Golden, Colo.: A free throw by Colorado Mines' Trevor Wages with just five seconds remaining proved to be the difference as the Rangers lose a heartbreaker to the defending RMAC champions 72-71.

It looked like it might be a long night for Regis (3-8, 2-6 RMAC) when Colorado Mines (8-4, 5-3 RMAC) jumped out to a 15-5 lead just five and a half minutes into the game.  The Rangers then responded with a jump start by junior Corbin Green who hit two crucial threes.  Regis outscored the Orediggers 15-6 over the next six minutes to cut the lead to 21-20.

CSM scored the next seven points to take a 28-20 lead and eventually led by 10 points again at 32-22.  Senior Demitrius Owens hit two free throws and then Green hit his third three of the half to cut the lead to five with just under four minutes left in the half.  Regis scored six of the last eight points to cut the halftime lead to just 36-35.

Regis took their first lead when sophomore Dylan King hit a three pointer just over two minutes into the second half.  After that, the fight was on till the end.  Two free throws by King knotted the game at 69, which was the 10th tie of the game.  Neither team scored for two minutes before Wages, who scored a game-high 21 points hit a layup with 1:55 left.

The next 1:44 was scoreless and the Rangers had the ball with 1:01 left following a Wages turnover.  Wages blocked a shot attempt by junior Jarrett Green and a layup by freshman Kevin Marshall and got the rebound to give the ball back to Mines.

Following two timeouts, CSM inbounded the ball and the Rangers trapped Trey Winbush right in front of the Ranger bench forcing him to travel and give the Rangers the ball back with 25 seconds remaining.

Junior Joseph Bodman took a pass from Marshall and laid it up with just 11 seconds left to tie the score at 71.  The Orediggers inbounded the ball and got it to halfcourt and called a timeout with seven seconds remaining.

Following the timeout, CSM ran a screen play in the corner which left Wages wide open underneath where Bodman committed his fifth foul sending Wages to the line with with two shots and five seconds left.  He hit the first but missed the second and Owens snared the rebound. 

Regis took a timeout and then on the inbounds Regis turned the ball over to end the game.

Owens pumped in 17 points while grabbing six rebounds and stealing six balls.  Bodman joined four Rangers in double figures with a career-high 12 points.  Both Owens and Bodman each shot 6-for-9 from the floor.  Bodman tied team-high honors with Owens on the board with six.

Jarrett Green and Marshall each chipped in with 11 points, while Corbin Green and King had nine and seven points respectively.

Regis heads to Colorado Christian tomorrow night for a matchup with the Cougars at 7:00 p.m.