#12 Mines (6-1, 2-0 RMAC) vs. South Dakota Mines (1-7, 1-1 RMAC) – Friday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#12 Mines (6-1, 2-0 RMAC) vs. Black Hills State (7-1, 2-0 RMAC) – Saturday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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RMAC ACTION COMES TO GOLDEN
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) basketball action is coming to Golden this weekend for the first time in the 2022-23 season. The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team will open a pair of basketball doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. with the men to follow at 7 p.m. Friday's opponent is South Dakota Mines while Saturday's opposition is Black Hills State. Mines will look to stay hot and extend its current four-game winning streak while staying unbeaten in RMAC play.
 
TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to Mines home games online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets or at the gate. General admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children, seniors, and military, and free for Mines students with their blaster card.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
All RMAC contests will stream live and for free on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Network. The RMAC Network can be accessed at www.minesathletics.com/tv, as well as with apps on all major smart TV platforms by searching RMAC. Live statistics are also available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Colorado School of Mines women opened RMAC play last weekend with a road trip to Colorado Mesa and Westminster. The Orediggers went 2-0 with a 67-55 win in Grand Junction followed by a 76-66 victory in Salt Lake City. Ashley Steffeck was Mines' star as she averaged 17 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. She posted a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double against CMU, and followed up with 22 points at Westminster. Also notable was 14.5 points per game for Josephine Howery and 11.5 points per game from Megan Van de Graaf.
 
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
South Dakota Mines journeys south to Golden with an overall record of 1-7 while sitting 1-1 in conference play. The Hardrockers started the season with six straight losses including a 75-67 decision against then-#6 West Texas A&M. Last weekend, SDM also opened its RMAC slate and earned its first win of the season in 80-72 fashion over UCCS. On Saturday, the Hardrockers fell, 77-48, to Regis. Six of South Dakota Mines' eight games this season have been played at home. Individually, Piper Bauer is the team's leading scorer thanks to 10.9 points per game. She ranks #7 in NCAA Division II this season with 73 three-point attempts. Madelyn Heiser averages 3.4 assists per contest. Sydnee Durtsche is tops on the glass thanks to a 6.9 rebounding average. As a team, SDM averages 57.5 points per game while giving up 72.6 to the opposition. That makes the Hardrockers' average margin of loss 15.1 points per game this season.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE HARDROCKERS
Colorado School of Mines leads the all-time series with South Dakota Mines by a 9-6 margin. The Orediggers have won four straight and are 7-3 in their last 10 meetings with the Hardrockers. Last season's 91-62, Colorado School of Mines win marked the largest margin of victory for the Orediggers in the rivalry. It was also the latest meeting between the two schools. Sammy Van Sickle scored 24 points with four rebounds, four steals, and three blocks in that game. The last time South Dakota Mines defeated Colorado School of Mines was Feb. 22, 2020 thanks to a 77-75 thriller inside Lockridge Arena. Three of the Hardrockers six wins against the Orediggers have come in Golden.
 
SCOUTING BLACK HILLS STATE
Black Hills State puts its six-game win streak on the line Friday night at MSU Denver before coming to Golden on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets are 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the RMAC. Their only loss of the season so far came at the hands of Texas A&M-Kingsville in Spearfish, S.D., by a score of 71-65. Last weekend, BHSU hosted Regis and UCCS and defeated both teams, 71-64 and 58-42, respectively. Danica Kocer serves as the Yellow Jackets top weapon, touting 15.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.6 assists per game. Niki Van Wyk averages 10.1 points per contest and Morgan Hammerbeck averages 10.3 points per game. Hammerbeck also leads BHSU on the glass thanks to 44 rebounds through eight games. As a team, Black Hills State ranks #25 in the nation in steals per game. The Yellow Jackets are winning by an average of 12.1 points per game with a 68-55.9 scoring margin.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE YELLOW JACKETS
The all-time series between Colorado School of Mines and Black Hills State is knotted at 8-8. That does not include a no contest from 2021 when BHSU "won" the 2021 RMAC Women's Basketball Tournament in Golden. The Orediggers won their last meeting with the Yellow Jackets. It was a 67-55 decision inside Lockridge Arena on Jan. 1, 2022. Ashley Steffeck rolled in that contest, racking up 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Sammy Van Sickle also had 11 points, eight rebounds, five blocks, three assists and two steals. Black Hills State's last win over Colorado School of Mines was a 73-71, overtime thriller on Jan. 4, 2021. The Orediggers have not lost to BHSU in Golden since Feb. 21, 2020.
 
STEFFECK NAMED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ashley Steffeck, the defending RMAC Defensive Player of the Year, was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after her stellar performances during the opening weekend of conference play. She earned the award, her first of the season and sixth of her career, on the merits of 17 rebounds, five steals and three blocks. Steffeck bolstered her resume with 34 points and seven assists while going 19-of-19 at the free-throw line. All five of her steals came at Westminster where she also went 12-of-12 from the charity stripe. She is the third Oredigger to win the award this season after Jessica Rios and Sammy Van Sickle also won it.
 
DECISIVE VICTORIES
Colorado School of Mines has earned all six of its wins in 2022-23 by double digits. The Orediggers' 15.7-point average margin of victory ranks #31 in the nation. Their success comes in large part thanks to the #14-ranked defense in the nation, giving up just 53.9 points per game. Colorado School of Mines' biggest margin of victory was a 86-45 score against St. Mary's on opening weekend. It's notable that the Rattlers went on to eventually defeat NCAA Division I Sam Houston State just two weeks later. The Orediggers' only loss of the season was a 59-47 decision at the hands of Nebraska-Kearney which is now ranked in both national polls.
 
RUNNIN' HOT
The Orediggers tout a modest, current win streak of four games. They started the run with a 72-53 win against then-#21 Central Washington which came into the game unbeaten and averaging 88 points per game. Colorado School of Mines went on to defeat Seattle Pacific (65-54), Colorado Mesa (67-55), and Westminster (76-66) all away from the friendly confines of Lockridge Arena. The Orediggers' longest winning streak in program history is 13 games which they reached during the 2015-16 season and the 2021-22 season.
 
STRONG START
At 6-1 so far in 2022-23, Colorado School of Mines has matched its second-best start to a season in program history. The Orediggers started the 2001-02 campaign with a 6-1 record as well. Their best start to a season in program history was in 2021-22 when they rolled to a 16-1 mark through 17 games.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Earlier this week, the Orediggers surged six spots up to #12 in the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) poll. Colorado School of Mines also continued receiving votes in the media poll sponsored by D2SIDA. The Orediggers continue to be the only RMAC program currently appearing in either national ranking. Grand Valley State continues to holds the #1 spot in both polls.
 
BOSS LADY
Head Coach Brittany Simpson is in her 11th season leading the Mines women's basketball program. During her decade tenure, she has become the winningest coach in program history both in terms of total wins and win percentage at 179-109 (62.1). Simpson is responsible for all three of the program's RMAC titles including regular-season championships in 2015-16, 2020-21, and 2021-22, as well as three of four trips to the NCAA Tournament. She is a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year who has guided 31 All-RMAC selections including 11 first-teamers, 11 second-teamers, one third-team selection and eight honorable mention performers.
 
UP NEXT
Mines continues its four-game home stand next Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17-18. The Orediggers welcome MSU Denver to town on Saturday at 5 p.m. with Western Colorado coming to Lockridge Arena on Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets 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.