The revitalized Chadron State College men’s basketball team gave a great effort, but had its nine-game winning streak ended Saturday night when the Colorado Mines Orediggers won 78-74 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference clash in Golden.
Certainly the Eagles wanted to win the game, but it’s not the end of the line for them. They have two home games remaining this coming week, and after winning more games than any other Chadron State team in more than 20 years, they have clinched a berth in the conference playoffs where they’ll tangle with Mines again or another of the RMAC’s elite teams.
There were five ties and nine lead changes Saturday night. The Orediggers took the lead for keeps at 59-57 after their top scorer, Brendan Sullivan, made three throws with 7:14 remaining.
The hosts went ahead by eight points twice down the stretch, but the Eagles kept battling and were down by only two points three times in the final 70 seconds. Four free throws by the Orediggers in the last nine seconds allowed them to keep the lead while running out the clock.
The Eagles shot 43.8% from the field, making 28 of 64 shots, their lowest since their winning streak began on Jan. 14, even though forward Josh Robinson was 13 of 17 from the field while tallying a game-high and career-high 31 points. He also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Senior guard Marcus Jefferson was CSC’s only other double-digit scorer with 10 points.
Sullivan, a 6-foot-6 fifth-year senior, led Mines with 24 points while going nine of 12 from the field, including three of his team’s four 3-pointers. He also blocked three shots, including a layup attempt by CSC guard Bryce Latimer with 25 seconds remaining that would have tied the score if the shot had been good.
Mines also got 12 points from 6-8 Kai Barr and had two players come off the bench to score 11 apiece. The Orediggers were 31 of 55 from the field for 54.6% and made all 12 of their free throws while the Eagles were 13 of 19 from the line.
Chadron State’s final two regular-season games will be Wednesday, Feb. 22 against South Dakota Mines and the next night against Black Hills State in the Chicoine Center. Both will tip off at 7:30 following the women’s games. The RMAC playoffs begin Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Chadron State—Josh Robinson 31, Marcus Jefferson 10, Bryce Latimer 9, Isaiah Wyatt 7, Porter Anderson 7, Jarrett Taylor 6, Martin Poznanovic 3, MJ Foust 1. Totals: 28-64 (5-15) 13-21 74 points, 34 rebounds, 8 turnovers.
Colorado Mines—Brendan Sullivan 24, Kai Barr 12, Sam Beskind 11, Riley Schroeder 11, Adam Thistlewood 8, Ben Boone 8, Reagan Koch 2, Adam Krasovec 2. Totals: 31-55 (4-10) 12-12 78 points, 28 rebounds, 10 turnovers.
Chadron State 29 45 —74
Colorado Mines 35 43 —78
3-pointers: CSC—Jefferson 2, Taylor 2, Wyatt 1. CSM—Sullivan 3, Beskind 1.