GOLDEN, Colo. – Senior forward Megan Van de Graaf and the #8-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team played their home opener on Thursday night and handed Eastern New Mexico its first loss of the season by score of 84-50.
 
Van de Graaf made the headline by leading all players with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting including a perfect 3-for-3 mark at the free-throw line. She also grabbed five rebounds while adding one assist and one block to her line. Courtney Stanton, Sammy Van Sickle and Josephine Howery joined their teammate with double-digit numbers as well. Stanton complimented her 13 points with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Van Sickle added three rebounds and one steal to her 11 points. Howery also brought balance by nabbing five rebounds with two assists and two steals to go along with 10 points. Also notable was Liz Holter boasting nine points, six assists and three steals. Denali Pinto led her team with nine rebounds as well.
 
Mines (3-0) augmented its trademark defense with a high level of efficiency on offense to get the win. Not only did the Orediggers hold Eastern New Mexico (3-1) to 29-percent shooting from the floor, the converted 47 percent of their own shots. Prior to the evening, the Greyhounds had been shooting over 40 percent on offense while Mines was overcoming a rate hovering around 30 percent. Also big for the Orediggers was 37 points off the bench and a 48-34 rebound margin. Mines ended plus in the turnover margin as well at 20-16.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
On Thursday night, the Orediggers took their home court for the first time this season. However, it was the first time in 635 days that fans were in the stands for women's basketball inside Lockridge Arena. Nationally-ranked Mines did not disappoint. Eastern New Mexico's three-point basket 40 seconds into the contest was the Greyhounds' only lead of the game. Van Sickle tied it 13 seconds later with her own long-range basket and the Orediggers never looked back.
 
Stanton was the hot hand in the opening quarter as proven by 4-for-4 shooting and nine points. Van Sickle added eight points as well for a 24-9 lead after 10 minutes. Then, Van de Graaf took over the second quarter with eight points and three rebounds. That brought the game into halftime with Mines boasting a 40-23 lead, and the break did nothing to change the momentum. The Orediggers broke the proverbial camel's back in the third quarter by dropping 24 more points on 75-percent shooting. Steffeck led that charge with seven of her nine points. Van de Graaf's seven fourth-quarter points proved academic as Mines closed out the 34-point victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is 3-1 in the all-time series against Eastern New Mexico with three straight wins.
- Van de Graaf's 17 points matched her career best which she also scored at Fort Lewis last February.
- Loralee Stock matched her single-game best with three assists on Thursday night and Shelby Nichols did the same with seven rebounds.
- Howery also had a superlative game with a career-high five rebounds while matching her best scoring output.
- Quincey Baum added to the career bests by dishing out two assists.
- Pinto's nine rebounds put her over 400 boards for her career.
- The Orediggers are now 3-0 for the third time in program history after hitting the mark in 2001-02 and 2020-21.
- Mines has kept all three of its opponents in 2021-22 under 55 points.
- Coach Simpson is 152-101 in her 10th season as head coach.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers take the court next on Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. (CT). Live stats and video will be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.