South Dakota Mines Men Defeat Eagles

_{(Con Marshall, Chadron Record)} 

The Chadron State College men’s basketball team made four of its first six field goal shots while jumping out to an 11-4 lead in the opening five minutes Thursday night in Rapid City.  But homestanding South Dakota Mines sank four three-pointers in the next 3 ½ minutes while going ahead 17-13 and led the rest of the way en route to a 78-67 win in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game.

The Hardrockers shot 52% from the field, including 12-of-24 from three-point range. Eagles made only 39% of their field goal tries, and it was one of those games when a bulk of their long-range shots swirled in and out of the basket.  They were just six of 30 from behind the arc.

After the Eagles made five-of-six free throws in less than a minute, they trailed by just 21-18 with 8:30 remaining in the first half. However, they sank just three of their next 13 field goal shots and were behind 37-25 at halftime.

Both teams scored 42 points in the second half, when the Hardrockers’ lead ranged from nine to 18 points.

Mines was 28-of-54 from the field and 11-of-18 at the free throw line. The Eagles were 23-of-59 on their field goal shots and 15-19 at the line.

Keagan Smith, a 6-foot-6 freshman, led the Hardrockers with 23 points, point guard Alejandro Rama, a 6-3 sophomore, scored 21 and Brevin Walter and Kolten Mortensen each added 14 points.

Smith made four treys, Rama three and the other two each hit two.

Teddy Parham scored 15 points, KJ Harris 14, Mason Heimstra 13 and Marcus Jefferson `10 for the Eagles.  Jefferson was the game’s top rebounder with nine. Harris grabbed seven for CSC and both Rama and Walter matched that number for Mines.

Both teams are now 9-15 for the season. Mines is 7-12 and Chadron State is 5-12 in the RMAC.
The conference’s regular season ends next week.                 

                Chadron State—Teddy Parham 15, KJ Harris 14, Mason Hiemstra 13, Marcus Jefferson 10, CJ Jennings 6, Taj Toney 4, Gage Delimont 3, Porter Anderson 2. Totals: 23-59 (6-30) 15-19 67 points, 29 rebounds, 9 turnovers.
                South Dakota Mines—Keagan Smith 23, Alejandro Rama 21, Breven Walter 14, Kolten Mortensen 14, Trase Olson 3, Bryce Sherrell 3, Brannagh Walsh 1. Totals: 28-54 (12-24) 11-18 79 points, 32 rebounds, 10 turnovers.

Chadron State                 25           42        —-67
                South Dakota Mines      37           42       —-79

                3-pointers: CSC—Harris 2, Parham, Jefferson,Jennings, Hiemstra, all 1. SDM—Smith 4, Rama 3, Walter 2, Mortensen 2, Olsen 1.