GUNNISON, Colo. – Oredigger forward Sammy Van Sickle carried #15 Mines women's basketball to a 74-64 win against Western Colorado on Friday evening thanks to an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double.
 
Van Sickle led all players in the game in scoring and rebounding while adding two steals, two assists and one block. Courtney Stanton and Denali Pinto joined their teammate in double digits with 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Pinto walked away with four steals, two blocks and two assists as well. Liz Holter added to the highlights with eight assists compared to one turnover. Under the radar but also notable was Megan Van de Graaf coming up with eight points and six rebounds.
 
The victory pushed Mines (9-1, 4-0 RMAC) to six straight wins while standing as one of two undefeated teams in the RMAC. Western Colorado (4-6, 2-3 RMAC) dropped under .500 in conference play despite shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor including 43 percent from three-point range. Even though Mines shot 37 percent overall and 35 percent from long range, the Orediggers made up the difference with a 46-23 rebounding advantage while forcing 20 Mountaineer turnovers. Mines also benefitted from 17 second-chance points compared to seven second-chance points from the home team.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Temperatures well under freezing greeted fans as they arrived at Paul Wright Gym on Friday night. However, things quickly heated up inside the highest collegiate gym in the world at 7,723 feet of elevation. Chilly shooting through the first 60 seconds gave way to three-pointers exchanged including Van Sickle's long ball from the wing followed by a converted and-one opportunity for Shelby Nichols. Another shot from behind the arc by Josephine Howery extended Mines' first-quarter lead, and after 10 minutes of action, the Orediggers boasted a 16-11 advantage.
 
Western Colorado rallied and tied the score at 16-16 early in the second quarter before taking an 18-16 lead. It was WCU's last lead of the game. Van Sickle provided Mines' answer by scoring five of the Orediggers' 14 points in the second frame. Even so, the Mountaineers chipped one point off the visitors' lead with a 15-14 advantage making it 30-26 game in favor of the Orediggers at halftime.
 
Mines took charge in the third quarter thanks to an 8-0 run to start the period. Steffeck and Van Sickle fueled the surge with one three-pointer each. The Orediggers' turned it into a 13-3 outburst spanning 3:51 of the quarter as they rolled into the final frame touting a 55-43 lead. It was then that WCU staged its rally behind a 12-5 run to start the quarter. The Mountaineers cut Mines' lead to five points on multiple occasions, but the Orediggers continued to find an answer. Van Sickle provided the biggest answer with another shot from behind the arc at the 4:14 mark. That afforded Mines a 64-55 lead and the visitors never looked back.
 
The final 3:25 featured Stanton converting an and-one opportunity. She also drained two more free throws just 26 seconds later. Pinto added her own three-point play of the old fashioned variety which kept the Oredigger advantage over double digits. Pinto struck again with a layup at the 1:16 mark to make it 74-62. Van Sickle sealed the deal by blocking Western Colorado's last attempt of the game and grabbing her own rebound with less than 20 seconds remaining. That allowed Mines to run out the clock on the way to its sixth straight win.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 27-38 in the all-time series with Western Colorado which includes two straight Oredigger wins over the Mountaineers.
- Additionally, Mines has won four of its last five games played in Gunnison, Colo.
- Van Sickle's double-double on Friday marked her first of the season and sixth of her career.
- Holter's eight assists put her at exactly 200 dimes dished in a Mines uniform. She has 261 in her collegiate career after playing two seasons at DI Incarnate Word.
- All nine Orediggers that played at WCU notched at least three points and one rebound each.
- Mines' largest lead over the Mountaineers was 16 points at the 3:38 mark of the third quarter. The Orediggers led for nearly 34 minutes of the game.
- Coach Simpson is 158-102 in her 10th season as head coach.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces Fort Lewis on Saturday night at 5 p.m. in Durango, Colo. 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.