COLORADO MINES MEN'S BASKETBALL
Game Notes - Week #3
at Northern Colorado, 12/5/02 - Greeley, Colo., 5:30 pm

PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Name Pos. PPG RPG APG FG%
10 Kevin Wagstaff G 8.4 2.0 5.0 .438
11 Stephen Bahl G 31.0 0.8 2.0 .531
20 Matt Luedtke G 17.6 4.2 1.6 .378
44 Farris Broussard F 4.0 7.0 2.8 .636
55 Mike McNish C 13.2 8.2 2.4 .684

OFF THE BENCH
No. Name Pos. PPG RPG APG FG%
3 Cole Henderson G/F 0.0 0.6 0.6 .000
5 Chad Friehauf G 6.0 4.4 1.6 .370
23 Ross Rhinehart G 1.8 0.8 1.0 .364
30 Justin Buckmaster F 5.6 4.4 1.8 .550
31 Bill Hadley G 0.0 1.0 0.0 .000
33 Tony Melum G/F 2.0 2.0 0.5 .143
52 Ryan Woodson C 0.0 0.0 0.0 .000

THE HEAD COACH
Pryor Orser is in his second season at the helm of the Oredigger men’s basketball program. He claims a 9-22 overall mark and a 3-16 record in the RMAC during his time in Golden. Prior to coming to CSM, Orser served one year as the assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Montana in Missoula. Orser’s previous coaching experience also includes a four-year tenure at Northwest College in Wyo., where he worked as the head of the women’s basketball program and an assistant to the men’s basketball program, At Northwest, Orser led the women’s squad to the most wins in school history (22) during his fourth and final season, an improvement of 20 games from his first season on the sideline at Northwest.

WANNA BE A BAHLER: Some people dream big of being a baller, but in the case of CSM sophomore guard Stephen Bahl, he is a big-time baller. The reigning Co-RMAC Freshman of the Year and an Honorable Mention All-RMAC pick last season, Bahl has picked off right where he left off last season. Through five games, he is leading the RMAC in scoring at 31.0 points per game and is shooting 53 percent (52-98) from the field and an amazing 58 percent (22-38) from three-point range. In Saturday’s 77-69 victory over Augustana, Bahl produced a career-high 43 points which surpassed his previous career high of 31 points set earlier this season. He has scored at least 25 points in every game this season.

IT’S RAINING THREE’S: Through five games, Mines has attempted 155 three-point field goals. In addition, the team has connected on 62 of those attempts meaning CSM is hitting 40 percent of its shots from beyond the arc this season.

1 AND 2 IN 3’s: Two of the biggest three-point threats in the RMAC play for the Orediggers. Sophomore guards Stephen Bahl and Matt Luedtke are ranked first and second in the conference in three-pointers made with Bahl hitting on 22-of-38 (58 percent) and Luedtke making 19-of-58 (33 percent).

WE MEET AGAIN: CSM’s game at Northern Colorado on Thursday will be the second time the two teams will meet this season. In the season opener in Volk Gymnasium at the Colorado Mines Classic on Nov. 22, the Orediggers came away with a 81-80 victory as junior forward Farris Broussard sank two free throws with 1.2 seconds left to seal the victory.

YOUNG GUNS: The Colorado Mines roster contains just two seniors, both of whom were walk-ons to the program, and one junior. The other seven players are in either their first or second season with the squad.

DROPPIN DIMES: Freshman point guard Kevin Wagstaff has been extremely productive with the ball in his hands this season. The Rampart High graduate claims 25 assists and just 14 turnovers through five games. Wagstaff’s 5.0 assists per game rank fifth in the RMAC this year.

QUICK STARTERS: Mines has gotten off to quick starts in each of its five games this season as it has led at the half three times and been tied once. In fact, CSM has claimed double digit first half leads in three of its games and a seven point first half lead in another. In total, Mines has outscored its opposition, 218-179, in the first 20 minutes.

NOT IN OUR HOUSE: The Orediggers lead the conference in blocks after five games with 29, an average of 5.8 per game. Seniors Mike McNish and Justin Buckmaster and junior Farris Broussard each claim eight blocks this season which is tops in the RMAC. In CSM’s victory over UNC earlier this season, Buckmaster blocked three shots as Mines tallied six blocks on the night.

SCOUTING THIS WEEK’S COMPETITION: Northern Colorado enters the week at 3-2. After dropping its first two games of the season, UNC has rattled off three wins in a row. In its most recent action, the Bears knocked off Grandview, 93-57. In that game, the Bears placed six players in double figures led by Parish Brockman who scored a game-high 16 points. UNC shot 59 percent from the field, including 58 percent from three-point range in cruising to the win. For the season, Kevin Knudson leads the Bears with 16.0 points and 1.8 boards per game. Sean Nolan is averaging 13.4 points and a team-best 5.8 assists per contest, while Josh Nigut posts 12.2 points and a team-high 6.2 rebounds per game.