GOLDEN, Colo. – Balanced scoring and stifling defense helped the #14-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team earn a 74-45 win against Fort Lewis on Friday night at Lockridge Arena.
 
Ashley Steffeck and Sammy Van Sickle led the Orediggers' balanced offense with 12 points apiece. Van Sickle bolstered her line by pulling down eight rebounds with five steals, three blocks and three assists. She had just one turnover. Steffeck added seven rebounds, five steals, four assists, and one block to her resume. Suni Davis also had a double-digit scoring night, providing 10 points off the bench. Jenna Siebert and Ashley Van Sickle rounded out the highlights in the box score with three steals each.
 
Mines (16-3, 12-2 RMAC) won its third straight game and held on to a half-game lead on the rest of the conference by forcing 32 Fort Lewis (7-12, 4-9 RMAC) turnovers and converting those into 31 points. Comparatively, FLC forced the Orediggers to commit 13 turnovers but only managed eight points in those situations. The Skyhawks did earn a 39-38 win on the glass, but Mines' 16-5 advantage in assists and 7-2 margin in blocks proved too much. The Orediggers also found 34 points off the bench, shot 41 percent from the floor and limited Fort Lewis to 34-percent shooting.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Two zeroes on the scoreboard at the beginning of the game was the only time the score matched all night, and the home team never trailed as Mines opened Basketball Alumni Weekend. The Orediggers found contributions on offense up and down the lineup, and their defense was like baba ghanoush all over the Skyhawks. It all started with a Howery three-pointer 27 seconds into the game. Davis drained her own three-pointer to end it with six seconds left on the clock.
 
Along the way, Howery knocked down eight first-quarter points, and Mines' defense forced 10 Fort Lewis turnovers in the opening period. The Orediggers were limited to eight points in the second frame, and the Skyhawks went on a 7-0 run. However, Sammy Van Sickle found her sister Ashley Van Sickle in the final seconds to keep Mines' double-digit lead at 32-22. The Van Sickle sisters returned in the third quarter for five points apiece. A 7-0, Oredigger run also helped the home team find a 51-33 advantage with one quarter left to play. The final quarter included 10 minutes of action, but Davis only needed four minutes to pour in 10 points while Mines' defense pressured the visitors into 11 more turnovers.
 
Mines also had an 8-0 run in the fourth period and found its biggest lead of the game in the final tally thanks to Davis' late three-pointer. The Orediggers finished with 34 points in the paint and 12 points on fast breaks. In those same categories, Fort Lewis had 24 points and two points, respectively.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 24-37 in the all-time series against Fort Lewis.
- Friday also marked the Orediggers' fifth straight win over the Skyhawks and came five points shy of matching the largest margin of victory in the rivalry.
- All five victories in the Orediggers' winning streak against Fort Lewis have come by double digits.
- Mines hasn't lost to FLC since Jan. 11, 2020.
- Davis' 10 points doubled her career best in a game. The true freshman previously touted five points against New Mexico Highlands as her highest scoring output.
- All 13 Orediggers on the roster saw minutes and 12 found the scoring column against FLC.
- Ashley Van Sickle matched her scoring high in an Oredigger uniform after playing four years at NCAA Division I Montana State.
- Mines totaled 21 steals against the Skyhawks, marking a 2022-23 season high.
- Shelby Nichols scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds to go over 200 career points and 200 career rebounds.
- Sammy Van Sickle took over #4 on the program's all-time assists list and moved to #3 on the all-time rebounding rankings.
- Kelsey Sorenson of Fort Lewis led all players with 14 points.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 190-110 in her 11th season leading the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines hosts Adams State on Saturday night at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets. They can also be purchased at the door. Free live video and statistics 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.­­­