 run to reclaim a 10 point lead with two minutes to play.

Mines redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) scored 17 points and grabbed seven boards to lead his squad. Junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) added 16 points and four assists, while junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) chipped in 13 markers and dished out five assists.

Tony Qorri scored a game-best 22 points and added eight boards the lead Mesa State. Aaron Hill and Dwayne Horn scored 11 points apiece, while David Dunbar posted 10 points for the Mavericks.

CSM will return to action on Friday night when it plays at Colorado State-Pueblo. Tipoff is slated for 8:00 pm.

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MINES MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS TWO AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team fell to 4-6 with a pair of losses at the Jackrabbit Holiday Classic contested at South Dakota State’s Frost Arena on Dec. 28-29. On Sunday, the Orediggers dropped a 79-69 overtime contest to North Dakota and followed that with a 102-82 loss to the fourth-ranked host school.

Against UND (8-4), the Orediggers received 61 of their 69 points from junior guards Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana), Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) and sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart). Luedkte led the way with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Bahl added 22 points and five steals and Wagstaff 14 markers.

North Dakota was led by Todd Rypkema’s 25 point, 22 rebound afternoon. He also converted a game-tying layup with 11 seconds to play in regulation after Luedtke converted 1-of-2 free throws with 25 seconds to play.

In the loss to South Dakota State, ranked fourth in the latest Division II poll, Mines received 20 points and three assists from Wagstaff, while redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) produced a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards.

SDSU (15-0) placed six players in double figures led by Jake Wenig’s 18 point night. Jared DeJong added a double double with 15 points and a game-best 17 rebounds.

Mines will return to action on Saturday night when it hosts Mesa State for an 8:00 pm tipoff in Volk Gymnasium.

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CSM MEN'S HOOPS ROLLS TO 96-75 WIN OVER NORTHERN COLORADO

GOLDEN, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines junior guards Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) and Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) combined for 61 points as the Orediggers rolled to an easy 96-75 victory over Northern Colorado in nonconference men’s basketball action Wednesday night at Volk Gymnasium.

It marked the fourth time in three years that Head Coach Pryor Orser’s squad knocked off their instate rival. CSM improved to 4-4 with the win, while the NCAA Division I transitional Bears fell to 2-8 on the season.

Mines, a team with just three experienced players and eight freshman on its roster, raced out to a 28-18 lead midway through the first half and maintained a double digit lead for the remainder of the game. The lead would swell to as many as 34 points (93-59) on a layup from Bahl with 2:39 to play in the game.

Bahl led all scorers with 35 points and added a game-best six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Luedtke finished with 26 markers and four boards, redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots, while freshman center Clayton Moores (Denver, Colo./Ranum) added five points, nine boards and four blocked shots.

UNC was led by Vincent Jackson’s 20 point, eight rebound effort. Michael Frazier totaled 14 points and four rebounds, while Erik Olson contributed a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 10 boards.

CSM will take an extended break away from competitive competition and won’t play again until Dec. 28 when they take on North Dakota at the South Dakota State Christmas Classic. Tipoff is slated for 3:00 pm.

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CSM MEN'S HOOPS WINS AT UCCS, 56-55

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) hit a three-pointer with 1:15 to play to lift the visiting Orediggers to a 56-55 victory over CU-Colorado Springs in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday night at the Lions’ Den.

UCCS (0-6, 0-2 RMAC) had a chance to win the game, but a three-point attempt by Trey White with 4.3 seconds to play hit the front of the iron.

Mines, which trailed 30-28 at the half, received 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and zero turnovers from sophomore point guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart). Bahl added 10 markers and three steals, while freshman guard Matt Witwer (Minot, N.D./Minot) tallied a career-best nine points and four boards.

Jack Bain led all scorers with 20 points and also added a game-best 14 rebounds. Casey Gutting posted 15 points, while David Goodenberger added two points and eight rebounds.

CSM (3-4, 1-1 RMAC) will return to action Wednesday night when it hosts Northern Colorado for a 7:00 pm game in Volk Gymnasium. The Orediggers handed UNC a 78-76 setback in Greeley, Colo., back on Nov. 25.

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MINES MEN'S BASKETBALL LOSES AT WESTERN STATE, 87-80

GUNNISON, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team dropped its conference opener with an 87-80 setback at Western State in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Friday night at Wright Gym.

The Orediggers (2-4, 0-1 RMAC) led 48-43 at halftime, but the Mountaineers would knot the game at 72-72 on a layup from John Campbell with 5:34 to play. Bly McGuire gave Western its first lead and the lead for good (74-73) with a jumper with 4:49 left in the game.

CSM junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) led his squad with a game-high 26 points and six rebounds. Sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) chipped in 22 points, six assists and four rebounds, while junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) added 17 points and five boards.

Western (1-4, 1-0 RMAC), which snapped a 30 game losing streak with the win, placed four players in double figures. Nate Morris and McGuire led the way with 20 points each, while Morris added 12 boards and McGuire 10.

CSM will return to action Saturday night when it plays at CU-Colorado Springs. Tipoff is slated for 8:00 pm.

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CSM MEN'S HOOPS FALLS TO SEATTLE PACIFIC, 81-76

CHICO, Calif. - The Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team slipped to 2-3 overall with an 81-76 setback to Seattle Pacific in the final day of action at the 44th Annual Wittmeier Auto Center Classic Mac Martin Tournament in Acker Gymnasium. Junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) totaled 21 points, five steals and four assists and was named to the all-tournament team.

For the second time in as many days, the Orediggers raced out to a halftime lead, 44-35. However, Seattle Pacific (2-2) would go on to outscore Mines, 46-32, in the second half to claim the win.

In addition to Bahl, junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) scored a game-best 22 points and added four rebounds and two steals. Freshman center Clayton Moores (Denver, Colo./Ranum) was a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor for eight points and redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) chipped in eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.

SPU placed three players in double figures led by Jordan Lee's 19 points. Tony Binetti recorded 13 points and six boards and Jason Chivers added 15 markers.

CSM will return to action on Dec. 12 when it travels to Western State for an 8:00 pm game.

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MINES MEN'S HOOPS FALLS TO CENTRAL WASHINGTON, 83-74

CHICO, Calif. – Colorado School of Mines junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) scored a season-high 33 points, but it was not enough as the Orediggers fell to Central Washington, 83-74, in nonconference men’s basketball action Friday night in Acker Gym.

Mines (2-2) raced out to a 40-29 lead at the half, but CWU would go on to outscore the Orediggers, 54-34, over the final 20 minutes of action to claim the nine point win.

Bahl scored his 33 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point land. Sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) added 15 points and four assists, while junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) posted 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals.

Tyler Mitchell recorded a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 11 boards to lead Central Washington. Jay Van Hook scored a team-best 17 points and grabbed eight boards, while Kyle Boast and Mike Conner contributed 11 points apiece.

Mines will return to action on Saturday when it plays Seattle Pacific at 5:00 pm in Chico, Calif.

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CSM MEN'S HOOPS WINS AT NORTHERN COLORADO, 78-76

GREELEY, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) hit two free throws with four seconds to play to lead the Orediggers to a 78-76 victory over Northern Colorado in nonconference men’s basketball action Tuesday night at Butler-Hancock Hall.

For the third time in as many games this season, CSM found itself trailing at the half, 50-38, also marking the second time this season Mines rallied from a double digit halftime deficit to post a win.

Mines (2-1) slowly sliced away at its halftime deficit throughout the final 20 minutes and tied the score at 76-76 on a three-pointer from Luedtke with 51 seconds to play. It was the first tie of the game since 9-9 just 2:30 into the contest.

Following Luedtke’s trifecta, UNC’s Chris Gebhardt turned the ball over with 27 seconds to play. Luedtke missed a jumper with seven ticks on the clock, but managed to get his own rebound and was fouled. He sank both free throws which proved to be the game-winning points.

Luedtke scored 21 points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds and two assists. Junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) added 21 markers and three boards, redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) posted 13 points and four rebounds, while sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) dished out a game-high six assists.

The transitional NCAA Division I Bears (1-2) placed four players in double figures led by Erik Olson’s career-high 20 point, seven rebound effort. Michael Frazier, Kirk Archibeque and Bryson Gholston also reach double figures with 15, 13 and 12 points, respectively. UNC hit on 19-of-29 (.655) first half shots, but could only muster 27 percent shooting in the second half (7-26).

CSM will return to action on Friday when it plays Central Washington at 5:00 pm in Chico, Calif. The Orediggers will then play Seattle Pacific on Saturday at 5:00 pm in Chico.

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MINES MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO NEBRASKA-OMAHA, 95-80

GOLDEN, Colo. – Nebraska-Omaha placed four players in double figures to claim a 95-80 victory over Colorado School of Mines in nonconference men’s basketball action Saturday night in Volk Gymnasium.

The Mavericks (3-0) claimed a 40-36 lead at the intermission and extended the lead to 10 points (49-39) with 16:12 to play on a pair of free throws from C.J. Martin. CSM was able to slice its deficit to two points on a pair of occasions, the second coming after sophomore guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) threw down a thunderous right handed dunk, which was followed by a three-pointer from junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) that cut the lead to 78-76 with 4:35 to play.

However, Nebraska-Omaha would go on to outscore Mines, 17-4, over the remainder of the game to claim the win.

Bahl totaled 28 points, four rebounds and two assists to lead Mines. Sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) added 15 points and five assists, while freshman forward Ryan McKay (Halstead, Kan./Halstead) and Luedtke chipped in with 14 points each.

Ty Graham led all scorers with 29 points. Tola Dada tallied 20 points and five boards and Ryan Curtis contributed eight points and a game-high 14 boards.

CSM (1-1) will return to action on Tuesday when it travels to Northern Colorado for a 7:00 pm tipoff.

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CSM MEN'S BASKETBALL TOPS WEST TEXAS A&M, 89-75

GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team overcame a 51-39 halftime deficit to post an 89-75 victory over West Texas A&M in nonconference basketball action Friday night in Volk Gymnasium. It was the season opener for Mines.

CSM raced out to a 9-2 lead just two minutes into the game by hitting its first three three-point attempts. However, the Buffaloes used 18 first half points from Rod Prater and 16 from Carl Lamb to claim a 51-39 lead at the break.

Mines chipped away at the deficit and gained the lead for good (64-63) on a jumper from sophomoer guard Ross Rhinehart (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Highlands Ranch) with 11:52 to play. From there, the Orediggers’ lead would grow to as many as 14 points when redshirt freshman Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) hit a three-pointer from the corner with 35 seconds to play.

Junior guards Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) and Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) and sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) scored 19 points each. Iverson added a double-double in his first collegiate game with 14 points and a team-best 10 boards.

Prater led WTAMU (1-1) with a game-high 30 points, including seven three-pointers. Lamb recorded 16 points and eight boards, while Richard Higginbotham totaled 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

CSM will return to action Saturday night when it hosts Nebraska-Omaha in the final game of the Colorado Mines Classic at 8:00 pm. UNO defeated Mesa State, 80-67, in Friday’s first game.

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MINES MEN'S BASKETBALL WINS SECOND EXHIBITION GAME, 97-96

GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado Mines sophomore guard Kevin Wagstaff (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart) hit a three-pointer with one second to play in overtime to lift the Orediggers to a 97-96 victory over the Colorado Flyers in an exhibition game Saturday night in Volk Gymnasium.

Wagstaff finished with a game-high 29 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Junoir guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) added 25 points and three assists for Mines.

CSM will open its season on Friday night when it hosts West Texas A&M at 8:00 pm in Volk Gymnasium.

CSM MEN'S BASKETBALL WINS EXHIBITION OPENER, 79-68

GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball team pulled out a 79-68 victory over NAL Financial in its first exhibition game of the season.

CSM trailed 34-25 at the half as it shot just 21 percent (8-38) from the field in the opening 20 minutes. However, the Orediggers came out hot in the second half, connecting on 16-of-29 from the field, including 8-of-16 from three-point range to claim the win.

Junior guard Stephen Bahl (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) scored a game-high 25 points, grabbed four boards and dished out an assist. Redshirt freshman forward Davey Iverson (Winnett, Mont./Winnett) posted a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with three steals, while junior guard Matt Luedtke (Ronan, Mont./University of Montana) totaled 15 points, five boards and five assists.

CSM will hosts the Colorado Flyers on Saturday at 7:00 pm in Volk Gymnasium in its final exhibition game before opening the season at home against West Texas A&M on Nov. 21 at 7:00 pm.

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