#5 Mines (15-1, 10-0 RMAC) vs. New Mexico Highlands (4-12, 1-9 RMAC) – Wednesday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#5 Mines (15-1, 10-0 RMAC) at CSU Pueblo (14-5, 10-3 RMAC) – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – Pueblo, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#5 Mines (15-1, 10-0 RMAC) at Adams State (8-9, 6-6 RMAC) – Saturday, 5:30 p.m. – Alamosa, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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THREE GAMES IN FOUR DAYS
On Wednesday evening, the #5 Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team will host New Mexico Highlands inside Lockridge Arena. It will kick off a run of three games in four days as the Orediggers head to CSU Pueblo on Friday and Adams State on Saturday. The Orediggers open the stretch touting 12 straight wins and an unblemished conference record. When the dust settles, Mines will have played five games in nine days as it looks to extend its lead atop the RMAC standings.
 
MASKS REQUIRED FOR FANS AT LOCKRIDGE ARENA
In accordance with regulations established by Jefferson County Public Health, all spectators for Mines indoor sporting events, including basketball at Lockridge Arena, must wear masks regardless of vaccination status.
 
SCHEDULE UPDATES
Wednesday's contest against NMHU accounts for one rescheduled game from Jan. 8. The Orediggers have also rescheduled their contest with Regis for Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 5 p.m. inside Regis Field House.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
All of Mines' RMAC contests will stream live and for free on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Network. The new watch portal is available online at www.minesathletics.com/tv or www.rmacnetwork.com. Fans can also download the RMAC Network app on their smart TV or device by searching "RMAC" in their respective app stores.
 
WEEKEND REWIND
Mines put together two big wins over the weekend with victories against then #23 Colorado Mesa and Westminster both inside Lockridge Arena. The Orediggers took down CMU by a score of 59-51 thanks to 25 combined points from Courtney Stanton and Liz Holter. Sammy Van Sickle and Ashley Steffeck helped the effort with four steals and six rebounds each. Saturday was an overtime thriller against WC with Mines earning the 68-66 win. Steffeck played the hero with 14 steals, which broke the RMAC's single-game record, while also hitting the game-winning basket in the final second of overtime. Denali Pinto loomed large as well with 20 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. It marked the Orediggers' first overtime game of the season and extended their win streak to 12 while providing a two-game lead in the race for a conference crown.
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
After sitting out the 2020-21 season, New Mexico Highlands started its 2021-22 campaign 3-3 thanks to a trio of wins against two different NAIA programs in University of the Southwest and Northern New Mexico College. After their .500 start, the Cowgirls dropped eight straight with all but two of those defeats coming by double digits. They snapped their skid last weekend with a 76-55 win at home against Colorado Christian before falling to MSU Denver by a score of 75-56. Top performers for the Cowgirls include leading scorer Jordyn Lewis and her 12.6 points per game as well as Sana'a Baker and her 25 blocked shots. Baker also averages 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest. Aja Scott is NMHU's top rebounder thanks to 6.6 boards per game. New Mexico Highlands' women host UCCS on Tuesday evening before coming north to Golden for Wednesday's contest.
 
SCOUTING CSU PUEBLO
CSU Pueblo enters the weekend still stinging from a 65-58 loss to Western Colorado last Saturday in Gunnison. Prior to the defeat, the ThunderWolves had won six of their last seven and would have owned sole possession of #2 in the conference standings if not for Saturday's loss and an 84-74, overtime decision at home against MSU Denver. Other notable decisions from earlier in the season include a 74-68 loss to then #10-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce followed by a 64-56 win over then #1-ranked Lubbock Christian. As a team, CSU Pueblo ranks #9 in the nation in total steals and #16 in total blocked shots. Individually, the duo of Alisha Davis and JaNaiya Davis serve as the ThunderWolves' one-two punch. The former leads the team with 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. The later averages 9.9 points. 6.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per contest, ranking #15 in the nation in total steals. Also notable is Ro Dominguez and her 41 three-point baskets on 106 attempts.
 
SCOUTING ADAMS STATE
At 8-9 overall and 6-6 in the RMAC, Adams State starts the weekend sitting #8 in the conference standings which would afford the Grizzlies the final berth in the league tournament. The season thus far has been a roller coaster for ASU with no winning streaks longer than two and no losing streaks longer than three. Most recently, Adams State put together a 2-0 weekend with victories at Western Colorado and Fort Lewis. The win at WCU featured a 64-47 margin with Saturday's decision at FLC coming by a score of 64-62. Overall, the Grizzlies' biggest strength is defense as they sit #8 in the nation in total steals, #10 in steals per game and #14 in turnovers forced. Individually, Kayla Harris is #8 in the nation in total steals and #12 in steals per game. In fact, she leads ASU in nearly every statistical category with 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 steals, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. Stephanie Ruiz also serves as a threat due to 37 three-point baskets and 8.6 points per game.
 
MINES AGAINST THE COWGIRLS
Colorado School of Mines is 32-34 in the all-time series against New Mexico Highlands, but the Orediggers do boast 11 consecutive wins over the Cowgirls. It is the longest winning streak in the history of the rivalry. Mines hasn't lost to NMHU since a 75-68 decision in Las Vegas, N.M., on Dec. 6, 2014. The Orediggers' last loss to the Cowgirls in Golden was Dec. 7, 2013. Mines and Highlands last met on Feb. 14, 2020, in New Mexico where the Orediggers routed the Cowgirls by a score of 86-43. Mines had five individuals score in double digits in that contest led by Megan Van de Graaf's 16 points and eight rebounds. Also impressive among multiple outstanding performances was Ashley Steffeck and her 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
 
MINES AGAINST THE THUNDERWOLVES
The Orediggers also trail the all-time series against CSU Pueblo by a 25-36 margin. However, similar to NMHU, Mines touts a six-game win streak over the ThunderWolves including three victories during the 2018-19 season. CSU Pueblo last defeated its Friday guests on Jan. 20, 2018 with a 63-50 win inside Lockridge Arena. The most recent meeting between the two teams was a 61-50, Oredigger win on Jan. 29, 2021. Denali Pinto led that charge behind 23 points, six rebounds and two steals. Courtney Stanton chipped in 16 points and Ashley Steffeck registered 11 points, 13 rebounds, seven steals and five assists. Another notable chapter from the rivalry was Mines' 100-65 victory on Feb. 15, 2020. It marked the Orediggers' first triple-digit game in the history of the program. Mines last loss in Pueblo on Jan. 21, 2017 by a score of 83-74.
 
MINES AGAINST THE GRIZZLIES
In the all-time series between Colorado School of Mines and Adams State, the Grizzlies hold a 34-26 advantage. That being said, the Orediggers have won 11 straight games against ASU, marking the longest winning streak in the history of the rivalry. Mines and Adams State last played on Feb. 26, 2021, in Alamosa, Colo. The result was a 79-61, Oredigger win. The trio of Denali Pinto, Liz Holter and Loralee Stock highlighted the victory by combining for 42 points and seven steals. Sammy Van Sickle pulled down 10 rebounds and Ashley Steffeck racked up five steals. Mines' last loss to ASU was a 64-57 decision on Jan. 13, 2012, in Alamosa.  
 
HISTORIC RANKING
On Tuesday morning, the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association and the SIDs released their latest national polls for NCAA Division II Women's Basketball. The coaches bumped Mines up one spot to #12. More notable, however, was the Orediggers' rise in the media poll sponsored by D2SIDA. After their 2-0 weekend, Mines rose from #11 to #5 in the nation which marks the program's best ranking – ever. The Orediggers' previous top mark was #8 from earlier this season. Once again, Colorado Mesa served as the only other RMAC program on either list as they moved from #23 to #20 in the media poll despite the Mavericks' loss to the Orediggers on Friday. Both polls featured a new #1 team after Drury's loss at Truman State. Ashland took the top spot in the media poll and Glenville State checked in at #1 on the WBCA's list.
 
RMAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK X7
This week it was Ashley Steffeck instead of Sammy Van Sickle bringing home RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. It marked Steffeck's first weekly award of the season and the fourth of her career. Mines has accounted for seven out of 20 possible weekly awards given out by the conference this season. Steffeck claimed her accolade by breaking the RMAC's single-game steals record with 14 in Mines' 68-66, overtime victory against Westminster on Saturday. The performance broke the previous record of 13 set by Colorado Mesa's Bonnie Brewster against Fort Lewis during the 1984-85 season – nearly 40 years ago. Furthermore, the Fort Collins, Colo., native scored the game-winning basket in the final second of overtime to give herself an 11-point, 14-steal double-double. Her final resume for the week featured 9.0 steals, 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as the Orediggers also earned a 59-51 win against #23 Colorado Mesa. Steffeck tallied six points, six rebounds, and four steals against the Mavericks. She now ranks #1 in the nation in total steals for the season and #2 in steals per game.
 
MORE ON STEFFECK'S RECORD
Steffeck's 14 steals also tied her for #5 in the NCAA Division II record book, and she broke her own program record of 10 which she set in the 2020-21 season opener against MSU Denver. Only four other players in NCAA Division II have ever recorded more steals than Steffeck in a single game since 1993. Just six other players in the history of RMAC women's basketball have ever recorded 12 steals, or more, in a single game. Additionally, the Oredigger junior moved over 500 points for her career while recording the fourth double-double of her career. No woman in NCAA Division I or II has recorded 14 steals, or more, since Dec. 30, 2010.
 
DENALI PINTO
Oredigger senior Denali Pinto scored 29 points over the weekend and took sole possession of #2 on Mines' all-time scoring list. She now boasts 1,431 points in 91 games in less than four seasons. The Boulder, Colo., native surpassed Emily Dalton who scored 1,414 points from 2008-13. Pinto now sits 35 points shy of tying Ashley Gronewoller's 1,466 points for the Orediggers' all-time scoring record. Gronewoller played for Mines from 2002-06. It's notable that Pinto has scored 30 points, or more, in a game four times in her career. The guard's single-game high is 33 points at CSU Pueblo during the 2018-19 season.
 
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
When you put your name in the NCAA record book, you get a lot of run. That being said, as of Tuesday, Jan. 25, no player in NCAA Division II – male or female – has recorded more steals this season than Ashley Steffeck's 64. That's it. That's the fun fact.
 
UP NEXT
Mines' next action following its three games and four days is a short trip to MSU Denver and Colorado Christian on Feb. and Feb. 5. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network 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.