#13 Mines (19-3, 14-2 RMAC) vs. Fort Lewis (2-18, 1-13 RMAC) – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#13 Mines (19-3, 14-2 RMAC) vs. Western Colorado (10-10, 8-7 RMAC) – Saturday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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MINES CONTINUES RMAC ACTION AT HOME
The #13-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team is finally back home after more than two weeks and five games away from Lockridge Arena. The Orediggers will host Fort Lewis on Friday and Western Colorado on Saturday. Even though Mines remains atop the RMAC standings, two games or less separate the top six teams in the league which makes both conference contests this weekend more important than ever.
 
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.
 
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.
 
ROAD TRIP RECAP
In late January, Mines played three games in four days which included two to start a five-game road trip. The Orediggers finished their road trip with three games in five days last week into this week. Rounding out the run was a 74-67, overtime loss at MSU Denver on Friday, a 75-62 win at Colorado Christian Saturday and a 73-58 win at Regis on Tuesday. Denali Pinto highlighted last week's stretch by averaging 17.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. Courtney Stanton was also in double digits with 11.3 points per game. She surpassed 1,000 points for her career thanks to 18 on Tuesday at Regis. Also notable were seven steals apiece and 27 combined assists for Liz Holter and Ashley Steffeck.
 
SCOUTING FORT LEWIS
Fort Lewis started the season 0-3 before getting its first win of the season against Northern New Mexico College. The Skyhawks then dropped five straight until they defeated Colorado Christian in Durango by a score of 67-66. This weekend, FLC arrives in Golden riding a 10-game skid. That being said, six of those losses have come by single digits including four defeats by three points, or less. Sydney Candelaria is the Skyhawk to watch as she averages 20.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game. She recently went over 1,000 points for her career and ranks top-10 in the nation in four different categories this season. Her scoring ranks #15 in the nation this season. Also notable is Kelsey Sorenson and her 7.0 rebounds per game.
 
SCOUTING WESTERN COLORADO
Western Colorado University travels to Regis in Denver on Friday before facing Mines in Golden on Saturday. The Mountaineers latest action featured a 60-57 loss at home against UCCS on Friday before bouncing back with a 60-52 win against New Mexico Highlands on Saturday. At 10-10 overall, WCU currently sits seventh in the RMAC standings thanks to a conference mark of 8-7. Samantha Coleman, Grace Kirscher and Katie Dalton make up the Mountaineers leading trio. Coleman touts over 1,000 points for her career and averages 10.6 per game this season. Grace Kirscher boasts 10.3 points and 1.3 steals per game. Dalton is tops on the glass with 4.7 rebounds per game while adding 10.1 points per game. Not to be overlooked are Emmery Wagstaff and Ky Buell. Wagstaff has drained 31 three-point baskets this season while Buell dishes out 2.4 assists per game.
 
MINES AGAINST THE SKYHAWKS
Mines and Fort Lewis played earlier this season on Dec. 18 in Durango, Colo., and the Orediggers won, 87-53. It marked Mines' largest margin of victory ever against the Skyhawks and its third straight win against FLC. The victory improved the Orediggers to 22-37 in the all-time series. In the latest meeting, Megan Van de Graaf poured in 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Ashley Steffeck added 14 points and five steals. Denali Pinto scored 12 points as well. Mines is 7-3 in its last 10 meetings with Fort Lewis. The Orediggers last loss to the Skyhawks was a 64-55 defeat on Jan. 11, 2020, in Golden, Colo.
 
MINES AGAINST THE MOUNTAINEERS
The Orediggers and Mountaineers also faced off earlier this season. Mines departed Gunnison, Colo., with a 74-64 win thanks to Sammy Van Sickle's 18-point, 13-rebound double-double. Courtney Stanton and Denali Pinto helped the cause by combining for 21 points. Pinto bolstered her line with four steals, two blocks and two assists as well. That victory gave the Orediggers back-to-back wins over the Mountaineers and pulled Mines to 27-38 in the all-time series. Notable is the fact that WCU won the last time it came to Golden. The final scored was 57-51 on Dec. 18, 2020, inside Lockridge Arena.
 
STANTON REACHES 1,000
Courtney Stanton joined Mines women's basketball's 1,000-point club on Tuesday night in the Orediggers' 73-58 win at Regis. Stanton reached 1,000 points exactly on a pair of free throws in the first quarter which provided Mines the lead and sparked a 9-0 run. She finished the game leading all scorers thanks to 18 points. Stanton is the 11th Oredigger in program history to go over 1,000 points. The Colorado Springs native now boasts 1,016 points in her career, just 54 points behind Emily Bailey (2014-18) who ranks #10 on the all-time scoring list.
 
HOLTER DISHING DIMES
So far this season, Liz Holter has handed out 97 assists. That lone has her tied with Anna Kollmorgen for #7 in Mines' record book. That production has also pushed the Arizona native to 258 assists while wearing an Oredigger uniform which ranks #6 on Mines' all-time assists list. Additionally, Holter holds the program's single-game assists record after notching 13 against New Mexico Highlands in 2019-20. She accomplished all of this in less than three seasons at Mines after transferring to Golden following two seasons at NCAA Division I Incarnate Word. During her time at UIW, Holter racked up 171 points, 61 assists, 32 steals, and 81 rebounds.
 
STEFFECK STILL THIEVING
No, Ashley Steffeck is not continually breaking the law, but is still racking up steals in games at a borderline record pace. This season alone, the Fort Collins, Colo., native touts 89 steals to rank #4 on Mines' single-season list. She is only 11 steals from tying the program record for steals in a season. Bolstering Steffeck's season steals total was 14 steals against Westminster and 11 against New Mexico Highlands. The former broke the RMAC's single-game steals record and tied her for #4 in the NCAA Division II record book. In her career, Steffeck boasts 201 steals which puts her #4 on the Orediggers' all-time list. She is currently 20 steals out of #3 where Amy Bollinger (1996-00) sits with 220. Oh, did we mention that Steffeck is also #1 in the nation in total steals and #2 in the nation in steals per game this season?
 
PINTO CHASES MORE RECORDS
Denali Pinto already became Mines' all-time scoring leader earlier this season. That milestone added to a list including Oredigger records for single-season scoring, single-season scoring average, single-season free-throw percentage and free throws made in a season. However, the Boulder, Colo., native isn't done yet and she's looking to rewrite more records. Some of Pinto's future revisions may include, but are not limited to, three-point field goals made in a career, free throws made in a career, single-season three-pointers made and field goals made in a career. She already ranks #2 in the first two categories and currently owns the #2 spot on the program's single-season three-pointers list – and she's done it all in less than four seasons.
 
VAN SICKLE DOES IT ALL
As we talk about Orediggers rewriting the record book, the author would be remiss if he did not include Sammy Van Sickle. This season alone, Van Sickle ranks #2 in the RMAC in assist-to-turnover ratio, #3 in steals per game, #4 in rebounds per game, #5 in total blocks, #6 in blocked shots per game, #6 in total steals, #7 in assists per game, #10 in total assists and #11 in three-point field goals per game all while averaging 9.2 points per game. With that production, the Arvada, Colo., native now ranks #8 in Mines history for three-point field goals made in career while sitting 12 assists out of #8 on the Orediggers' all-time assists list. She's also 17 blocks away from tying for #5 in the program's career rankings and is quickly approaching #6 on the all-time rebounds list. Oh, and she's scored 663 points in her career so far.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
After a grueling road trip, Mines is still holding strong in the national polls. The Orediggers are now #13 in the media poll sponsored by D2SIDA. They dropped to #17 on the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association list.  Also in the media poll is CSU Pueblo remaining tied for #25 while Colorado Mesa received seven votes. No other RMAC teams appear in the coaches' rankings. For a second straight week, the media poll has Ashland ranked #1 in the nation while the coaches have Glenville State in the top spot.
 
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
Crossover season from winter to spring has officially arrived as Mines' spring sports teams opened their campaigns last weekend. That makes it time for another department update. As of Thursday, Feb. 10, the Orediggers boast a combined record of 107-31-6 in traditional head-to-head competition. That mark includes a record of 72-13-2 in RMAC action. Out of the 16 Oredigger teams that have competed in 2021-22, 12 are currently, or have been nationally-ranked at some point. Additionally, Mines' teams have claimed a total of 38 RMAC Player of the Week awards, crowned 53 all-RMAC performers, 27 all-region players and 14 all-Americans. In the classroom, the Orediggers boast a total of 105 academic honorees in the RMAC, 10 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections and seven CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. As always, not too shabby for a bunch of nerds.
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers continue their schedule on the road next weekend at Westminster on Friday and Colorado Mesa on Saturday. Live stats and video will 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.