Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Senior guard Gokul Natesan converted a three-point play with 13 seconds left to help 21st-ranked Colorado School of Mines edge Nebraska-Kearney, 73-69, Sunday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.
 
Mines, which banked in a three pointer at the buzzer to beat Fort Hays State on Saturday, improves to 4-0 while the Lopers (2-2) suffer a second straight last second defeat.
 
In a game with 10 lead changes and five ties, UNK used a 23-12 run to erase an eight-point second half deficit. This 10 minute stretch was capped by a layup from junior guard Yashua Trent (Chicago) with 1:59 to go and made the score 69-66.
 
After Mines made two free throws to make in a one-point game, UNK had two turnovers and missed the front end of a one-and-one over the next 1:54.
 
Last year in Golden, Natesan hit a desperation three from the sidelines to lift the Orediggers to a 67-66 win over the Lopers. This time, after that missed freebie, he drove the lane, made a layup and was fouled.
 
UNK had a chance to tie or win the game but Trent's pass from the Mines baseline was stolen with five seconds to go by sophomore Ben Sonnefeld. That led to two more free throws and the final points of the day.
 
"We gave ourselves a chance. With six minutes left, it didn't look like we would be in that position but our kids battled and got some stops," said Loper head coach Kevin Lofton. "With the ball late, all you can hope for is to finish that play or maybe we make a free throw and we sneak out with the win. This is the second time in a row they've nipped us at the end. They are a good basketball team."
 
Averaging 19.3 points per game on the young season, Natesan went for 23 today on 7 of 14 (2 of 4 threes) shooting. Going 7 of 9 at the line, he also had seven defensive boards and two assists. The California native also had the game winner on Saturday.
 
Mines had a plus eight rebounding margin, 38-30, and outshot the Lopers by eight percentage points 49-41%. UNK did score 14 of its points off 11 turnovers but were 0 of 13 from behind the arc in the second half.
 
The Lopers went 7 of 17 from behind the triple line to lead 42-39 at the intermission. Sophomore forward Carter Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) had three of the long range bombs.
 
Besides Natesan, starting forward Luke Schroepfer and reserve forward Ben Clare had 10 points apiece for Mines with reserve post Murphy Gershman (nine points & seven rebounds) close to a double double.
 
In his first game off the bench as a Loper, Trent had team-highs in points (19) and assists (six). He went 6 of 7 from the field and line to reach his point total.
 
Before fouling out in the closing seconds, junior forward Trey Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) had 18 points and seven rebounds with Burns (13 points & eight boards) close to his first double double.
 
UNK hosts another former RMAC rival, Colorado-Colorado Springs, on Wednesday afternoon. The Mountain Lions will come in with a 0-3 mark.