GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team fought its way to a 64-61 win over UCCS on Friday night inside Lockridge Arena.
 
Denali Pinto led the charge with 22 points including 12 free throws. She also added six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Courtney Stanton shot 50 percent from the floor and grabbed six rebounds on her way to a 15-point performance. Sammy Van Sickle and Liz Holter tallied 10 points apiece in the victory. Van Sickle made it a double-double thanks to 10 rebounds while leading all players with four assists. Defensively, Stanton and Van Sickle notched two blocks each. Holter racked up four steals.
 
With the victory, Mines (6-4, 3-2 RMAC) extended its winning streak to three straight games – all in conference play. The Orediggers overcame 14 turnovers and 33-percent shooting as a team by converting 75 percent of their free-throw opportunities. UCCS (1-10, 0-5 RMAC) outperformed Mines with 32 points in the paint, 25 points off the bench, 13 points off turnovers and 13 more second-chance points. However, the Mountain Lions shot just 63 percent at the charity stripe while sending the Orediggers to the line 24 times. Mines rises into a tie for #6 in the RMAC standings while UCCS' skid runs to nine consecutive games.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
On the day of the Winter Solstice, temperatures in Golden sored over 60 degrees and fans rolled into Lockridge arena in light jackets and short sleeves. With the sun setting behind Mt. Zion, Mines and UCCS got into the holiday spirit by gifting fans a nail-biting finish and hardnose basketball. In the first quarter alone, two ties and four lead changes set the tone for the rest of the game. The visitors used a 6-2 run at the end of the first period to take a 17-12 lead.
 
In the second frame, UCCS scored the first basket to earn its largest lead of the game at 19-12. But Mines busted out an 8-1 run to tie the game at 20-20. Stanton and Pinto accounted for all eight points in the Orediggers' surge. In fact, Stanton scored five of the eight on perfect shooting from the floor and at the free-throw line. That led to two more ties and two more lead changes over the final seven minutes of the half. At the buzzer, the visiting Mountain Lions boasted a 31-28 advantage.
 
The break did nothing to cool down the action. Both teams went blow-for-blow all 10 minutes of the third quarter. One tie and three lead changes highlighted the period. Holter took the reins for the Orediggers and poured in eight points on 3-6 shooting from the floor. That gave Mines a 49-48 advantage with one period remaining. It would have been 49-46 if not for a UCCS jumper that fell at the buzzer and held up under review.
 
Pinto took over the final 10 minutes with no remorse. She scored 11 points over the final frame and powered the home team through three ties and two lead changes. All 11 of Pinto's points came at the free-throw line. The turning point came with 52 seconds remaining when McKale Grant subbed in and immediately forced a UCCS turnover for her second steal of the game. That lost possession kept the visitors at bay despite three opportunities to tie the game in the final 20 seconds. Pinto closed out the win on a 2-2 visit to the free-throw line with 11 seconds remaining. Two Mountain Lion shots in the last six seconds came up short as Mines finished its grind to victory.
 
COACH'S COMMENT
"I was very proud of how our team fought through adversity and stuck to playing how we play," said Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson. "Tonight was a tough game, but we will learn from it and get better."
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 20-21 in the all-time series against UCCS.
- Saturday's win marked the Orediggers' 151st victory of the decade. Head Coach Brittany Simpson owns 119 of those wins.
- In the 2019-20 season, Pinto touts six games with at least 20 points. She's averaging over 17 points per game on the year.
- Mines boasts two straight wins in decade-ending contests. The last came on Dec. 13, 2009 in a 68-43 home victory over Peru State.
- Van Sickle's double-double marks her second of the season and second of her career.
- Loralee Stock touts at least one assist in six straight games as a true freshman.
- Heidi Hammond matched her career high with seven rebounds against UCCS. The senior's last seven-rebound effort came Feb. 17, 2018 against New Mexico Highlands.
- Holter's 10 points and four steals on Saturday night match her personal best in an Oredigger uniform. She also scored 10 points at Seattle Pacific on Nov. 23 and notched four steals against Regis on Nov. 30.
- Pinto has made 12 free throws in back-to-back games. She is 65-69 on the year.
- Stanton moved over 200 rebounds for her career thanks to six against UCCS.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 119-92 in eight years at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines returns to action Jan. 3 at #12-ranked Westminster. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Live stats and video of the game 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. Fans can also follow Mines Volleyball on Twitter using the handle @MinesVolleyball.