GOLDEN, Colo. – The #16-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team opened Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play on Friday night with an 89-85, double-overtime win against #23 Colorado Mesa inside Lockridge Arena.
 
Jenna Siebert forced the first overtime with a tip-in layup in the final seconds. Shelby Nichols forced the second overtime by hitting a three-pointer from the top of the arc with five seconds on the clock. Ashley Steffeck eventually won the game for Mines with a layup and two free-throws in the final minute of the second overtime. Steffeck finished the game boasting 25 points, seven rebounds, seven steals, six assists, and two blocks. Siebert tallied 19 points and five rebounds. Nichols had 12 points, four rebounds, and one assist. Emma Sixta made it a quartet of Orediggers scoring in double digits thanks to 12 points. Sixta also had four rebounds. Other notable performances included Quincey Baum's two-block, eight-rebound night and Josephine Howery's three assists.
 
As a team, Mines (6-1, 1-0 RMAC) forced Colorado Mesa (6-2, 0-1 RMAC) to commit 25 turnovers while the Orediggers shot 40 percent from the floor including a 48-percent mark from behind the arc. The Mavericks won on the glass, 49-35, and converted 13 of 16 free-throw opportunities. They also scored 50 points in the paint. However, Mines drained 13 three-pointers and made 20 free throws. The Orediggers produced 27 points off turnovers as well. The star of the game was CMU's Olivia Reed who scored 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Freshman Mason Rowland turned in a 23-point performance while Kylie Kravig dished out 12 assists.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
In regulation time, the game was a tale of two halves. Mines easily erased Colorado Mesa's early, 11-4 lead with a firestorm of three-pointers. Howery hit two long-range shots in the first quarter to give the Orediggers a 14-13 lead at the first break. Then, Mines went 6-of-10 from behind the arc in the second period to open up a 37-22, halftime lead. The Orediggers' defense also limited CMU to just nine points in that second frame. Steffeck, Sixta, and Siebert all went 2-for-2 from behind the arc in the same span.
 
The intonation of the game quickly changed after the teams emerged from the locker rooms. Colorado Mesa shot 63 percent in the third quarter and 53 percent in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks' efficiency eventually helped them take a 62-60 lead with five minutes to play in regulation. Both teams proceeded to exceeded to exchange baskets and neither led by more than two points for the rest of the fourth quarter. With 39 seconds on the clock, the Orediggers found themselves trailing, 69-67 after a Rowland jumper. What followed was a missed shot by Steffeck which was saved by a Baum offensive rebound. Steffeck missed another, but Siebert was there to tip it in with two seconds on the clock. Colorado Mesa could not heave in a last-chance effort.
 
In overtime, the Mavericks had the early advantage in both periods. They notched a 5-0 run to start the first five minutes. But Mines clawed back behind Sixta and Steffeck layups along with a smattering of Oredigger free throws. Even so, the home team trailed by three points with 15 seconds on the clock. Mines came out of a timeout and ran a play that resulted in Nichols swishing a three-pointer from the top of the arc with five seconds on the clock. Another CMU heave fell short as the game headed into the second overtime. It was a 4-0 run by Colorado Mesa to start the second period. However, the visitors managed just two more points for the rest of the game. Steffeck responded with two free throws. Siebert tied the game at 83 with a jumper. Another Steffeck layup gave Mines an 85-83 lead. Two Mavericks' free throws would not be enough as Steffeck answered again by scoring a layup and two free-throws to clinch the win.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 21-61 in the all-time series against Colorado Mesa.
- The Orediggers are 7-3 in their last 10 meetings with the Mavericks.
- Mines has only lost one game to CMU in Golden since 2019.
- Friday marked the Orediggers' second straight win over a nationally-ranked opponent.
- Mines last played an overtime game in the 2021-22 season.
- The Orediggers haven't played a double-overtime game in at least eight years.
- Mines also defeated two nationally-ranked opponents during the 2016-17 season.
- Steffeck moved up to #7 on the program's all-time scoring list and #4 on the all-time free-throws list.
- She surpassed Ja'net Proctor in scoring and now touts 1,244 points in her career. Steffeck has scored 291 of those points at the free-throw line which bettered Ashley Gronewoller's 288 from 2002-06.
- Siebert set a new single-game, scoring high on Friday night. Her previous best was 16 points at South Dakota Mines last season.
- Baum's eight rebounds against CMU were a career high for the senior after she grabbed seven last weekend against then-#10 MSU Billings.
- Baum also matched her career high in blocks with two on Friday night.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 204-115 in her 12th season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines hosts Westminster on Saturday evening at 5 p.m. inside Lockridge Arena. Live stats and free video on the RMAC Network will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on "X" (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.­­­