COLORADO SPRINGS – Colorado School of Mines slipped past the University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team Saturday night, 87-82, at Gallogly Events Center in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season opener.
 
The loss moves the Mountain Lions to 2-4 on the season and 0-1 in league games.  CSM improves to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in the RMAC.
 
UCCS trailed the Orediggers for most of the first half, including a nine-point deficit at halftime, 47-38.  The Orediggers took a 17-point lead in the second half, 59-42, at 16:45, but the Mountain Lions rallied a comeback over the next 10 minutes to tie the game after outscoring CSM, 33-16.  Blend Avdili accounted for 12 of his game high 18 points during the Mountain Lions second half run, including two three-pointers.
 
With 4:39 left in regulation, Brandon Malone hit one of his three three-point field goals to give the Mountain Lions a 78-76 lead. After a Mines free throw, Malone hit the first of two free throws to give UCCS a two-point lead. 
 
Mines used a 6-0 run to retake the lead, 83-79 before Malone struck again from long range, cutting the deficit down to one point for UCCS, 83-82, with 23 ticks left in the game.
 
The Orediggers closed the game making four straight free throws.
 
Between the two teams, 67 free throws were attempted Saturday night.  UCCS made 18-of-26 for 69.2 percent, while the Orediggers nailed 23-of-35 for 65.7 percent.
 
Avdili made 8-of-15 from the floor and 2-of-3 from three-point range.  He added four rebounds and five assists.
 
Padiet Wang chipped in 17 points with two assists, two steals, a blocked shot and seven rebounds.  All three made field goals for Malone came from long distance as he finished with 12 points, including 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.  DaRaun Clark made 4-of-5 free throws as part of his 12 points and dished out two assists.
 
Ed Bourke came off the bench to tie for team high honors in rebounds with seven.  He made 4-of-6 from the floor for eight points and blocked two shots.
 
UCCS finished the game shooting 48.3 percent from the floor (28-of-58) and 47.1 percent from long range (8-of-17). 
 
The Orediggers were led by Ben Sonnefeld's 18 points.  Mason Baker made 12-of-14 free throws as part of his 17 points.
 
The Mountain Lions will travel to Grand Junction to take on Colorado Mesa University on Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m., followed by Saturday's game at Western State Colorado at 7 p.m.