GOLDEN, Colo. – The #17-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team claimed a dominant, 70-51 victory on Saturday over Colorado Mesa at Lockridge Arena.
 
Denali Pinto led all scoring with 18 points while grabbing four rebounds, dishing out two assists and blocking two shots. Ashley Steffeck proved key as well. She stuffed the box score with 12 points, eight rebounds, six steals, five assists and two blocks. Sammy Van Sickle made her presences felt to the tune of 12 points, five blocks, four rebounds, two steals and one assist. Raven Herrera also had multiple steals, while Loralee Stock and Josephine Howery teamed up with multiple assists.
 
Mines (14-3, 13-3 RMAC) won every statistical category listed on the box score except for free-throw percentage and personal fouls. The Orediggers forced Colorado Mesa (12-7, 12-7 RMAC) to give up 24 turnovers and held the Mavericks under 30 percent shooting from the floor. Mines' biggest advantage came defensively as the home team produced nine blocks and 12 steals. The victory marks the Orediggers first sweep of CMU in the regular season since 1981.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a heartbreaking loss to Westminster on Friday night, nobody reading this cared about the weather in Golden, Colo., on Saturday. Though, the weather during daytime hours proved quite pleasant until clouds rolled in and moisture began to fall. Meanwhile, Oredigger nation focused its thoughts and anxiety on how its team would bounce back against a program that had been historically dominant in the all-time series.
 
All the worry proved for naught. Colorado Mesa's first lead of the game was 2-0 just 62 seconds into the contest. The Mavericks' last lead of the night was 5-2 with 7:15 to play in the opening quarter. After Pinto drained a three-point basket at the 6:56 mark of the first period, the Orediggers never trailed again. It comes as no surprised that Pinto ended the first frame with seven of Mines' 24 points. Van Sickle also added six points on 2-for-2 shooting from long range with a pair of extremely deep three-point baskets. Defensively, the home team held CMU to 16-percent shooting and just nine points through the first 10 minutes.
 
Mines didn't stop in the second quarter as the Orediggers outscored the Mavericks 21-16 and carried a 45-25 lead into halftime. Steffeck helped curate the margin by dropping 10 points in the second period. No other Oredigger had more than four points over the same time. Steffeck also added two blocks in the 10-minute span. All that to say, Mines had made its statement in the opening half, and CMU had all but folded. The final 20 minutes proved relatively academic despite the Mavericks claiming a 12-11 win in the third quarter and tying the final period 14-14. As the final buzzer sounded, the box score showed Mines had led the game for over 36 minutes while Colorado Mesa had just 84 seconds of the advantage.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines' 19-point win on Saturday is the Orediggers' second-largest margin of victory over Colorado Mesa in the all-time series.
- The largest margin of victory for Mines against Colorado Mesa was 25 points on Feb. 6, 1987.
- Mines last won back-to-back games against CMU was between the 2008-09 season.
- On Friday night, the Orediggers led CMU by as many as 23 points in the third quarter.
- Pinto surpassed Laura Tyree for #7 on Mines' all-time scoring list with her performance against the Mavericks.
- Steffeck now boasts exactly 100 career steals in less than two seasons with the Orediggers.
- Coach Simpson is 146-101 in her ninth season as head coach.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines closes the regular season Feb. 26-27 at Adams State and CSU Pueblo No spectators are allowed, but live stats and video will be offered for free 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.