PUEBLO, Colo. – True freshman Denali Pinto led the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team to a 66-47 victory Friday night as the Orediggers toppled CSU-Pueblo behind Pinto's 33 points inside Massari Arena.
 
Pinto's performance ranks fourth on Mines' single-game scoring list. Only three other Orediggers have ever scored more points in a single game. The Boulder, Colo., native went 12-for-15 from the floor including 3-for-5 from long range and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Pinto also grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists. Fellow freshman Megan Van de Graaf recorded a career high as well, dropping 10 points while pullding down five rebounds and swiping two. Anna Kollmorgen made it a trio of double-digit scorers with 13 points. She also reeled in six rebounds and handed out three assists.
 
Mines (11-9, 8-6 RMAC) dominated the glass yet again, handily out-rebounding CSU-Pueblo (11-9, 9-5 RMAC) by a margin of 42-26. The Orediggers' defense was also outstanding as they held the ThunderWolves to just 23-percent shooting from the floor through the first three quarters. Mines finished the game shooting 45 percent from the floor and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Orediggers remain tied for sixth place in the RMAC standings with Black Hills State and UCCS also at 8-6 in league play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first 90 seconds of the game were a back-and-forth battle with CSU-Pueblo draining three free-throws to take a 3-2 lead with 9:05 left to play. However, that would be the ThunderWolves' only lead of the game. Van de Graaf rolled in a layup at the 8:31 mark and Mines was off to the races as it outscored the home team 14-2 through the rest of the opening quarter – closing out on a 6-0 run.
 
Pinto led all players in the first quarter with six points, but doubled that number in the second quarter with 13 to give her 19 in the opening half. Mines' defense kept pace with the true freshman's offense as it limited CSU-Pueblo to just three baskets on 27 attempts in the first half. The Orediggers allowed only one basket in the first quarter and two in the second as they sent "The Pack" into halftime with just 11 points.
 
The third quarter wasn't much different. Pinto scored 12 more points to bring her total to 31 on the night and the Orediggers upped their lead to as many as 33. CSU-Pueblo did warm up offensively, going 6-for-11 from the floor but lost the period overall as Mines scored 21 to CSUP's 18. The home team added more in the final period while Pinto registered just one minute of action, but it was too little too late. At the final buzzer, Mines had led for nearly 39 out of 40 minutes while the defending RMAC champions had managed just 45 seconds with the lead and 28 seconds with a tie score.
 
NOTABLES
- Friday marks Mines' first win over CSU-Pueblo since Feb. 20, 2016.
- The Orediggers are 19-36 in the all-time series against the ThunderWolves.
- Pinto's previous single-game, career high was 24 points against Dixie State earlier this season.
- Pinto's 33 points are the most in a single game since Courtney Martin scored 34 at Chadron State and Taylor Helbig dropped 38 against McMurry – both in the 2014-15 season.
- The last player to crack 30 points in a single game was senior Cassidy Budge last season at Adams State.
- Nicole Archambeau moved over 100 assists for her career with two Friday at CSU-Pueblo.
- Kollmorgen surpassed 300-career assists as she dished out three against the ThunderWolves.
- Kollmorgen is 9-for-12 from long range over her last five games.
- Mines has nine double-digit wins through 19 games this season.
- Head coach Brittany Simpson is 106-85 in seven years at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces New Mexico Highlands Saturday at 5 p.m. in Las Vegas, N.M. Live stats and video of the games 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.