Rapid City, S.D.--- The South Dakota School of Mines Men's Basketball team with take to the road this weekend for what is arguably the toughest trip as the Hardrockers will challenge the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's top squad the Colorado School of Mines Friday followed by a tough matchup against the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Saturday night.  

The Hardrockers will take on Colorado School of Mines Friday in an 8 p.m. matchup in Golden, CO. The Orediggers have a 12-3 overall record this season and sit in first place of the RMAC standings with a 9-0 record.

Colorado School of Mines have won its last 11 games, their last loss came on November 18^th to Nebraska Kearny by a score of 67-60. Leading the Orediggers is Mason Baker, who leads the team in points per game with 15.7 and three point percentage with .460 percent. Baker is followed by teammate Ben Sonnefeld who averages 14.4 points per game and a .420 three point percentage. The two Mines schools have met 18 times, Colorado Mines leads the series 12-6.

On Saturday the Hardrockers will match up against UCCS in a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The Mountain Lions have a 10-5 overall record this season and a 7-2 conference record. They are currently in a three way tie for second place in the RMAC standings.

The Mountain Lions are on an eight-game winning streak after earning two wins by a total of four points this past weekend at Fort Lewis College and Adams State University.  The eight-game win streak is the second longest in the league.

The Mountains have the fourth highest scoring offense in the league behind 83.5 points per game, and the fifth best scoring margin (+3.3 points per game).  The program is one of the top ball-handling teams in the RMAC, registering a +2.2 turnover margin and a 1.2 assist-to-turnover margin.  The Mountain Lions have nabbed 117 steals in 15 games and are dishing out 15.9 dimes per game, the second highest assist average in the RMAC.

UCCS is led by Blend Avdili, Avdili is averaging 14.7 points per game, he also has a field goal percentage of .544. Following Avdili is Padiet Wang, Wang is averaging 13 points per game and a .533 field goal percentage. These two teams have met 7 times in the past, the Hardrockers lead the series 4-3.

As a team, the Hardrockers are scoring 66.6 points per game, just 2.3 points shy of their opponents (68.9).  They are shooting the ball at a 45.6 percent clip, and 71.8 percent from the free throw line.

South Dakota Mines enters the weekend 7-10 overall and 4-5 in RMAC play having alternated wins in their last six games. The trio of Mitchell Sueker (12.4 ppg), Allec Williams (12.3 ppg), and Logan Elers (11.4 ppg) lead the Hardrockers in scoring, with Damani Hayes snaring a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game. Troy Brady is a threat from long distance, shooting 41.5 percent and sinking 34 treys.  He has also grabbed a team high 25 steals.