LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The #9 Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team used a 10-2 run in the final five minutes on Saturday evening to secure its 75-62 win at Colorado Christian.
 
Courtney Stanton, Ashley Steffeck and Liz Holter all pitched in on the final surge. However, it was Denali Pinto leading all players in the game with 18 points on the night. Pinto shot 7-of-10 from the field including 4-of-6 from three-point range while grabbing three rebounds and one steal. Stanton finished with 14 points, two boards, one assist and one steal. Josephine Howery was also in double digis with 10 points to go along with three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Steffeck provided a utilitarian effort with eight points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Also notable was Shelby Nichols and her nine points with seven rebounds.
 
Mines (18-3, 13-3 RMAC) shot 41 percent from the floor but just 27 percent from behind the arc while suffering a 68-percent clip at the free-throw line. Colorado Christian (6-14, 3-11 RMAC) was 44 percent from the field but was set back by a 2-of-13 effort from three-point range. Mines' defense turned the Cougars over 22 times which resulted in 21 points for the Orediggers. CCU committed 24 fouls with two players fouling out, but still outrebounded their guests, 37-32. Ball security proved key as Mines only turned it over 10 times in 40 minutes.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Friday's overtime loss at MSU Denver, Mines took the court inside the CCU Event Center with a vengeance – specifically Denali Pinto. She scored eight of the Orediggers' first 12 points in the game as both lead changes and the one tie of the contest took place inside the first five minutes of action. Nichols hit a jumper at the 5:10 mark of the first quarter and that gave Mines the lead for good at 9-8. The Orediggers held the advantage for the remaining 35:10 of the game and built it all the way out to 14 points in the third quarter. That being said, CCU did not go quietly into the night.
 
The Cougars did put together a 9-0 run in the third period that pulled them back within four points with 3:31 to play in the frame. The home team also went on a 10-1 run in the fourth quarter and made things interesting at 62-58. That margin hit at the 5:48 mark of the final period and after that, Mines closed strong on a 13-4 run. Stanton accounted for six of the 13 points on the surge sparked by Howery's free throw. Steffeck added a pair of free throws and Holter accounted for the other four points including two free throws with five seconds on the game clock.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 37-23 in the all-time series against Colorado Christian which includes six straight wins over the Cougars.
- All nine Orediggers who played on Saturday night scored at least one point. Eight of the nine also grabbed at least two rebounds.
- Pinto took sole possession of #2 on Mines' all-time list for three-pointers made in a career. The senior now has 187. She moved passed Taylor Helbig who hit 184 from 2011-15.
- Nichols' nine points at CCU matched her single-game career high in scoring.
- The Orediggers have yet to lose back-to-back games in 2021-22.
- Fourteen of Mines' 18 wins have come by double digits.
- Coach Simpson is 167-104 in her 10th season as head coach.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces Regis on Tuesday night at 5 p.m. inside Regis Field House in Denver. 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.