CHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State men's basketball program couldn't hold a four-point halftime lead as an 18-4 run by South Dakota Mines early in the second half helped key an 82-78 comeback victory for the Hardrockers in a Saturday afternoon matchup in the Chicoine Center. 

The Eagles fall to 2-7 with the loss and are 0-2 in RMAC play. With the win, South Dakota Mines improves to 3-6 overall with 1-1 in conference. 

Chadron State had four double-figure scorers, all with five or more rebounds – Jadon Cool (18 pts, 5 reb) Isaiah Randolph (15 pts, 5 reb) Blessing Adesipe (12 pts, 6 reb) and Jovan Jovanovic (11 pts, 5 reb) – but Randolph and Adesipe had each fouled out by the end of the game. 

The Hardrockers held a small edge on the scoreboard and won by fine margins in other statistical categories – outrebounding CSC 39-35 and outshooting CSC 46 percent to 45 percent from the field. 

The Eagles made more field goals (30 to 28) and splashed 11 three-pointers just two days after shooting 1-for-17 from beyond the arc against Black Hills State, but the Hardrockers got to the free-throw line far more frequently, making 19 of 26 foul shots while CSC was just 7-for-12. 

Despite the loss, Chadron State also set team single-game season-highs in both assists (16) and steals (13). Five Eagles had multiple steals, led by three from Zach Smith and two apiece from Randolph, Cool, Adesipe and Mack Keighran.

The Eagles forced South Dakota Mines point guard Jason Lee into eight turnovers, tied for the most by a single player in the RMAC this season, just two days after Lee scored an RMAC season-high 42 points on Tuesday in a loss to Black Hills State.

In a 180 from Thursday's three-point effort, the Eagles made five consecutive field goals from long range – by Randolph (twice), Jovanovic, Jackson Schauer and Cool – to take a 17-10 lead. For Schauer, a South Dakota native, it was the redshirt freshman's first career basket in the Chicoine Center after previously scoring a career-high four points against Black Hills. 

The Eagles led by as many as 12 in the first half after a personal 5-0 run from Jadon Cool to make it 31-19, but the Hardrockers cut it all the way to a single bucket with 1:14 to go as Chadron State held on to a four-point lead into the break, 45-41. The momentum continued for the visitors turned the tables from a 50-46 deficit to a 64-54 Hardrocker lead over the span of six minutes early in the second half. 

Chadron State had a rally in them. Trailing by seven, the Eagles tied the score at 72-72 on a putback by Collin Nick, steal and fastbreak layup by Blessing Adesipe and an Adesipe three-pointer on an excellent kick-out pass by Jovanovic. 

After that moment, though, the Eagles only managed two field goals in the final five minutes. South Dakota Mines went 7-for-8 from the line in the final minute to seal the win. 

Chadron State has two home games next week, facing CSU Pueblo (6-2, 1-1 RMAC) on Thursday at 1 p.m. and UCCS (5-3, 2-0 RMAC) Saturday at 3 p.m.

​Chadron State—Jadon Cool 18, Isaiah Randolph 15, Blessing Adesipe 12, Jovan Jovanovic 11, Mack Keighran 7, Collin Nick 6, Zach Smith 4, Jackson Schauer 3, Ethan Russell 2. Totals: 30-66 FG (11-27 3PT) 7-12 FT. 78 points, 35 rebounds, 16 assists, 19 turnovers.

​South Dakota Mines—Jason Lee 19, Ryan Sweeney 16, Gray Thompson 12, Gavin Soukop 10, Abel Hutchison 9, Darren Wallace 8, Luke Baltz 5, Alec Wendt 3. Totals: 28-60 FG (7-26 3PT) 19-26 FT. 82 points, 39 rebounds, 11 assists, 19 turnovers.