CHADRON, Neb. --- South Dakota Mines got out to a big early lead, however, Chadron State battled back and made a game of it late.
Early in the first half, the Hardrockers were rolling, getting out to a 17-6 lead, and a game-high, 14-point lead at 22-8, however, the Hardrocker offense would slow, and Chadron State would go on a 17-2 run, to take a 25-24 lead. The two teams would go back and forth for the remainder of the half, going into the locker rooms tied at 32.
Early in the second half, the two teams traded 3's with Teddy Parham Jr. hitting one, followed by
Brevin Walter. The two teams would continue to virtually match basket-for-basket with Chadron eventually getting a little bit of control going into the media timeout at the 10:44 mark with a 50-43 lead. Out of the timeout, the Eagles would stretch the lead to double-digits on a KJ Harris three-pointer. The Hardrockers would fight, however, going on a 9-0 run, to cut the Eagle lead to 1, before a Marcus Jefferson three for Chadron would slow the Hardrocker momentum, and extend their lead to 56-52. With 4:33 to go South Dakota Mines would tie up the game on a driving layup by
Keagen Smith. Moments later, Walter hit a mid-range jumper, giving the Hardrockers a 62-60 lead. One-of-two from the line for
Alejandro Rama extending the lead to 63-60. The Eagles' Taj-Mal Toney would connect on a tough finish, cutting the Hardrocker lead back to 1. In the closing minutes, neither team could get their offense going until
Kolten Mortensen would hit a pair of free throws with 39 seconds to go, giving South Dakota Mines a 65-62 lead. Chadron State would have several good opportunities to tie up the game in the closing seconds, however, it was for naught as the Hardrockers held on for a 65-62 victory.
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
