Kearney, Neb. - Freshman center Trevor Wages recorded a double double in his first collegiate start, and the Colorado School of Mines men's basketball team hit the glass in the second half, to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 72-67, Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.

Mines, ranked fourth in the Central Region and a 2010 NCAA Tournament team, improves to 16-3 (12-3 RMAC) while the Lopers fall to 8-11 (6-9 RMAC).

UNK appeared to dodge a bullet as Mines junior post Dale Minschwaner (6-6, 215 lbs.), one of the top players in the RMAC, sat on the bench in street clothes. On the season, he is averaging 12.6 points and leading the Orediggers in rebounds (8.4 pg) and blocks (23).

However, Wages (6-8, 236 lbs.) was more than a capable fill as he tallied 17 points and 16 rebounds in 31 minutes. The Littleton, Colo., native came in at 7.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while playing 16 minutes a night.

Despite being the smaller team, UNK out rebounded Mines, 19-16, in the first 20 minutes. The Lopers also closed the half on a 14-2 run to lead 36-34 at the intermission.

Sophomore reserve guard Akeem Morissaint (Delray Beach, Fla.) was a big spark in the half, tallying 10 points and having four steals in just 13 minutes.

Unfortunately, the lead was short lived as Mines started the second half on an 11-2 run to open up a 45-38 lead by the 15:18 mark. UNK never tied or regained the lead but also kept the deficit under eight points for the next 14 minutes.

Ahead 55-52 with just over six minutes left, Mines had a key four point possession as Wages made one of two free throws and then 6-6 junior wing Gordon Galloway rebounded the missed and converted a three point play.

The Lopers did have a chance to make it a one score game with two minutes to go and after Mines' Sean Armstrong missed a shot. However, two threes hit the back of a rim and then a 16-footer from freshman post Mike Dentlinger (Millard North) misfired.

Armstrong followed with a jumper in the lane to make it 63-57 with 55 seconds left on the clock.  The Lopers didn't get the score under four points until sophomore post Drew Sankey (Lincoln East) banked in a three with four seconds to go. Two Mines free throws then finished the scoring.

Having a plus 3.4 rebounding margin on the year, Mines out boarded UNK 22-13 in the second half, including an 8-3 margin on the offensive end. That led to a 9-3 advantage in second chance points.

The 'Diggers also out shot the Lopers, 46.4 percent to 39.7 percent, and sunk 17 of 22 free throws. Both teams were fairly solid with the basketball as each committed just 12 turnovers.

Once again, junior wing Max Froehlich (Pierce) had a big second half as he had 17 of his team-high 20 points after the break. Like Froehlich, Sankey went 6 of 11 from the field to tie his career-high point total (19) while Morissaint finished with 12 points and five steals in 21 minutes.

Finally, Dentlinger had a team-high 10 rebounds, eight points and four assists.

To reach his point total, Wages went 8 of 13 from the field and one of four at the line. Twelve of his rebounds came on the defensive end and he also blocked a shot and recorded a steal. In the backcourt, Armstrong had 16 points and Brett Green added 18 points, five rebounds and two steals.

UNK heads to Mesa State and Western State next weekend.