You don't walk into Goodell Gymnasium and get a win you have to earn it.

That is the message the South Dakota School of Mines men's basketball team has delivered so far this season, and no matter what the other team's credentials may be - defending national champion or the NAIA Division II's fourth-ranked team - it soon learns it is a hard place to win.

A season after posting a 14-2 mark at home, the Hardrockers improved to

2-0 this season by defeating No. 4 Dakota Wesleyan University, 80-64, on Friday night. The win was the second for Mines over a ranked opponent after dropping Rocky Mountain in its opener.

"The last couple of years for whatever reason we really pride ourselves on taking care of home court," Mines head coach Jason Henry said. "We had an unbelievable crowd and played off of that."

After a close first half in which Mines went to the locker room leading 40-35, the game turned on one big Hardrocker run that would provide them plenty of cushion the rest of the way.

The Tigers closed to within two at 48-46, but Nate Jacobson hit two free throws for Mines followed by back-to-back 3-pointers by sharpshooter A.J. Trennepohl. Two driving layups by Jacobson - who played a controlled and calculated game at the point - put the Mines lead up to 14 at

60-46 halfway through the second half.

"That was the run, that was the game," Henry said. "A.J. can knock them down when he is open, and I give credit to the guys who made sure he got open."

Every time the Tigers tried to get a run going, Mines would respond with an easy bucket at the other end.

The big victory came on a night where five different Hardrockers scored in double figures led by Trennepohl's 14. Jordan Schmitz added 13 points off the bench and Kyle Turpin, Robbie Fedor and Jacobson all had 10.

"Two of the guys coming off the bench got into double figures and that is pretty nice," Henry said.

Coming into the game, it was DWU (1-1) that was supposed to have all the firepower with a pair of all-American forwards in Preston Broughton and Brady Wiebe. Broughton fought foul trouble much of the game before fouling out and was never a factor with just four points while Wiebe struggled to get 10 points.

Mines is back in action today when it looks to improve to 3-0, hosting Mount Marty at 3 p.m.