Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team heads West this weekend to face former Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rivals Colorado-Colorado Springs and Colorado School of Mines.

The Lopers (1-2) battle the UCCS Mountain Lions (2-0) on Saturday and the 14th-ranked Orediggers (1-1) on Sunday with both games tipping at 4 p.m. Central. No radio will be available but fans can follow along with live video and live stats.

Last year UNK beat both UCCS, 83-73, and Mines, 67-60, in the Health & Sports Center. Both teams went on to have strong season, the 'Diggers reaching the NCAA Tournament with a 25-6 mark and the Mountain Lions placing in the RMAC with an overall 17-12 record. The Lopers are 18-6 all-time vs. Springs and 41-14 against CSM.

UCCS was at home last weekend and beat both Midwestern (Texas) State, 69-66, and Cameron (Okla.), 90-62. Three average in double figures including 6-4 senior guard Padiet Wang (18.0) and 6-5 sophomore guard DaRaun Clark (12.0). Wang was a second-team All-RMAC pick as a junior and went for 15 points in the loss to UNK last November.

Mines fell to the St. Mary's (Texas) Rattlers in overtime, 87-85, in its season opener but bounced back the next day to down Lubbock (Texas) Christian, 75-47. They host Fort Hays State on Saturday. Junior guard Mason Baker (19.0 ppg) earned first-team All-RMAC honors last year junior forward Michael Glen (15.0) named honorable mention. Baker and Glen combined for 24 points and 14 rebounds last year against the Lopers.

UNK, with three road wins last season, are coming of an 87-79 (OT) win over Chadron State on Wednesday night. In the 16-team RMAC preseason coaches' poll, Mines was picked first, UCCS sixth and Chadron 13th.

Through three games Kearney has a plus two turnover margin and is shooting 45% from the field and 69% at the line. Bellevue senior post AJ Jackson, who sat out the win over the Eagles, has sunk 10 of 12 shots to be at a team-best 13.5 points per game with Utah junior newcomer Jake Walker close behind at 13.3.

Next Iowa senior Kyle Juhl is close to averaging a double double (8.7 points & 7.0 rebounds) while also having a team-best 11 dimes. Finally four Lopers have made at least two treys including Walker (seven) and Juhl (three). His career triple total stands at 124, 31 from cracking UNK's all-time top 10 list.

UNK hosts another RMAC foe, South Dakota Mines, next Friday.