CHADRON, Neb. – Two rivalry showdowns, including a matchup against the No. 19 team in the country, await CSC men's basketball this week as the Eagles host Black Hills State and travel to South Dakota Mines.

The Eagles (4-14, 2-8 RMAC) will host the No. 19-ranked Yellow Jackets (15-3, 8-2 RMAC) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and then head to Rapid City to take on the Hardrockers (9-9, 6-4 RMAC) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Chadron State will be hoping to rebound from earlier losses to both schools, including a narrow four-point home loss to South Dakota Mines in December. 

Both games will be streamed live on the RMAC Network, accessible through daily, monthly or annual subscription options, or listen live on Double Q Country 97.5 and 105.9 FM and doubleqcountry.com with Dave Collins on the call. 

Looking Back
Chadron State earned a key RMAC win in Salt Lake City by beating Westminster 73-67 before losing to Colorado Mesa 86-68 in Grand Junction.

RECAPS: Westminster | Colorado Mesa

Chadron State set a new season-high with 15 made three-pointers and tied a season-high by shooting 42.9 percent as a team behind the arc. 

The Eagles went point-for-point with Colorado Mesa for a large percentage of the game, but an early 22-2 hole proved too much to overcome. Chadron State trailed by 20 just six-and-a-half minutes into the game and eventually lost by 18.

RMAC Peak Pricing
As a reminder, RMAC Network games this season now require a pay-per-view subscription to watch. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league's membership to enhance their broadcast systems and programs.
 
NEWS: RMAC Network Moves To Pay-Per-View Model
 
RMAC fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network, including both home and away RMAC contests for Chadron State. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription (for all sports) costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $10, which grants the viewer access to a single game for 24 hours. Subscriptions can be purchased through Hudl at rmacnetwork.com. 
 
This week only through January 30: fans can use the promo code "RMACSPRING26" and receive 25 percent off an annual subscription as part of a conference-wide "Peak Pricing Sale."
 
RMAC Network subscriptions apply to any game that is hosted by an RMAC institution, regardless of whether or not Chadron State is playing in the game. CSC's home nonconference games are included in monthly and annual subscriptions. 
 
Fans will technical support issues can contact Hudl, visit the RMAC email the RMAC Network FAQ page, or directly email the RMAC at rmac@rmacsports.org.
 
High Efficiency
Isaiah Randolph has displayed a knack for seeing his shots go down this season.
 
Randolph is currently shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 90.6 percent from the free-throw line. His free throw mark ranks third in the RMAC while his field-goal percentage would also be third if he had enough attempts to qualify.
 
The senior shot 50 percent or better in both games last weekend, sinking 6 of 10 shots against Westminster and 3 of 6 against Colorado Mesa. Randolph has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 12 of CSC's 18 games, including three 20-point games, which are the second-most on the team.
 
Aussie Aussie Aussie
Point guard Mack Keighran, a native of Melbourne, Australia, is currently on a streak of four consecutive games scoring in double figures, highlighted by a career-high 30 against Adams State on January 15. 

Keighran also chipped in 18 points against New Mexico Highlands on January 17, 10 points against Westminster on January 22 and 13 points against Colorado Mesa on January 24. 

Part of Keighran's scoring rise has coincided with a willingness to fire from three-point distance. Keighran was 7 of 27 from distance on the season prior to his Adams State game, but hit five threes alone in that 30-point performance. On his four-game double-figure streak, Keighran is 11 of 27 from beyond the arc.

Keighran is now averaging in double figures for the season at 10.8 points per game. He also leads the team with 37 assists (2.2 per game). 

Live by the Three, Die by the Three
Chadron State is last in the RMAC in team three-point percentage, hitting 30 percent of their shots as a unit. Last week against Westminster, CSC set season-highs in made threes (15) and three-point percentage (.429).

This week's rematches with Black Hills State and South Dakota Mines will see the Eagles replay some of their best and worst shooting nights of the season. 

In the previous game against South Dakota Mines, the Eagles hit 11 threes, which was a season-high prior to the Westminster game, and shot .407 from deep as a team. Against Black Hills State, however, the Eagles were only 1 of 17 from distance, setting season-lows for makes and percentage. 

In CSC's five biggest losses this season (by margin of victory), the Eagles have hit five threes or less four times – in all four of CSC's wins, they have made eight threes or more.

In the Polls
Chadron State was picked seventh out of 15 teams in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving one first-place vote. 

Black Hills State was picked to win the league, receiving 10 of 15 first place votes, while reigning champs Colorado School of Mines were second, receiving three first-place votes. Colorado Mesa received the final first-place vote and finished third while UCCS and Fort Lewis rounded out the top five. 

The remainder of the RMAC tournament positions were filled by MSU Denver, the Eagles and Colorado Christian. The poll was rounded out by Adams State, Westminster, New Mexico Highlands, CSU Pueblo, Western Colorado, Regis and South Dakota Mines. 

Black Hills State is the only ranked program in the RMAC at No. 19. Chadron State is 0-3 against nationally ranked opponents this season, losing twice to No. 16 West Texas A&M and once to the Yellow Jackets.

Scouting the Opposition
Black Hills State
Black Hills State, ranked No. 19 in the country, is 15-3 and 8-2 in the RMAC. The Yellow Jackets have won two straight after beating Colorado Mesa 85-63 and Western Colorado 86-76 last week. 

The 'Jackets are led by Cam Lowe, who averages 19.1 points (third in RMAC), 6.6 rebounds (10^th in RMAC), 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game. BHSU has three other double figure scorers in Jaeton Hackley (12.8 ppg), Myles Johnson (12.1) and Tristan Hurdle (10.1). 

Hurdle will enter Tuesday night's game three points away from 1,000 career points.

Head coach Ryan Thompson is in his eighth season. Thompson led BHSU to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and has won the RMAC Coach of the Year award twice.

South Dakota Mines
The Hardrockers of South Dakota Mines have an even 9-9 record and are 6-4 in the RMAC, surprising after being picked last in the league's preseason poll. Last weekend, SDM lost 81-74 to Western Colorado but defeated Westminster 75-70.

Guard Jason Lee is SDM's top scorer at 18.3 points per game (fourth in the RMAC). Lee scored 19 against Chadron State last time out and earlier this season set a program single-game scoring record with 42 against Black Hills. Ryan Sweeney (14.1 ppg), Gavin Soukup (11.8) and Gray Thompson (10.4) also average in double figures for the Hardrockers.

First-year coach Michael Iseman came to South Dakota Mines after serving as an assistant coach at Missouri S&T. With Iseman on staff, the team won a conference title and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years.

Coach's Corner
Chadron State Head Coach Chris Francis is in his second season leading the Eagle men's basketball program. In his first season, Francis put together a 15-14 overall record with an 11-9 record in RMAC play. The Eagles qualified for the RMAC tournament as the No. 8 seed.

Francis comes to Chadron after serving as the head coach at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (NAIA) where Francis compiled a record of 176-94 in nine seasons. Francis led the Drovers to five NAIA National Tourney appearances, a Sooner Athletic Conference Championship, and a Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, also taking USAO to an NAIA Elite Eight. Francis is a two-time Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2017 and 2022. 

A former student-athlete, Francis was a starting guard and captain of the men's basketball team at Rogers State University. In 2011, he helped lead Rogers State to the NAIA Elite Eight and a 30-2 record. Following that season, Francis was named the Sooner Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He was recently inducted into the Rogers State Athletic Hall of Fame.