RMAC/Heartland Challenge at Lubbock Christian University
#21 Mines vs. St. Mary's (Texas), Friday, 4 p.m. MST [Live Video] [Live Stats]
#21 vs. Lubbock Christian, Saturday, 6 p.m. MST [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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IT'S A WHOLE NEW SEASON
Mines opens 2016-17 this weekend with a trip to Texas to play in the RMAC/Heartland Challenge at Lubbock Christian. The Orediggers take on St. Mary's to start things Friday before playing the hosts on Saturday.

WHO'S BACK
After going 24-8 and making the NCAA Tournament last year, Mines' preseason expectations hinge on a terrific core of four starters coming back led by leading scorer and defensive stalwart Gokul Natesan and frontcourt anchor Caleb Waitsman. Natesan's junior campaign saw him average 20.7 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, earning him First-Team All-RMAC, NABC Second-Team All-Region, and First-Team Academic All-America as a junior. He owned a 2.2 assists/turnover ratio shooting 44.6 percent and 84.3 percent from the line with 84 three-pointers. Waitsman is a two-time Second-Team All-RMAC honoree, and averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game a year ago. Waitsman shot 53.5 percent overall.

Also returning as starters for Mines are redshirt sophomore point guard Ben Sonnefeld and redshirt junior shooting guard Luke Schroepfer. Sonnefeld ran the offense as a redshirt freshman with 32 starts, averaging 5.4 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game, while Schroepfer emerged during the season as one of the RMAC's top outside shooters with 55 three-pointers (46.6%) and 8.2 points per game.

Mines also returns a deep bench while includes frontcourt players Ben Clare, Adam Laine, Murphy Gershman, Luke Golter, Brandon Lueders, and Felix Scheytt and guards Kaan Korkmaz, Ruben Jackson, Zach Rusk, and Mark Winans.

ON THE BENCH
The 2016-17 season will mark head coach Pryor Orser's 16th in charge of the Orediggers. Orser is 262-168 at Mines with three RMAC titles and six NCAA Tournament appearances, including last season.

IN THE RANKINGS
Mines appeared in several preseason polls, showing up at #21 in the NABC preseason poll on Nov. 1. Mines was also #7 in the Sporting News preseason poll in September.

OREDIGGERS ARE PRESEASON FAVORITES
Mines was picked as the coaches' favorite to win the RMAC on Oct. 11, as they edged out defending champion Fort Lewis and MSU Denver for the top spot.

PRESEASON RECOGNITION FOR NATESAN, WAITSMAN
Returning seniors Gokul Natesan and Caleb Waitsman proved they were among the RMAC's top players as juniors, and the coaches recognized that by naming both Preseason All-RMAC. Natesan also earned RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight year after earning the postseason honor in 2015-16.

LAST YEAR
Mines took on both St. Mary's and Lubbock Christian at home in the RMAC/Heartland Challenge and won both to start the 2015-16 season. Mines beat St. Mary's 70-62 behind Gokul Natesan's 22 points and a 52.6% team shooting night, then handled LCU 83-68 with another 26-point night from Natesan and Ben Sonnefeld's 13-point, 7-board, 4-assist game.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will make road trips to Fort Hays (Nov. 19) and Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 20) before their home debut Nov. 25 against Wayland Baptist.