WEEK IN REVIEW -- GRIFFINS DEFEAT CCU AND UPSET NO.12 COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
 
The men's basketball team began the new year with a road trip to Colorado Christian and No. 12 Colorado School of Mines.  It was a good weekend as the Griffins defeated CCU and upset Colorado School of Mines.
 
Westminster defeated the Colorado Christian 77-64.  The Griffins had a strong performance in the first half and outscored the Cougars 44-21, making 6 of 12 three pointers.
 
The Cougars shot 50.0 percent from the field and made 7 three pointers in the second half, but the Griffin's 23-point half-time lead was too much to overcome.
 
The Griffins earned its first win over the Colorado School of Mines, upsetting the No. 12 ranked Orediggers, 78-73.  Westminster shot 60.9 percent from the field and was perfect from the free throw line on eight attempts in the first half.  The Orediggers were 44.8 percent from the field, but made 8 of 11 three pointers to keep the score tied, 39-39, going into the second half.
 
The Griffins got out to an 11-point lead with 7:29 remaining in the second half.  The Orediggers tied it up, 69-69, for the last time with 4:28 left in the game.  Tanner Newbold scored to regain the lead, Jarred Laws hit a three and Sam Orchard finished the game with four free throws to put the game out of reach from the home side. 
 
The Griffins finished the game shooting better than 50.0 percent in all areas—54.0 percent from the field, 54.5 percent from beyond the arc and 81.8 percent from the free throw line.    
 
Goodman was named RMAC offensive player of the Week for the fifth time.  He has previously been named Offensive POTW three times and Defensive POTW once.
 
UPCOMING GAMES

Westminster plays Regis and Chadron State at the Behnken Fieldhouse Friday and Saturday.  Both games are scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m.
 
The Griffins are 11-2 overall and 7-2 in the RMAC and are second in the conference standings.  Regis is fourth in the standings and Chadron State is 15th.
 
Live video of the games will be broadcast on the RMAC Network with Mike Lagechulte providing play-by-play.  Live stats will also be available online.
 
Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the door prior to the game.
 
GRIFFINS BY THE NUMBERS
 
Goodman scored 34 points against the No. 12 Orediggers, leading the Griffins to its first win over the Colorado School of Mines in program history.  He leads the team and conference in scoring with 380 points, averaging 29.2 points per game.  He is fifth in the RMAC in field-goal and free throw percentage, and third in rebounding.
 
Goodman leads the Griffins in scoring, rebounding, steals, and blocked shots.  Goodman has pulled down 103 rebounds, has 17 steals and blocked 16 shots.  He is second on the team in assists with 48.
 
Quincy Bair, Orchard and Newbold have each scored more than 100 points.  Bair has scored 129 points and averages 9.9 points per game; Orchard has 127 points and averages 9.8 points per game; Newbold has scored 113 points and averages 8.7 per game.

Orchard leads the team in assists with 51 and ranks first in the RMAC with a 4.6 assist/turnover ratio.
 
Westminster is fourth in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 32.0 percent.  Goodman, Newbold, Orchard and Jarred Laws are shooting better than 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.  Goodman is 20 of 42, Laws is 20 of 44, Newbold is 20 of 47 and Orchard is 14 of 33.
 
The Griffins are 77.0 percent from the free throw line.  Newbold is 93.8 percent from the charity stripe, making 15 on 16 attempts.  Goodman has gone to the line 107 times and made 94.  Orchard is 35 of 48, Bair is 28 of 38, and Mason Smith is 22 of 38.
          
SCOUTING REGIS
 
The Rangers are 4th in the RMAC with a 12-3 overall record and 6-3 conference record. Regis beat MSU Denver, CCU, and South Dakota School of Mines for a 3-2 conference road record.
 
Jarrett Brodbeck, Christian Little and Dexter Sienko have each scored more than 200 points.  Brodbeck leads the team with 240 points, averaging 16.0 points per game.  Little and Sienko each have 237 points, averaging 15.8 per game.
 
Brodbeck is 41.1 percent from the field and a deep threat having scored 48 from beyond the arc. Little Sienko and Ty McGee are shotting better than 50.0 percent from the field.  Sienko is 57.7 percent, Little is 52.3 percent and McGee is 52.2 percent.
 
Ryan Beisty, Little and Sienko have combined for 244 rebounds, more than half of the team's rebounds.  Beisty leads the team with 84 and Sienko and Little each have 80 rebounds.
 

STATISTICAL COMPARISON	GRIFFINS	RANGERS
POINTS PER GAME	78.5	84.0
POINTS ALLOWED	69.5	76.8
FG% / FG per game	.494 / 27.6	.480 / 29.3
3FG% / 3FG per game	.428 / 6.8	.359 / 8.3
FT% / FT per game	.773 / 16.5	.721 / 17.2
REBOUNDS	40.3	36.5
TURNOVERS	10.5	12.3

SCOUTING CHADRON STATE
 
THe Eagles are 15th in the RMAC with a 3-10 overall record and 1-9 conference record. Chadron's lone conference win came on the road against Colorado Christian, 83-59.
 
Dru Kuxhausen, Jaisean Jackson and Jeremy Ruffin are the leading scorers for the Rangers.  Kuxhausen has scored 166 points and averages 12.8 points per game.  He is 40.3 percent from the field, made 26 of 79 three point attempts, and is 83.7 from the line.
 
Jackson has scored 191 points, averaging 11.9 per game, and is 43.6 percent from the field.  Ruffin has scored 150 points, averaging 9.4 per game, and is 44.4 percent from the field.
 
The Eagles have three players that are shooting better than 50.0 percent from the field.  Michael Johnson is 50.6 percent, Matt Reader is 51.9 percent and Andrew Walker is 55.6 percent.
 
Ruffin is the leading rebounder for Chadron with 105 boards.  Johnson has collected 60 rebounds, Reader has 58 and Walker has 57.
 

STATISTICAL COMPARISON	GRIFFINS	EAGLES
POINTS PER GAME	78.5	66.8
POINTS ALLOWED	69.5	77.4
FG% / FG per game	.494 / 27.6	.490 / 28.1
3FG% / 3FG per game	.428 / 6.8	.369 / 7.9
FT% / FT per game	.773 / 16.5	.688 / 13.4
REBOUNDS	40.3	33.8
TURNOVERS	10.5	14.2

 
FOLLOWING THE GRIFFINS

Make sure to like Westminster Griffins on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news about the Griffins. Game updates are provided on Twitter by following @wc_griffins. Fans can stay connected with Westminster men's basketball by following @griffinbasketball on Instagram.
 
ABOUT THE GRIFFINS

Westminster is in its third year as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level. Last year the Griffins finished fourth in the RMAC standings with a 16-8 overall and 16-6 RMAC record.
 
The team returns 10 players from last season's roster all of whom played at least six games.  Dayon Goodman and Jarred Laws each started all 24 games last year.
 
The Griffins have been picked to finish fourth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' poll.