Top-seeded Colorado Mines outscored eighth-seeded 14-5 in the last 5 1/2 minutes of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference quarter-final game on Tuesday in Golden to post a 79-74 win over the Eagles to gain the host role for this weekend’s semi-finals.
Ranked ninth in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches poll, the Orediggers (18-2, 25-4) will meet Black Hills State (13-7, 18-11) in Friday’s first semi-final games as the fifth-seeded Yellow Jackets posted a 79-69 road win at MSU Denver (13-7, 19-10) on Tuesday.
The other semi-final will have second-seeded Regis (14-6, 17-12) meeting sixth-seeded Fort Lewis (12-8, 19-11). The Rangers posted a 93-90 overtime victory versus seventh-seeded UC Colorado Springs (11-9, 17-12) in Denver, and Fort Lewis advanced to Golden with an 89-65 win over third-seeded Colorado Mesa (13-7, 19-10) in Grand Junction.
