Mines (0-2, 0-0 RMAC) at Seattle Pacific (0-4, 0-0 GNAC) – Friday, 6:15 p.m. (PT) – Seattle, Wash. – [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (0-2, 0-0 RMAC) vs. Concordia (Ore.) (0-4, 0-0 GNAC) – Saturday, 1 p.m. (PT) – Seattle, Wash. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team is headed to the Pacific Northwest this weekend for a pair of contests against opponents from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). It marks the Orediggers' first action in two weeks. They will face the host Seattle Pacific on Friday evening and close the trip on Saturday against Concordia-Portland. Mines is chasing its first wins of the 2019-20 season, but so are both opponents. As everyone involved looks to avoid a winless start, competition promises to be fierce.
 
CATCHING UP
The last time Mines was in action, it was opening weekend. The Orediggers were down in Texas where they dropped a 51-50 heartbreaker to UAFS followed by a 73-65 loss to the host St. Edward's. Despite the two defeats, Denali Pinto had a breakout weekend. She scored a total of 44 points over 72 minutes and pulled down 11 rebounds too. Pinto also achieved perfection at the free-throw line, going 11-for-11 over the two games. Other notable performances included 16 rebounds and six from true freshman Ashley Steffeck while junior transfer Liz Holter racked up eight assists.
 
SCOUTING SEATTLE PACIFIC
Seattle Pacific women's basketball is winless on the season at 0-4 and all four losses have come by double-digit margins. That being said, SPU's opponents last weekend included now #4-ranked Azusa Pacific and UC San Diego which is currently ranked #6 in the nation. The Falcons enter the weekend averaging 64.0 points per game on 41-percent shooting while giving up 79.0 points per game to the opposition. Individually, Ashlynn Burgess is the lady to watch. She averages 16.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per contest. Burgess also boasts three blocks and four assists while shooting 57 percent from the field which includes a 60-percent clip from long range. Seattle Pacific is coming off a season where it went 8-19 overall and 7-12 in the GNAC.
 
FUN FALCON FACTS
Fans should know by now that the author of these previews loves any chance to use alliteration for a section title. With Seattle Pacific using Falcons as its nickname, it was too tempting not to take advantage of. That being said, let's get started. Falcons are considered birds of prey with about 40 different species and are present on every continent of the world except Antarctica. The falcons found in the state of Washington are two different types of Peregrine Falcon including Peale's and Continental. Peregrine falcons have been clocked reaching speeds of 242 MPH while diving for prey. That would make them the fastest recorded animal ever. So that's pretty neat. Also, while other birds of prey (hawks, eagles etc.) use their feet to kill their prey, falcons use their beaks with a little side tooth. Additionally, falcons are believed to hunt and eat several thousand kinds of species. So they're not too picky. On a more personal note, falcons mate for life. They devote themselves to one partner for their reproductive years. However, that does not mean they're married. Falcons are actually fairly solitary. All of that being said, Seattle Pacific's nickname may be the most appropriate nickname we've had this season.
 
SCOUTING CONCORDIA-PORTLAND
Concordia University-Portland enters the weekend seeking its first win as well. At 0-4, the Cavaliers have dropped games to Cal State East Bay, Academy of Art, Chico State and Sonoma State. Two of those losses came by four points or less. The other two defeats were of the double-digit variety. Additionally, CU-Portland played a pair of preseason exhibitions at #6-ranked Oregon State and Boise State. Overall, Concordia puts up 60.3 points per game on 38-percent shooting. Opponents average 67.5 points per game and shoot 45 percent from the floor. The Cavaliers' top player is Olivia Vezaldenos who averages 15.8 points per game. She lives and dies from long range, boasting 15 three-point field goals and just seven from inside the arc. On the boards, both Riley Friauf and Dorcas Wu pull down 5.5 rebounds per game. Defensively, Mady Simmelink leads the way on seven steals. Last season, CU-Portland went 16-13 overall before bowing out in the first round of the GNAC Tournament.
 
WHAT'S A CAVALIER
Concordia University at Portland uses Cavaliers as the nickname for its athletic teams. The word itself is typically used as an adjective or a noun. While the definitions when used as an adjective include terms such as offhand or disdainful, the definition in noun form is much more tasteful. According to Merriam-Webster, the #1 definition of cavalier is a gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship followed by a mounted solider. However, the more intriguing and common definition across all searches defines a Cavalier (proper) as an adherent, or supporter, of  King Charles I of England – specifically surrounding the English Civil War. For those who aren't familiar with King Charles I, he took the throne ruling England, Scotland and Ireland at age 25. His reign lasted for 24 years before he was executed in 1649. Basic research reveals King Charles I was relatively unpopular due to his policies on taxes and religion. That dissonance eventually led to the English Civil War in which King Charles battled the armies of both the English and Scottish parliaments. Not sure how one king battles two armies that are probably supposed to be on his side, but we'll leave that part to the history experts. The unpopular monarch eventually lost the war and found himself tried, convicted and executed for high treason. So there's that, and now you know more about Cavaliers.
 
ROYAL BROUGHAM PAVILION
Royal Brougham Pavilion is the building that houses the home court for Seattle Pacific men's and women's basketball, volleyball and gymnastics. The facility is named after Royal Brewer Brougham who, "was one of the longest tenured employees of a U.S. newspaper in history." He worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Seattle for 68 years. The facility that bears his name has been active for over 60 years as well. Despite its age, the building was virtually rebuild in a two-phase renovation and expansion from 1988-92. Seating features plastic bleachers opposite the scorer's table and seatbacks behind the team benches. In true vintage fashion, there is a crow's nest in the upper corner of the gym as well as a mezzanine level that can also be converted with more pull-out bleachers. For more information, fans will just have to visit the venue themselves and cheer on the Orediggers.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines' opponents this weekend are relatively new to the Orediggers. Friday's game marks the second-ever meeting between Mines and Seattle Pacific and first in over 20 years. The only other game between the Orediggers and Falcons took place in 1998 with Mines winning by a score of 57-45. That makes the Orediggers 1-0 against SPU. Saturday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Mines and Concordia-Portland. In fact, Oredigger women's basketball has never played any of the nine schools existing in the Concordia University System.
 
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
The Orediggers' 2019-20 roster features 13 individuals. Nine of those players are either true freshmen, true sophomores or redshirt sophomores, giving Mines a plethora of youth. These young guns aren't just for show either. The best-known is Denali Pinto who is already over 400 points for her career at the beginning of her sophomore year. Her classmates Megan Van de Graaf and Sammy Van Sickle hold their own as well, boasting more than 200 combined points and nearly 200 rebounds. True freshmen Ashley Steffeck  and Loralee Stock dove into the action immediately, with the duo producing 17 points, 19 rebounds, seven steals and two blocks. Standing 6-1, fellow freshman Shelby Nichols promises to be a force on the court as she learns under junior center Courtney Stanton. All that being said, the Orediggers' lone senior Heidi Hammond is deadly from the charity stripe and long range. She has only missed one free throw in her entire career while dropping 59 three-pointers with nearly one per game.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Those who read the scouting report above know that SPU and Concordia average 64 points and 60 points per game, respectively. On defense, Seattle Pacific has given up 79 points per game while the Cavaliers give up 67.5 points per game. With that information, let's look at Mines by the numbers. Through two games, the Orediggers have scored 57.5 points per game, but only given up 62 per contest to the opposition. While shooting 34 percent from the field, Mines' biggest strength has been at the free-throw line where it shoots 87 percent. Conversely, the Orediggers biggest downfall comes from long range with a 6-for-41 mark on three-pointers. However, Mines' trademark defense continues out-rebounding teams with a current margin of 78-72 while forcing 20 steals and producing five blocks through two games.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Following their trip to Seattle, Mines returns to Golden for its 2019-20 home opener on Nov. 30 in a non-conference matchup against Regis at 5 p.m. Live stats and video from Lockridge Arena will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.