GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa men's basketball team opens the New Year with a pair of home games in Brownson Arena on Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm. On Friday, the Mavericks will welcome in the South Dakota Mines Hardrockers followed by a Saturday tilt with first-place Black Hills State.
 
FREE ONES
Colorado Mesa leads the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in free throws made with 189, despite being ranked 13^th in the conference in free throw percentage at 70.0. Colorado Christian leads the RMAC in free throw percentage at 76.7 percent.
 
Senior Connor Nichols leads the Mavericks in free throws made and percentage at 48 and 81.4 respectively.
 
TOUGH D
The Mavericks will be facing off with the top scoring defense in the RMAC on Friday evening when they take the floor against South Dakota Mines. The Hardrockers are allowing just a little over 67 points per game this season while Colorado Mesa has the No. 2 scoring offense in the RMAC, averaging 86.1 points per game.

SCOUTING THE HARDROCKERS
South Dakota Mines enters Friday's contest with a 5-8 overall record but their record isn't indicative of their play. The Hardrockers outscored Fort Lewis 12-3 in overtime on the road for a 'W' before the break and have a one-point loss to first place Black Hills State on their resume.
 
Redshirt freshman Mitchell Sueker leads the Rockers in scoring at 12.7 per night. The 6-9 forward had a season-high 23 points in a South Dakota Mines win over Nebraska Christian in non-conference action over the break.
 
The Mavericks and Hardrockers have met four times in the two programs' history with Colorado Mesa winning all four meetings.
 
Last Four Meetings (Only meetings)
January 27, 2018 – @ Colorado Mesa 77, South Dakota Mines 71
January 28, 2017 – Colorado Mesa 63, @ South Dakota Mines 60
February 13, 2016 – Colorado Mesa 85, @ South Dakota Mines 66
January 1, 2016 – @ Colorado Mesa 67, South Dakota Mines 48
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Black Hills State enters the weekend on a five-game winning streak and have moved their overall record to 6-3 on the season. The last time the stepped on the court the swept the road trip with Adams State and Fort Lewis.
 
Fraser Malcolm leads the Yellow Jackets, averaging 15.8 points a night and went for a season-high 29 in the loss to Alaska-Fairbanks. The Scotland native has been in double figures in seven of the nine games played this season.
 
Colorado Mesa owns a 7-5 all-time mark against Black Hills State but are just 1-4 in the last five matchups including a season sweep for the Yellow Jackets in the 2017-18 season. The Mavericks are 4-2 all-time in Brownson Arena in the series.
 
Last Five Meetings
February 17, 2018 – @ Black Hills State 84, Colorado Mesa 74
January 16, 2018 – @ Colorado Mesa 68, Black Hills State 67 (OT)
February 18, 2017 – Black Hills State 68, @ Colorado Mesa 66
January 27, 2017 – @ Black Hills State 73, Colorado Mesa 61
February 12, 2016 – @ Black Hills State 88, Colorado Mesa 77
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Colorado Mesa will head out on the road for two straight weekends of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contests. Next weekend they will head to Pueblo and Las Vegas, N.M. for games against CSU-Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands followed by a road trip to rivals Fort Lewis and Adams State.