GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado men's basketball team opens the 2021 portion of its schedule 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against South Dakota Mines at Paul Wright Gym. No spectators are allowed at the contest.

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO TUESDAY | SEASON STATS
Western will be playing its first game since falling at No. 5 Colorado School of Mines 67-57 on Dec. 18 in Golden. The Mountaineers jumped out to a 21-12 lead, but an 8-0 run by the Orediggers to end the first half gave Mines a 31-26 lead and Western trailed the rest of the way. Matthew Ragsdale led four Mountaineers in double figures with 13 points while Cole Sienknecht, Avery Rembao and Jackson Ehrlin had 11 points apiece.

The Mountaineers have featured a balanced attack this season with four players averaging double figures in Ragsdale (14.3), Ehrlin (10.3), Sienknecht (11.8) and Rembao (11.3). Ehrlin is averaging a double-double as he's averaging 10.3 rebounds to go along with his 12.5 points per game. He's also at 2.8 assists (third on team) and 1.5 blocks (tops on team) per game. Sienknecht and Grant Wilkinson are each averaging a team-high 3.3 assists per game.

MINES HEADING INTO TUESDAY | SEASON STATS
The Hardrockers are coming off an overtime victory at Fort Lewis on Sunday, 84-79. The Skyhawks tied the game with a 3-pointer with nine seconds left and took a 72-68 in overtime, but Mines outscored FLC 16-7 the rest of the way to come away with the win. Alejandro Rama led the team with 24 points while Wilfred Dickson added 16 points.

The Hardrockers are led offensively by Dickson (11.0 ppg), Rama (10.3), Kolten Mortensen (9.7), Brnagh Walsh (8.7) and Brevin Walter (8.5). Mortensen leads the team in rebounding *7.3) while Kolton Frugoli leads the team in assists (2.0). As a team, Mines is shooting 44.8 percent from the field, but just 29.4 percent from 3-point range. The Hardrockers are also outrebounding their opponents by 5.1 boards per game.

LAST SEASON VERSUS MINES
The Mountaineers lost to the Hardrockers on the road, 71-55, on Jan. 4. Jackson Ehrlin and Will Willis led the Mountaineers with 13 points apiece. Allec Williams led Mines with 19 points.
 

WESTERN COLORADO NOTES

- EHRLIN NAMED RMAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (DEC. 9, 2020) (FULL STORY)
Western Colorado forward Jackson Ehrlin was named RMAC Defensive Player after the 6-foot-9 senior averaged 11 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game for the Mountaineers in their two games - grabbing 11 rebounds in each contest while setting a career high with four blocks against Fort Lewis. Ehrlin also averaged 13 points and 2.5 assists per game. It is Ehrlin's first RMAC Player of the Week Honor and the third time in the last two seasons a Western player has earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Week with Monroe Porter earning the honor twice during the 2019-20 campaign.

- MOUNTAINEERS PICKED TO FINISH 10TH IN THE RMAC (FULL STORY)
The Western Colorado men's basketball team was selected tied for 10th in the RMAC's Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches poll. The Mountaineers are tied with Westminster for the 10th spot with 91 points, seven points behind No. 9 CSU Pueblo and 37 points ahead of No. 12 South Dakota Mines. Colorado School of Mines was picked to win the conference with 13 of the 15 first-place votes and 195 points while Black Hills State was picked second with two first-place votes and 172 points followed by UCCS, Colorado Mesa and Fort Lewis in the top five.

- SIENKNECHT CHASING ALL-TIME 3-POINT TOP-7 AT WESTERN
While just a junior, Cole Sienknecht has a chance to reach the top seven in Western history - even in this COVID-shortened season. The Colorado Springs product has 128 career 3-pointers up to this point, 29 behind the No. 7 spot on the Western all-time list by Mike Legg (157 from 1994-99). The all-time mark is 307 set by Wil Pierce from 1992-96. The No. 2 spot you ask? Current Western assistant coach Ben Beauchamp with 209 (2015-18).

- ELEVATED RECORD AT THE HIGHEST COLLEGIATE GYM IN THE WORLD IN 2019-20
The Mountaineers last season went 10-3 at Paul Wright Gym - the highest collegiate gym in the world at 7,723 feet. 

- WESTERN IN SEASON OPENERS SINCE 2009
The Mountaineers are now 2-10 in season openers since 2009.

• 2020-21 - L, 89-69 at Fort Lewis
• 2019-20 - L, 96-85 at UTPB
• 2018-19 - W, 77-72 vs. #4 West Texas A&M
• 2017-18 - L, 84-77 at #11 UTPB
• 2016-17 - L, 89-78 vs. Wayland Baptist
• 2015-16 - L, 92-68 at Arkansas-Fort Smith
• 2014-15 - L, 77-63 vs. Midwestern State (in Pueblo, Colo.)
• 2013-14 - L, 75-65 at Hawaii Pacific
• 2012-13 - L, 62-42 at Wyoming
• 2011-12 - L, 78-39 at Wyoming
• 2010-11 - L, 78-52 at Boise State
• 2009-10 - W, 94-79 vs. Northern New Mexico