GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado earned a tough, gritty 81-74 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Thursday night over visiting South Dakota Mines, that was closer than even the final seven-point margin indicated.
It wasn't until just over five minutes remaining in the game when a deficit on the scoreboard reached seven points, with a first half during which Western biggest lead of five points lasted 2 minutes and 22 seconds, and SDM's biggest lead of four lasted all of 62 seconds.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. South Dakota Mines, 81-74
Records: Western 6-11 overall (4-5 RMAC), SDM 8-9 (5-4)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both teams went at it like it was a 15-round slugfest, in all, seeing 10 ties and 10 lead changes. First half point differential was nearly two or one point for most of the opening 20 minutes, ending with SDM taking a 34-32 advantage into the halftime locker room.
• The Hardrockers scored the opening bucket in the second half but Aidan McDowell dropped in a 3-pointer to narrow the gap to just one, and Mason Mottashed followed with his own triple to suddenly lift Western in front, 38-36, in the early moments of the half.
• McDowell added another trey, for a 41-36 lead, but the 'Rockers came right back with a 5-0 run to tie the score.
• Jordan Kuac took his turn from behind the arc with a 3-pointer to push Western back in front and start a spurt that put the lead at six, 49-43, for the first time in the game.
• But SDM battled right back, just minutes later wresting away the lead, 52-51 with 13 minutes to play.
• The game was tied at 52-52 and 56-56 before McDowell converted a layup and one, followed soon after by a rebound tipin by Dawlton Grant that lifted Western to a 61-56 lead.
• The Hardrockers would fight back to within a basket, 61-60, but the Mountaineers would earn the win by finishing with a 20-14 final stretch to finally turn back the visitors.

HARDWOOD NOTES

• McDowell finished with a game-high 36 points, just one point shy of his career high, while also registering a double-double by coming away with a game and career high 13 rebounds.
• Quincy Scott went for double figures also, with 13 points, as did Kuac, too, with 10 points along with 7 rebounds.
• Western had a strong night off the glass, pulling down a 36-24 rebounding advantage, with Dawlton adding 7 boards to Kuac's and McDowell's solid nights in the department.
• Though SDM went to the free throw line 30 times, it hit only 16 of those attempts (53%), while the Mountaineers finished 17-of-21 (81%) from the stripe, figures that include McDowell's 11-for-11 perfect night from the line.

UP NEXT
Western will face 21st-ranked Black Hills State in an RMAC match Saturday at 3 p.m. in Paul Wright Gym.