SALT LAKE CITY – The men's basketball team hosted No. 12 Colorado School of Mines (12-1, 6-1 RMAC) to finish the 2017 year.  The Orediggers bench outscored the Griffins 27-9, and won the game, 65-64.  Westminster suffered its first home loss of the season and end the year 9-2 overall and 5-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
The Griffins started hot from three-point range with threes from-Sam Orchard, Dayon Goodman, Quincy Bair, and Jarred Laws- to begin the game and build a 12-point lead.  The Orediggers went on a 15-4 point run and cut the lead down to one with four minutes remaining.  At the end of the half the away team held a one-point lead, 36-35.
 
Each team opened the second half with a basket apiece.  Westminster scored one point over the next four minutes and fell behind by 10-points.  The Griffins recovered the lead for a small moment after Goodman, Orchard, and Mason Smith combined for a 10-0 run.  The lead changed hand three more times with the Orediggers holding on to a one-point lead with 2:53 remaining.  Neither team could score a basket and the game finished, 65-64, in favor of the visiting side.
 
The team was 43.6 percent from the field, 10-17 from beyond the arc and 54.5 percent from the charity strip, a season low.  Goodman led both teams in scoring with 33 points.  Quincy Bair had nine points, and Jarred Laws contributed seven points and five assists..
 
Goodman led the team with eight rebounds and Bair pulled down five.  Mason Smith collected three, and Orchard, Laws, Scott Cook, and Tanner Newbold each had two rebounds.
 
Westminster travels to Colorado Christian on Thursday and a rematch with Colorado School of Mines on Saturday.  Both games will be broadcast on the RMAC Network.  Live stats will also be available online.