SALT LAKE CITY – The #9-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team won its 22nd game of the season on Friday night which breaks the program record for most wins in a season as the Orediggers edged Westminster for a 59-54 victory.
Courtney Stanton led the Orediggers in scoring and rebounding with 16 points and six boards.
Denali Pinto came up big with 13 points, five rebounds and four steals.
Ashley Steffeck joined the double-digit scoring party with 12 points while adding four assists, two steals and one rebound. Other notable lines included
Sammy Van Sickle's four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks which
Liz Holter complimented with four points, four rebounds, three steals and three assists.
Mines (22-3, 17-2 RMAC) not only broke its program wins record, the Orediggers also extended their win streak to five games. They did it by converting 23 points off of 23 Westminster (14-8, 13-5 RMAC) turnovers. Thirteen of those 23 turnovers were caused by steals from Mines. Both teams shot under 40 percent which benefited the Orediggers as WC entered the game ranked #4 in the nation in overall shooting percentage. Ball security secured the win for Mines as the visitors committed just nine turnovers. Westminster did finish the game with an edge from long range and at the free-throw line.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Friday's showdown proved to be a game of runs and two proved key in Mines' win. As the opening quarter came to a close, Westminster thought it end the period trailing just 17-16. However, a Steffeck three-pointer with 13 seconds remaining made it 20-16 in favor of Mines and sparked a 13-0 run for the Orediggers. It continued immediately in the second quarter with a long-range bucket from Pinto. The Griffins failed to stem the tide until after Stanton's jumper made it 30-16. That run gave the visitors enough sustenance to take a 39-31 advantage into the halftime break.
The second key run was the one Mines withstood in the third quarter. It was a 9-0 outburst by WC and pulled the home team back within three. That margin grew no bigger than six points for the rest of the game, but the Orediggers never surrendered the lead. At the sound of the final buzzer, Mines had led for more than 38 out of 40 minutes. Despite double-digit nights from Stanton, Pinto and Steffeck, it was
Josephine Howery who truly clinched the win by driving left towards the basket and sinking a layup with 15 seconds remaining. That basket pushed Mines' lead from two to four and proved too much for Westminster.
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 7-5 in the rivalry against Westminster which includes back-to-back wins.
- Pinto's free throw with just over four minutes in the second quarter made her the Orediggers' all-time leader in made free throws. Her five free throws in the game put her at 409 in less than four seasons.
- Mines' previous wins record of 21 was set in the 2015-16 season when the Orediggers won their first RMAC title.
- Steffeck's two steals give her exactly 100 for the season and ties her for Mines' single-season steals record.
- Stanton now boasts more than 1,000 points and exactly 500 rebounds in her college career.
- Van Sickle took over #8 on the program's all-time assists list. She now has 228 in her career.
- Holter surpassed herself on Mines' single-season assists list and now touts 107 in the 2021 season to rank #4 – again.
- So far this season, Mines is 20-0 when shooting over 32 percent from the field.
- The Orediggers are 21-0 when holding their opponents under 70 points.
- Coach Simpson is 171-104 in her 10th season as head coach.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces #25 Colorado Mesa on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in Grand Junction, Colo. Live stats and video of both games 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.
