RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Mines men's basketball team is coming off a victory over a receiving votes Black Hills State team.
Despite a 2-4 record, the Hardrockers have looked strong and could very easily have a reversed record at 4-2.
GAME INFORMATION
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Date/Time: Dec. 1 / 7:00 p.m. MT
Site: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Arena: Gallogy Events Center
Series Overall: UCCS leads 10-6.
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 1
Series at UCCS: UCCS leads 5-3.
Streak at UCCS: South Dakota Mines Won 1
Last Meeting: South Dakota Mines won in Colorado Springs, 78-67 (2/11/2023).
Watch Live: RMAC Network | www.rmacnetwork.com/sdmines
Regis University
Date/Time: Dec. 2 / 5:00 p.m. MT
Site: Denver, Colo.
Arena: Regis Field House
Series Overall: Regis leads 11-3.
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 2
Series at Regis: Regis leads 6-1.
Streak at Regis: South Dakota Mines Won 1
Last Meeting: South Dakota Mines won in Denver, 86-76 (2/10/2023).
Watch Live: RMAC Network | www.rmacnetwork.com/sdmines
PROLIFIC POINT
Alejandro Rama has had a great start to the season, picking up right where he left off in 2022-23. So far this season, he is averaging 18.7 points per game, the sixth-best mark in the RMAC. That is a number that is sure to rise as his field goal percentages come back to the mean. Rama is adding 5.8 rebounds per game, 12th best in the conference. His presence is also being felt on the defensive end, averaging 1.5 blocks per game (fifth RMAC) and 2.3 steals per game (fourth RMAC).
CONFIDENT COHN
Cameron Cohn has not taken much time to get adjusted to the Division II level, averaging 13 points per game. His shooting percentages are 41.4% from the field and 34.3% from three-point range.
THREE-POINT THREAT
Keagan Smith is off to a hot start from distance, nailing 47.8% of his shots from three-point range. Smith is averaging 11 points per game to begin the season to go along with 4.3 rebounds per contest.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
In the offseason, the coaching staff made a point to get better on the defensive side of the ball. With additions such as Cam Cohn and Guido Wanschelbaum, the ball pressure has improved significantly and so has the defense. Currently, the Hardrockers are allowing just 68.7 points per game, a number that if it stays that way will result in plenty of wins. South Dakota Mines is third in the league in field goal percentage and three-point percentage allowed with opponents making just 41.6% of their attempts from the field and 27.1% from distance.
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
The Hardrockers led by Rama, Cohn and Kolton Frugoli in the backcourt are doing a great job taking care of the ball. On the season, they are averaging just 10.3 turnovers per game, a number that leads the RMAC. Defensively, they force 13 per game for a margin of 2.67, second-best in the RMAC.
LAST TIME OUT
In the most recent contest, the Hardrockers went down to Spearfish and got a victory over their rival, Black Hills State. It was the first victory over the Yellow Jackets since Jan. 23, 2021. The Hardrockers forced 15 turnovers and committed just 8 themselves. Big contributions down the stretch included plays from Jasper Reinalda who has solidified a spot in the rotation recently, along with Brannagh Walsh. Those two scored 13 points and had 11 rebounds, helping SDM to earn the 77-69 victory.
SCOUTING UCCS
The Mountain Lions came off a 2022-23 season in which they did not qualify for the RMAC playoffs, thanks in large part to a nine-game losing streak that derailed the team in late January, causing them to finish 15-14 (9-13).
They retooled a bit in the offseason, bringing in eight newcomers to go along with 10 returners. As a result of the experience coming back, UCCS was selected seventh in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
They are off to a good start to begin the year, winning four of their six games with wins over Cameron, Northern New Mexico, Navajo Technical and Justice College, with a close loss to Colorado School of Mines and another loss to Midwestern State.
Defensively, they are one of the few teams better than South Dakota Mines at defending the three, allowing opponents to hit just 26.3%, second in the RMAC. They are also the best rebounding team in the league, grabbing 39.7 per game to lead the conference and outrebounding opponents by an average of 5.7 per game. Fourth in the league.
True freshman Xavier Martinez has been a problem for opposing defenses as he is their leading scorer with 15.5 points per game on 47.1% shooting from the field and 40% from three, also leading the league in assists, averaging five per game.
William Becker is one of the top rebounders in the RMAC, averaging 11 per contest and almost averaging a double-double as he puts up 9.4 points per game.
SCOUTING REGIS
The Rangers were picked eighth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll as a team that finished 12-16 in 2022-23.
Regis is a young team, but returns plenty of players with RMAC experience under their belts as they roster 12 players that are juniors or younger, however, they return seven players and bring in six new ones, including two transfers.
Transfers, Tarig Elsa and Trey Bryant come from Division I Flordia A&M and Division III Linfield University and both have contributed early.
In Regis' 3-2 start, Sophomore Chase Harmon Mayo has taken a leap in his second year, averaging 18 points per game, including a game where he scored 27.
Ty Cox is the other double-digit scorer for Regis, averaging 10.4 per game on 51.2% shooting.
The Rangers are another team that plays solid defense, allowing the fourth least points to opponents, averaging 68.6 points per game allowed.
LOOKING AHEAD
After the pair in Denver, the Hardrockers open up home RMAC competition on Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 9 against Colorado School of Mines and MSU Denver.
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 13 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.
