COLORADO SPRINGS – Oredigger graduate student Courtney Stanton came up big for the #15 Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team on Saturday as they ground out a 54-41 win over UCCS inside the Gallogly Events Center.
 
Stanton thrived playing in her home town as she led all players with 13 points while grabbing six rebounds, blocking two shots and dishing out an assist as well. Ashley Steffeck was the only other Oredigger to score in double digits. She finished boasting 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Liz Holter and Josephine Howery both added seven points apiece while Holter tacked on four assists as well. Also notable was defending RMAC Defensive Player of the Week touting seven rebounds, three blocked shots, two steals and one assist.
 
With the win, Mines (8-1, 3-0 RMAC) extended its win streak to five. Nearly half of the Orediggers' points came in the paint while they limited UCCS (3-6, 1-2 RMAC) to just a pair of three-point baskets. Mines scored five from long range but only shot 22 percent behind the arc and 33 percent at the free-throw line. The Mountain Lions found 16 points off the bench and scored 24 points in the paint, but only managed seven points off turnovers and four points on second chances.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
None of the four quarters were particular glamorous, but the Orediggers did what they needed to do to get the win. The opening frame featured balance from Mines as four individuals found the bottom of the basket with Megan Van de Graaf leading the way on four points. Then, Steffeck took over the second quarter and accounted for seven of the Orediggers' 17 points. It was a 10-0 run in the middle of the quarter that afforded the visitors 32-25 separation at halftime.
 
Everything after the break was all Stanton as the Pine Creek High School graduate celebrated her homecoming to Colorado Springs. In a stingy third quarter, Mines and UCCS only scored a total of 16 points and Stanton had two of them. She went off for nine points in the fourth quarter and helped the Orediggers close out the double-digit win. When the final buzzer sounded, Stanton had scored exactly half of Mines' 22 second-half points.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines and UCCS are now tied in the all-time series at 22 wins apiece.
- Saturday marked the Orediggers' second straight win over the Mountain Lions, but marked their first win in Colorado Springs since 2018.
- Liz Holter played all 40 minutes of the game for the third time in her career.
- In nine games this season, Mines has limited six of its opponents to less than 55 points. Four of those were held under 50 points.
- The Orediggers' seven blocked shots against the Mountain Lions mark a single-game best this season.
- Coach Simpson is 157-102 in her 10th season as head coach.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines heads to Western Colorado next Friday followed by Fort Lewis in Durango, Colo., on Saturday. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be linked 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.