GOLDEN, Colo. – Twenty points in the fourth quarter was not enough for the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team as it dropped a 64-55 decision to Fort Lewis on Friday night inside Lockridge Arena.
 
Denali Pinto led the Orediggers in scoring, and Sammy Van Sickle led all players in rebounding. Pinto notched 18 points and Van Sickle grabbed 10 rebounds while adding seven points of her own. Liz Holter dished out three assists and pulled down three rebounds as well. Additionally, Megan Van de Graaf accounted for half of Mines' bench scoring with seven points on 3-5 shooting from the floor. Defensively Courtney Stanton and Van Sickle each recorded a block. The Orediggers had no steals in the game.
 
Mines (8-6, 5-4 RMAC) held the edge on the glass, out-rebounding Fort Lewis (11-3, 7-2 RMAC) by a narrow margin of 40-38. The Orediggers also benefited from 16 points in the paint and 13 second-chance points. However, shooting woes plagued the Orediggers as they shot just 12 percent from long range and 29 percent from the floor. The Skyhawks only managed a 67 percent mark at the free-throw line, but five three-point baskets proved to be the difference. Mines drops into a tie for #7 in the RMAC standings while FLC moves into a tie for #3.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a game fans might describe as a defensive battle. The Orediggers brought the opening volley for a 2-0 lead and it proved their only advantage of the game. Despite scoring first, Mines could not find its offensive footing and only scored eight points in the opening quarter. The Orediggers trailed 13-8 after 10 minutes. However, Holter and Pinto teamed up for eight points in the second quarter and brought the home team within four points, 25-21, at halftime.
 
In the end, it was the third quarter that spelled doom for the home team. Fort Lewis rolled out on an 8-0 run for a 33-21 advantage. That marked the Skyhawks' biggest lead of the game before Pinto drained a three-point basket to slow the surge. Pinto and Loralee Stock each dropped five points in the third frame, but FLC maintained a 47-35 cushion heading into the final quarter. Mines exploded for 20 points in the fourth including seven from Pinto and five from Van Sickle. The Orediggers even rallied as close as three points with 2:11 to play thanks to a jumper in the paint from Heidi Hammond. However, Fort Lewis closed it out going 6-8 at the charity stripe to pull away down the stretch.
 
COACH'S COMMENT
"I'm just really disappointed in our shooting performance," said Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson. "However, we did battle and nearly pulled off the comeback."
 
NOTABLES
- Saturday marks Mines' first loss to Fort Lewis since Feb. 17, 2017. It was the Orediggers first home loss to the Skyhawks since March 1, 2016. Mines is 19-37 in the all-time series against FLC.
- Van Sickle finished the weekend averaging 12.5 rebounds. 9.5 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.
- Pinto boasts at least 18 points in six consecutive games. She's also scored in double digits in seven straight games. The sophomore ranks #1 in the RMAC in total points and points per game in 2019-20.
- Mines committed just eight turnovers against Fort Lewis which marks the Orediggers' fewest turnovers in a single game this season.
- Over its last three games, Mines has committed just 26 total turnovers.
- Saturday marks the first game in 2019-20 that the Orediggers have failed to record a steal.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 121-94 in eight years at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers hit the road next weekend to face South Dakota School of Mines on Friday in Rapid City and Black Hills State on Saturday in Spearfish. 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. Fans can also follow Mines Women's Basketball on Twitter using the handle @MinesWBB.