GOLDEN, Colo. – A balanced attack on Saturday night helped the #9-ranked Colorado School of Mines Basketball team to a 79-48 win against New Mexico Highlands inside Lockridge Arena.
 
Ashley Steffeck, Megan Van de Graaf, Sammy Van Sickle scored 12 points apiece while Jenna Siebert added 10 points off the bench. Van Sickle made her night a double-double thanks to 12 rebounds. She also added four assists, four steals, and two blocks to her resume. Van Sickle's rebounds, assists, steals and blocks led all players in the game. Also notable were three assists from Shelby Nichols and one block apiece by Steffeck and Siebert.
 
The Mines (13-1, 9-0 RMAC) win streak grew to 11 consecutive victories as it maintained a two-game lead in the RMAC standings. New Mexico Highlands (9-7, 3-7 RMAC) took its fourth straight loss and dropped into the bottom third of the conference standings. A short-staffed Cowgirls squad came into the game ranked top-10 in the nation in fewest turnovers per game. However, the Oredigger defense forced 19 NMHU turnovers and racked up 11 steals. That provided Mines 22 points off turnovers, and 17 fast-break points. The Orediggers also found 35 points off the bench while shooting over 48 percent from the field. New Mexico Highlands had just seven points off its bench and shot just 30 percent from the field.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
New Mexico Highlands scored the first basket of the game, stealing Mines' shot at another wire-to-wire victory. However, there was only one lead change and two ties in the game – all coming in the first quarter. Two Van de Graaf free-throws tied the game at 2-2, and Sammy Van Sickle pushed the Orediggers into the lead with a three-pointer 30 seconds later. Another Van Sickle three-pointer made it 8-4 before NMHU clawed back and tied the game at 10. That happened with 3:59 to play in the first quarter, and it was the closest the visitors would come the rest of the night.
 
Mines closed the first quarter on a 7-0 run, giving the home team a 17-10 advantage. Eight second-quarter points from Van de Graaf helped make the Orediggers' half time lead 35-19. It didn't hurt that the Mines defense forced 12 of NMHU's 19 turnovers in the first half. That being said, it was the third period were the Orediggers' were busier than a bunch of bees in a honeycomb.
 
Following halftime, the home team exploded for 28 points on 66-percent shooting including 13 points on fast breaks while scoring 10 points off five forced turnovers – all steals and all in the third quarter. The climax of the third frame came with 5:28 to play. Sammy Van Sickle stole the ball and made a layup. Twenty seconds later, Siebert stole the ball and Van Sickle made a layup. Forty seconds after that, Siebert drained a three-pointer on a Sammy Van Sickle assist. Then, 21 seconds after the long ball, Van Sickle stole the ball again and made the breakaway layup. Josephine Howery's jumper at 3:20 pushed the Mines lead to 55-27. While it wasn't the biggest lead of the game, it was the result of 11 points and four steals in a span of two minutes.
 
Everything after that impressive span was academic. Mines' biggest lead of the game was the final margin thanks to an Ashley Van Sickle three-point basket. She notched seven points in the fourth quarter. Suni Davis also came off the bench and added five fourth-quarter points including a three-pointer of her own. New Mexico Highlands started and finished the game with just eight active players on the roster.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines tied the all-time series with New Mexico Highlands at 34-34.
- The Orediggers have defeated the Cowgirls in 13 straight meetings.
- Mines hasn't lost to NMHU since Dec. 6, 2014. Mines hasn't lost to NMHU in Golden since Dec. 7, 2013.
- All 13 Oredigger wins this season have come by double digits.
- Sammy Van Sickle's double-double was the ninth of her career and second this season. Her 12 rebounds are the most by an Oredigger in a game this season. She also had 12 against Nebraska-Kearney.
- True freshmen Davis and Alison Kantor both had career nights against New Mexico Highlands.
- Davis finished with five points in six minutes of action thanks to the first three-pointer of her young career. She also added one rebound and one steal.
- In four minutes on the floor, Kantor did it all, sinking the first free throws of her career while grabbing three rebounds and dishing out one assist.
- Siebert recorded the first block of her career on Saturday night.
- Nichols dished out three assists for the third time in her career.
- Five of Mines' 13 wins this season have come by 20 points or more.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 187-108 in her 11th season leading the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines starts a four-game road trip next weekend at Regis on Friday and at UCCS on Saturday. 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.­­­