RAPID CITY, S.D --- The South Dakota School of Mines men's Basketball team has four-straight home games in the friendly confines of Goodell Gymnasium at the King Center, starting this Friday. This will close out their home schedule for the 2016-17 season.
 
The SD Mines men are 10-10 overall on the season and 6-8 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The 'Rockers are on the brink of qualifying for the RMAC Conference Tournament, currently just one place out.
 
"As far as standings go we are right there," said Hardrocker men's basketball head coach Jason Henry. "There are four of us fighting for that seventh and eighth spot right now."
 
The RMAC postseason tournament, which starts Feb. 28, take the top eight conference teams. Between now and then, SD Mines has eight games left on the schedule.
 
Friday night the Hardrockers will host Western State Colorado University from Gunnison, Colo. The Mountaineers have lost three-straight games and won just a single road game this season.
 
Overall Western State has a 4-13 season record and are 3-10 in conference play. Despite this, Western State is one of just five RMAC teams that are scoring 80 points per game. Their struggles have come primarily on the defensive side as the Mountaineers give up 84.8 points per game --- worst in the RMAC.
 
The Mountaineers have four players that are averaging over 10 points a game. At the top of the list is junior guard Ben Beauchamp who is producing 17. 2 points each time out. He has great touch from the outside, leading his team in three-pointers (44) and total points (292).
 
Beauchamp is ranked seventh in the conference for total points just ahead of SD Mines senior Konor Kulas (17.2). Teammates Collins Smith (11.8 ppg), Brady Subart (11.4) and Will Dugan (10.5) will also be a handful for the Hardrockers' defense.  
 
Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the RMAC Network at Stretch Internet by logging onto:  https://portal.stretchinternet.com/sdsmt/ .
 
Colorado Mesa (Grand Junction, Colo.) will makes an appearance in the King Center on Saturday for a matchup with the Hardrockers. The CMU Mavericks have not yet won an away game this season (0-7). Overall, CMU is 5-14 after winning two straight against the very tough competition of MSU- Denver and University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
 
The Mavericks seem a well-rounded team by the numbers. They are in the middle of the RMAC in scoring offense and defense; and although they don't boast a prolific scorer there are four Mavericks averaging double-figures.
 
Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the RMAC Network at Stretch Internet by logging onto:  https://portal.stretchinternet.com/sdsmt/ .
 
 
After splitting last week (defeated Black Hills State, 65-54, for falling to Westminster College, 66-53), the Hardrockers are sitting ninth in the conference standings (6-8) heading into the weekend.
 
Coach Henry said he is excited for the next two weeks and what they mean to his team. These
next four games could make or break postseason play for the Hardrockers.
 
"It is a home dominated league -- when you are at home you have to take care of business," Henry added.