[1] #14 Mines (15-3) vs. [8] Regis (8-9) – Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

---

THE POSTSEASON BEGINS
The #14-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team opens the 2020-21 RMAC Tournament on Tuesday night as the top-seeded team in the field hosting eighth-seeded Regis at Lockridge Arena. It'll be the first meeting between the Orediggers and Rangers since Dec. 10 earlier this season. A win for Mines routes the RMAC Tournament through Golden on Friday and Saturday. If the Orediggers lose, they await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament field. Either way, it's midweek, postseason basketball and it's taking place in beautiful Golden, Colo.
 
NO SPECTATORS ALLOWED
The Orediggers announced this month that the policy of spectators not being allowed at home games will continue both for winter's indoor sports and for outdoor sports to start the spring. Additionally, the RMAC announced that fans will not be allowed at any of conference championships for winter sports. Mines Athletics will continue to re-evaluate this policy for home games in the future as conditions allow. In the meantime, all games home and away are streamed live and for free on the RMAC Network, which is also available on the AppleTV, Roku, and AmazonFire app stores.
 
BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING
There are no more postponements on the board and no games are outstanding. However, as evidenced by the cancellation of the quarterfinal game between Mines' men and South Dakota Mines, anything can still happen. In the conference postseason, games canceled due to COVID-19 testing and contact tracing will be declared no contests and the RMAC will decide which team advances in the bracket. As with the regular season, any postseason changes will be announced at www.minesathletics.com and on Twitter at @MinesWBB and @MinesAthletics.
 
REGULAR SEASON FINALE
Mines closed the 2020-21 regular season last Friday in what resulted as a championship-winning effort. The Orediggers dominated Adams State by score of 79-61 in Alamosa. Denali Pinto and Liz Holter were the top two scorers in the game with 16 points and 15 points, respectively. Loralee Stock added 11 points as well. Holter and Ashley Steffeck racked up five steals apiece, and Sammy Van Sickle rounded it out with 10 rebounds. Since Mines' true finale on Saturday against CSU Pueblo had been canceled, the Orediggers awaited the rest of the league to finish their regular seasons. When the dust settled and the RMAC RPI rankings had been calculated, Mines was declared the 2020-21 RMAC Regular Season Champion and the top seed for the conference tournament.
 
SCOUTING REGIS
Regis closed its regular season with a 76-69 loss at Adams State which snapped a three-game win streak for the Rangers. All three of those wins came at home against Colorado Mesa, Westminster and Colorado Christian. Those results dealt Regis an overall record of 8-9, but a RMAC mark of 8-8 and clinched the Rangers the final spot in the RMAC Tournament field. The Rangers' clear-cut star is senior Whitney Jacob who averages a 17.1-point, 11.1-rebound double-double per game. Jacob also boasts 22 blocks and 13 steals on the season. Tashika Burrell compliments Jacob's offense with 13.1 points per game. As a team, Regis ranks 31st in the nation in rebounding margin. The Rangers average 65.5 points per game while giving up 64.1 per game. In comparison, Mines scores 67.3 per game and holds its opponents to 55.3.
 
FAMOUS RANGERS
In the first meeting between Mines and Regis, fans learned that Regis University started in New Mexico. This time around, the focus is famous rangers. The two most famous rangers that might come to mind are Wayne Gretzky and Chuck Norris. But they have nothing to do with Regis University. Some of RU's notable alumni include MLB player Steven Brault, NFL player Arne Herber, Chris Farley's brother John P. Farley and even the mayor of Tulsa, Okla., Dewey F. Bartlett Jr.  However, the most famous alumni of Regis University is easily actor and comedian Bill Murray. That's right, the Saturday Night Live and Caddyshack star attended RU in the Mile High City. He took pre-med classes but did not graduate. In 2007, the school awarded Murray an honorary Doctor of the Humanities degree. And now you know.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The women's basketball series between Mines and Regis is tied for the Orediggers' second-longest standing rivalry. Tuesday marks the 80th showdown. While the Rangers hold a 53-26 advantage in the all-time series, Mines boasts four straight wins over Regis dating back to Dec. 16, 2018. Earlier this season, the Orediggers escaped Regis Field House with a 50-48 win thanks to Ashley Steffeck's layup in the waning seconds. Mines earned the win without the services of Denali Pinto, Sammy Van Sickle and Megan Van de Graaf. Steffeck, Raven Herrera and Loralee Stock all scored 12 points each. Courtney Stanton chipped in 11. The last time the Orediggers faced Regis in the postseason was also Mines' last loss to RU. On Feb. 27, 2018, Regis exited Lockridge Arena with a 68-40 victory and a ticket to the RMAC Tournament Semifinals. Mines has not lost to the Rangers since.
 
RMAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Tuesday marks Mines' sixth straight RMAC postseason appearance. Last season, the Orediggers won their second straight postseason game with Head Coach Brittany Simpson at the helm. It was also Mines' second RMAC Tournament win since 2009. Speaking of Coach Simpson, she has guided her team to seven tournaments in nine seasons. The Orediggers also advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2016 for the second time in program history. Mines has made two runs to the RMAC Tournament finals, making its first appearance in the championship game as the #8 seed in 2006. The Orediggers also advanced to the title game in 2009 as the #3 seed. Overall, Mines is 6-19 in the conference postseason.
 
THE REST OF THE FIELD
Mines (1), Westminster (2), Western Colorado (3) and Colorado Mesa (4) will serve as hosts in the quarterfinal round of the RMAC Tournament. The rest of the bracket features Regis (8) facing Mines, Black Hills State (7) traveling to Westminster, South Dakota Mines (6) taking on Western Colorado and MSU Denver (5) facing Colorado Mesa. The RMAC RPI formula determined the regular season champion and tournament seeding.
 
RMAC CHAMPIONS
The #Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team earned the title RMAC Champion on Saturday night as the 2020-21 regular season came to close and the Orediggers officially claimed the conference crown. Mines (15-3, 14-3 RMAC) beat both Westminster (11-4, 11-4 RMAC) and Western Colorado (13-4, 12-4 RMAC) in tight race for the championship in the final RPI standings. The Orediggers' final RPI mark was 15.71 while Westminster grabbed second with a score of 14.80. The Mountaineers went from first to third on the final weekend due to a 0-2 record and a final RPI of 14.75. Colorado Mesa (13-7, 13-7 RMAC) rounded out the top four at 14.00. Not only does 2020-21 mark Mines' first RMAC crown in six years, it also marks the Orediggers' second conference championship in program history. Head Coach Brittany Simpson has guided her team to both RMAC titles in the history of the program since taking the helm in 2012.
 
NATIONALLY RANKED
Mines claimed its highest national ranking in program history on Tuesday as the Orediggers rose to #14 in the media poll sponsored by D2SIDA. The Orediggers also jumped back into the coaches' poll at #24 which marks the Mines highest WBCA ranking in program history as well. The Orediggers are the only RMAC team in this week's national rankings which makes Mines well-positioned to advance to the NCAA Tournament as part of the West Region. Other teams from the west that are ranked and poised for selection include Hawaii Pacific (#2/#4) and Azusa Pacific which is #23 in the media poll. The 2020-21 West Regional will be hosted by Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, Colo., running March 12-15 after the NCAA decided to select predetermined host sites to limit the risk of COVID-19 this postseason.
 
OREDIGGER GEMS
This preview's Oredigger Gem brings flavors of the postseason and the RMAC Tournament. On March 5, 2019, the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team earned a 62-57 victory over CSU Pueblo at Lockridge Arena for its first RMAC Tournament win in 10 years. It also marked Coach Simpon's first postseason win and first trip to the RMAC semifinals. While Nicole Archambeau led all players with 17 points, it was Raven Herrera stealing the show. Then a redshirt sophomore, Herrera poured in 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds, notching four steals, blocking two shots and dishing out one assist. Thanks to Herrera stuffing the stat sheet, Mines earned a historic postseason win that has led to back-to-back quarterfinal wins in the conference tournament.
 
UP NEXT
If the Orediggers beat Regis, Mines will host the RMAC Tournament semifinals and final on Friday and Saturday at Lockridge Arena in Golden, Colo. If the Orediggers lose, Mines will await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament field following the close of the conference postseason. More information will be made available 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.