No. 5 Colorado Mines hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final 10 seconds to top No. 12 Metro State 72-67 on Monday night at the Auraria Event Center.
The Orediggers (19-2, 15-2 RMAC) were led by Dale Minschwaner and Trevor Ritchie, who each scored 13 points.
Freshman Nicholas Kay scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Roadrunners (18-4, 13-4).
Colorado Mines outrebounded Metro State 37-33, the sixth time the Roadrunners have been outrebounded this season. Metro is 2-4 when it has been outrebounded.
Mines built a six-point lead midway through the first half, but Metro continued to battle, leaving the Orediggers only a one-point advantage at the half.
Demetrius Miller hit a jumper on the first possession of the second half to put Metro State on top 37-36, but a 10-2 Orediggers run put them back in the lead 55-48 with about 11 minutes remaining.
Metro again battled, going on an 8-0 run and cutting Mines’ lead to 63-62 with five minutes to go.
The game remained back-and-forth until Trevor Wages hit two free throws for Mines with a minute left, and the Roadrunners traveled on their ensuing possession as Mines held a 69-65 lead.
Metro’s Derrick January scored off a missed layup by Reggie Evans with 11.8 seconds to go, cutting the deficit back to 69-67.
Brett Green made two free throws with 10 seconds left, and Wages hit one with 2.9 to go to seal the win.
