February 27, 2023 -- CHADRON, Neb. -- After winning the final two games of the regular season last week, the Chadron State College men's basketball team will advance to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's playoffs tomorrow to take on Colorado School of Mines in Golden.  Tipoff will be at 7:30.
               
Last week, the Eagles initially stopped South Dakota Mines 85-76 and then edged Black Hills State 88-86.  Both games had plenty of drama.
               
With Mines' Alejandro Rama sinking all six of his 3-point shots in the first 11 minutes, the Hardrockers took a 30-17 lead in the first game.  Mines still led 44-39 at halftime and remained ahead until Chadron State's Bryce Latimer nailed a 3-pointer that put the Eagles on top 66-65.  That was the game's only lead change.
               
Latimer would score 13 more points and finished with 43, tying him for fifth on CSC's all-time list.  The 5-foot-10 junior from Stone Mountain, Ga., was 13-of-19 from the field, including four-of-seven on 3-pointers, after he'd made just 10 treys previously. The Hardrockers tried to stop him. He was fouled 10 times and was 13-of-14 from the free throw line.
               
Isaiah Wyatt also scored 15 points for CSC while both Rama and Brevin Walter had 24 for Mines.
               
Next up for the Eagles was Black Hills State, which came to Chadron with a 24-3 season record and 18-3 in the RMAC.  Although the Yellow Jackets went on a 12-0 run to go ahead 29-18 midway in the first half, the Eagles soon had an 11-3 surge to cut the margin to 44-41 at halftime.
               
Neither team led by more than four points in the second half, when there were six ties and 13 lead changes.  A dunk and a putback by CSC center Porter Anderson in the final 80 seconds gave the Eagles the lead for keeps, although Black Hills had a 3-point shot from out of the corner that barely went off the far side of the rim as the buzzer was about to sound.
               
CSC Coach Shane Paben said the Eagles had beaten an outstanding team, and commended his players for working hard and improving immensely.
               
Yellow Jackets' All-American Joel Scott was the game's top scorer with 29 points while Matt Ragsdale scored 18 and Adam Moussa 16. The hosts put five players in double-figures, led by Josh Robinson with 26 and both Wyatt and Anderson with 19.
               
The two wins gave the Eagles 10 victories in their last 11 games, a 19-9 season record and a 16-6 conference mark, good for fifth place.  It's the best record for a CSC men's team since 1999-2000. The Eagles had lost four straight games in early January before catching fire.
               
Tomorrow's game will be the Eagles' second against Colorado Mines in Golden in 10 days.  The Orediggers won the Feb. 18 contest 78-74.  It was their 27^th consecutive win over Chadron State. Mines enters the playoffs with an overall 24-4 record and an 18-4 RMAC log. 
               
Robinson led CSC with 31 points while going 13-of-17 on field goal shots, but as a team the Eagles shot only 43.8%, their lowest since mid-January. The fact that Mines blocked 10 shots was major factor for the dip.
               
The Eagles also were just 13-21 at the free throw line while the Orediggers were a perfect 12-12.
               
Free throws have been a big ally of the Eagles, who have excellent quickness and play aggressively. They enter the playoffs with more free throws made than the opponents have shot. CSC is 380 of 522 at the line and the foes are 292-385.
               
Tomorrow's other first-round playoff pairings have Metro State at Colorado Mesa, Westminster at Black Hills State and Regis at Fort Lewis.  After Colorado Mines thumped Fort Lewis 75-64 in Durango on Saturday night, Mesa will host for the remainder of the playoffs this weekend if the Mavericks can hold off Metro tomorrow evening.

CSC softball splits Monday against Regis

DENVER, Colo. -- February 27. 2023 -- The Chadron State College softball team split Monday's doubleheader against the Regis Rangers, dropping game one 9-8, before winning game two 11-6.

In game 1, CSC took an early 1-0 lead on a Lauren Zimmerman RBI. Zimmerman reached on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, allowing Bailey Steinke to score.
 
After CSC left two runners on base, it didn't take the Rangers long to answer. Jessi Case hit a leadoff triple and scored as the next batter grounded out. Rachel Williams and Abby Larsen both scored unearned runs, ending the inning with a 3-1 Ranger lead.
 
Chadron State added two runs in the top of the 2^nd to tie the game at three, after Jessie Henchenski singled to right field, scoring Jaelyn Martinez-Lewis and Addison Spears.
 
The Rangers once against answered the Eagle's runs in the bottom of the second. Shayeln Allen scored on a Chadron State error, giving Regis the lead again. Williams then singled to right field, scoring Case. Larsen rounded out the scoring in the third inning with a two RBI triple, extending the Ranger lead to 7-3.
 
Chadron State managed a two out rally in the top of the third to tie the game. Steinke, who finished the game with four RBI's, tripled to left center, scoring Lewis, Samantha Conradie and Sloane Quijas. The following pitch was wild and Steinke advanced home, tying the game at seven.
 
Scoring was halted until the top of the fifth when Steinke singled up the middle, scoring Brady Laucomer.
 
The Rangers tied the game at eight in the bottom of the sixth, after a bases loaded walk scored Case. CSC was unable to score in the top of the seventh, leading to a Megan Clark RBI single that scored Lima Magana. Magana's run gave the Rangers the 9-8 victory.
 
Chadron State had 10 hits compared to Regis's nine.
 
Delaney Farnsworth took the loss on the mound for CSC. Her season record drops to 0-4. In 6.1 innings, Farnsworth allowed nine hits, while striking out three batters and walking four.
 
Three different pitchers saw action for Regis. Abby Covington earned the victory in three innings. Covington allowed four hits and one run, while striking out and walking two batters.

Steinke led CSC with four hits, four RBI's and two runs. 
 
Game two of Monday and game four of the series was CSC's lone victory against the Rangers. Like Monday's first game, CSC's bats stayed hot, winning 11-6 with 13 hits.
 
J'lyssa Martinez started the scoring early for CSC, driving home Steinke in the top of the first. Aliyah Rothstein scored next for CSC in the top of the third, giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
 
Two errors by the Eagle defense in the bottom of the third allowed two Ranger runs. Olivia Wick then hustled home on a ground out for Regis, giving them a 4-2 lead.
 
Chadron State managed to bat their way through the entire lineup in the top of the 4^th, causing two pitching changes for Regis. After Spears grounded out, Mackenzie Kroll started the action for CSC with a double.
 
Quijas singled up the middle, which advanced Kroll to third, and then stole second. After Steinke was walked, Jazlyn Arvizo reached on a fielders choice. The Ranger defense got Quijas out at third, but Kroll scored.
 
Martinez then drew a walk which loaded the bases. CSC's next batter, Ashland Baca also was walked, scoring Steinke.
 
Zimmerman got the bat on the ball, resulting in a 2 RBI single, scoring Martinez and Rothstein. After the Ranger's first pitching change, Henchenski was walked which once again loaded the bases. Spears was up to bat again and this time she drew a walk, which scored Baca. After the second pitching, Kroll struck out, ending the inning at 7-4 CSC.
 
Regis managed to score one run in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth inning, lowering their deficit to 7-6.
 
CSC gave themselves breathing room in the top of the 7^th. A Rothstein single and an error by the Ranger defense scored Steinke and Kroll. After Martinez was walked and attempted stealing second, an errant throw by Regis's catcher allowed Rothstein to score. CSC scored one more run in the inning after Martinez made it home on a fielders choice, making the score 11-6.
 
The Rangers had runners on first and second in the bottom of the 7^th, but were unable to advance them, giving CSC their loan victory of the series.
 
Haug earned her first win of the season on the mound for CSC, pitching a complete game. She allowed seven hits and six runs, while walking five batters and striking out five others. Alexis Kemp receive the loss for Regis.
 
Six different players recorded two hits for CSC in the victory. Steinke, Spears, Kroll and Quijas all had a double as well.
 
CSC returns to action March 4 & 5 as they host Fort Lewis. The series will be the Eagles home opener. CSC is now 3-12 and 1-7 in conference play. 

Paben named HoopDirt Coach of the Week

CHADRON, Neb. -- February 28, 2023 -- Chadron State College men's basketball coach Shane Paben was named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Week by HoopDirt.com on Monday.
 
CSC went 2-0 last week after defeating South Dakota Mines 85-76 and #10 Black Hills State, 88-86. The two wins improved the Eagles to 19-9 overall and 16-6 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.  It's the best record for a CSC men's team since 1999-2000
 
After winning 10 of their last 11 games, Chadron State will play Colorado School of Mines tonight in the first round of the RMAC tournament. CSC was defeated by the Orediggers 78-74 ten days ago.
 
HoopDirt is an online platform that was founded, monitored and is ran by current college basketball coaches.
 
Shaka Smart of Marquette University won the award for D1 while Mitch Oliver of Albertus Magnus College was the NCAA D3 winner.