GOLDEN, Colo. – The #12-ranked Colorado School of Mines took care of business in decisive fashion on Saturday evening with a 75-47 victory against Black Hills State inside Lockridge Arena.
 
Sammy Van Sickle and Megan Van de Graaf both provided double-double performances in the win. Van Sickle's featured 19 points, which led all players in the game, and 10 rebounds. Van de Graaf's resume included 11 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists. Van Sickle also racked up five steals, and one assist. Other double-digit scorers for the Orediggers included Jessica Rios touting 11 points and Jenna Siebert boasting 10 points. Ashley Steffeck rounded out the highlights with her eight assists to go along with six rebounds, three steals, and three points.
 
Mines (8-1, 4-0 RMAC) extended its own winning streak to six games while snapping a seven-game run for Black Hills State (8-2, 3-1 RMAC). The Orediggers also took sole possession of first place in the RMAC standings and dropped the Yellow Jacket into a tie for #2 with four other teams. Mines earned the victory by winning in all but three statistical categories. Most notable was a 25-10 turnover margin thanks to 13 Oredigger steals. That led to 28 points off turnovers for the home team. Mines also dominated in the lane, scoring 28 points in the paint compared to three points in the paint by Black Hills State. Advantages for BHSU came at the free-throw line, on the defensive glass, and in personal fouls committed.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Friday's dominant victory against South Dakota Mines, it's relatively unclear who set the tone for Saturday. Either way, as Mines football polished off a historic, dominant victory on the gridiron, the Oredigger women put together their own domination on the hardwood. It started with Mines and BHSU exchanging early three-point baskets for a 3-3 score after 74 seconds of play. That marked the only tie of the night and there would be no lead changes. The Orediggers finished the first quarter with a 23-6 lead thanks to nine points from Van Sickle, six from Loralee Stock and five off the hand of Josephine Howery. As evidenced by the final score, Mines did not look back.
 
The second quarter featured 12 points from the Orediggers and 11 from the visitors. It was five more points and six rebounds courtesy of Van Sickle which sent the game into halftime with Mines leading by a score of 35-17. Van Sickle's first-half line in the box score featured 14 points and eight rebounds. Thus, the damage had been done. Rios and Van de Graaf each notched seven third-quarter points as the later pulled down five rebounds as well. Significant minutes off the bench highlighted the fourth quarter which Mines also won, 18-14. When the final buzzer sounded, the box score showed that no Yellow Jacket had reached double digits in the scoring column.
 
NOTABLES
- Saturday's win gave Mines a 9-8 advantage in the all-time series against Black Hills State. The 75-47 score also marked the Orediggers' largest margin of victory in the series and third-largest of the season.
- Black Hills State arrived in Golden riding a seven-game win streak and unbeaten in RMAC play.
- Van de Graaf's double-double was the first of her career. Sammy Van Sickle notched the eighth double-double of her collegiate tenure.
- Van Sickle also surpassed 800 points for her career while tying for #5 on Mines' all-time list for three-point field goals made. Her 142 match Courtney Gallo who played from 2010-14.
- Furthermore, Sammy Van Sickle moved up to #5 on the program's all-time rebounding list. She sits at 731 for her career which surpassed Kelly Hadley's 726 from 1983-87.
- There were 15 different single-game career highs by Orediggers on Saturday evening.
- Rios upped her career best with four assists. She also hit exactly 100 rebounds for her career including her time at NCAA Division I Sacramento State.
- Siebert's 10 points marked back-to-back nights with career highs in scoring.
- With eight assists, Steffeck matched her collegiate best in that category. She also dished out eight assists against Black Hills State on March 3, 2020, in the RMAC Tournament.
- Steffeck now ranks #9 on the Orediggers' all-time assists list. Teammate Sammy Van Sickle ranks #6 on the same list.
- Saya Sabus scored the first points of her collegiate career as the true freshman finished with both a free throw and a field goal.
- Alison Kantor hammered down the first block of her career thanks to a swat against BHSU.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 182-108 in her 11th season leading the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines continues its home stand next weekend with MSU Denver on Saturday and Western Colorado on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online at www.minesathletics.com/tv or at the door. Free live coverage will also be offered 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.­­­