COLORADO SPRINGS – Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball suffered a 67-64 loss at the hands of UCCS on Saturday night inside the Gallogly Events Center.
 
Top performers for the #7-ranked Orediggers included Megan Van de Graaf, Josephine Howery, and Sammy Van Sickle. Van de Graaf led all players with 17 points. Howery poured in 15 points. Van Sickle notched a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double and tallied two blocks. Also tops on the team was Ashley Steffeck who notched two steals and dished out three assists. The best player for UCCS was Gracie Haneborg touting 14 points and four rebounds.
 
It marks the second straight loss for Mines (13-3, 9-2 RMAC). The Mountain Lions (6-11, 5-6 RMAC) snapped a two-game losing streak and now have won three of their last five. Nearly every statistical category was a wash. The Orediggers even won the turnover battle by a 14-10 margin. However, the home team had one more steal, one more three-pointer and shot three percent better to get the win. Mines was also outpaced in points off the bench, 21-13. The Orediggers still hold a half game advantage in the conference standings with Regis right behind at #2.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Two ties and two lead changes provided bookends to a defensive battle in Colorado Springs on Saturday night. The Mountain Lions scored first. Howery scored two of her 12 first-half points to tie the game at 2-2. It was all UCCS after that as the hosts led for the next 37 minutes of action and pushed their lead to 18 points in the opening period alone. The Orediggers would stage a furious comeback over the final two quarters. Van de Graaf led the charge with all 17 of her points coming in the second half. Right behind was Sammy Van Sickle with 11 points and nine rebounds in the second half. In fact, Mines' only lead of the game came on a Van Sickle layup with 35 seconds remaining. The advantage lasted just five seconds as UCCS converted an and-one opportunity to retake the lead.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 22-23 in the all-time series against UCCS. Saturday's lost snapped a two-game run for the Orediggers against the Mountain Lions.
- Sammy Van Sickle turned in her third double-double of the season and 10th of her career.
- Ashley Van Sickle scored five points to land exactly on 300 points for her career so far.
- Sammy Van Sickle has recorded multiple blocks in three straight games and eight total times this season.
- Despite the loss, the Orediggers have earned all their wins this season by double digits.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 187-110 in her 11th season leading the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines takes on MSU Denver on Tuesday in Denver, Colo., at 5 p.m. Free live coverage will be linked 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.­­­