Two CSM basketballers earn academic honor

Colorado School of Mines men’s basketball redshirt sophomore Garrett Loew and sophomore Gokul Natesan each earned their first RMAC First Team All-Academic awards during the release of the annual conference all-academic squads last week.

Loew, from Kearney, Montana, averages 4.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 16.0 minutes on 57.1 percent (24-of-42) shooting, 3-of-10 (.300) threes and 11-of-13 (.846) free throws.

The leading scorer off the bench, Loew has four games of nine or more points – all by 75.0 percent shooting or better – including a career-high 12 on 6-of-7 field goals against Black Hills State on Dec. 13.

Named to the All-Academic Honor Roll in 2013-14, he began the season with 3.918 GPA in Petroleum Engineering.

Natesan currently ranks sixth in the RMAC in three-point field goal percentage (.461), seventh in steals (25), ninth in three-pointers (35) and 14th in scoring (13.8 ppg). He is second on Mines (14-1, 10-1 RMAC) in assists (42), third in free throws (42) and free throw percentage (.724), and fourth in rebounding (2.9 rpg).

The 2013-14 RMAC Freshman of the Year owns 12 double figure scoring efforts and shares the team lead with seven games of 15 points or more, punctuated by a career-best 25 behind 7-of-11 shooting and 6-of-10 threes last Friday against No. 8/12 Colorado Colorado Springs.

He has at least one three-point make in 17 straight games and 34 of his 45 collegiate contests.

A Santa Clara, California native, Natesan holds a 3.975 GPA in Computer Science.

Redshirt freshman Zach Rusk (3.774 GPA – Mechanical Engineering) earned selection on the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll.

To qualify for Academic All-RMAC, student-athletes must have a GPA of 3.30 or better, be a starter or reserve, and completed two consecutive semesters or three quarters at their current institution. RMAC Sports Information Directors at schools that sponsor the sport of men’s basketball selected the first team.