#11 Mines (7-1, 2-0 RMAC) at South Dakota Mines (0-7, 0-2 RMAC) – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – Rapid City, S.D. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#11 Mines (7-1, 2-0 RMAC) at Black Hills State (4-2, 1-1 RMAC) – Saturday, 4 p.m. – Spearfish, S.D. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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ON THE ROAD AGAIN
For just the second time this season, the #11-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team is on the road. The Orediggers open their four-game road swing in South Dakota, traveling to Rapid City to face South Dakota Mines before a showdown with Black Hills State in Spearfish. Friday's tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. with Saturday starting at 4 p.m. On the line for Mines is a six-game win streak, first place in the conference standings, and the Orediggers' national ranking.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live streaming of each contest will be offered free of charge on the RMAC Network. The RMAC Network can be loaded on your phone or downloaded on any smart TV/live streaming device by searching RMAC. There will also be free live stats linked above and at www.minesathletics.com.
 
LAST WEEKEND
Colorado School of Mines started Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play last weekend with a pair of home games. The Orediggers knocked off then-#23 Colorado Mesa in an 89-85, double-overtime thriller on Friday night. They finished the weekend with a 69-60 win against Westminster on Saturday. Friday's contest saw Jenna Siebert force the first overtime with Shelby Nichols draining a three to force the second extra period. Ashley Steffeck eventually clinched the win thanks to 25 points, seven rebounds, seven steals, six assists, and two blocks. Siebert turned in a 19-point, five-rebound performance. Nichols and Emma Sixta notched 12 points apiece. Saturday's victory featured 12 points, five steals, and five assists from Steffeck. Siebert added 11 more points. Nichols had eight points and nine rebounds.
 
MAKING HISTORY
Last Friday's win against #23 Colorado Mesa marked the Orediggers' second win over a ranked opponent this season after also defeating then-#16 MSU Billings on Thanksgiving weekend. The last time Mines earned two wins against ranked opponents in the same season was the 2016-17 campaign. It is unknown if the Orediggers have ever defeated two nationally-ranked foes in back-to-back games. It was also Mines' first overtime game since 2021-22 when it had two contests go into extra periods.  The Orediggers have not played a double-overtime game in at least 20 years.
 
A LITTLE SWEETER
As of late, not much has been made of Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson's tie to Colorado Mesa, but when she beats her alma mater, something must be said. Simpson played collegiately for the Mavericks from 2002-06 as Brittany Rowley. She was a two-time All-RMAC West Division player and finished her career as CMU's career free-throw percentage leader at 89.1 percent. Simpson arrived at Mines as an assistant coach in 2008. At that time, the Orediggers were 10-45 in the all-time series against her alma mater including a 26-game skid from 1988-2000. With Simpson as an assistant from 2008-12, Mines went 3-1 against the Mavericks. When Simpson took the helm in 2012, her teams dropped 12 of the next 13 to Colorado Mesa. However, over the last 10 meetings, Simpson's Orediggers are 7-3 against CMU including Mines' first two wins in Grand Junction and Brownson Arena since 2008. Overall, with Simpson on the Orediggers' staff, Mines has gone 11-16 and more than doubled its all-time win total against Colorado Mesa. A little sweeter indeed.
 
OOPS, SHE DID IT AGAIN
Ashley Steffeck earned her second straight RMAC Offensive Player of the Week award and her third of the season on Monday after crushing the first weekend of conference play. Steffeck's combined statistics from the first two games of RMAC action included 18.5 points, 6.0 steals, 5.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. She also committed just one turnover in 69 minutes of action giving her an 11.0 assist-to-turnover ratio for the weekend while missing just one free throw in 16 attempts. Steffeck now leads the league in scoring average, assist-to-turnover ratio, free-throw percentage, and steals per game. She's also #4 in the RMAC in assists per game, #4 in minutes per game, #9 in blocks per game and #16 in rebounding average.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball made moves in the national rankings this week. The Orediggers jumped to #11 in the D2CSC Women's Basketball Division II Media Poll, and they entered the WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll at #23. It marked the second straight week Mines has appeared in the media's top-25 and the Orediggers' first appearance on the coaches' top-25 list. The rankings are the Orediggers' highest since sitting #7/9 on Jan. 11, 2023. Colorado Mesa was the only other RMAC team in this week's top-25 as the Mavericks dropped from #23 to #25 in the media poll while still receiving votes from the WBCA. Texas Woman's is now #7 according to the D2CSC and #10 according to the coaches. MSU Billings is now #15/16.
 
UPDATED STEFFECK STATS
Once again, the weekly update of Ashley Steffeck's rise in the program record book. With 1,256 career points, she is #7 on the all-time list and 17 shy of tying Brecca Gaffney at #6. The graduate student's 599 career rebounds are 84 short of tying Marissa Eichorn at #7. Steffeck has moved within six three-point baskets of tying Sammy Van Sickle at #5 on that all-time list. With 336 career assists, Steffeck is #4 in program history and needs just three dimes to tie Amy Bollinger at #3. Steffeck also sits #4 in career free throws made with 297. She owns nearly every program steals record as well.
 
NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Early production for the Orediggers has put the team and multiple individuals in the national statistical rankings. Topping the list is Mines' 17.88 free throws made per game which ranks #8 in all of NCAA Division II. The Orediggers are also #10 in the nation in free-throw percentage and three-pointers made per game. Individually, Ashley Steffeck is #10 in the nation in total steals, #13 in free-throw percentage, #17 in steals per game, #18 in total free throws, and #26 in points per game. Jessica Rios boasts a 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio which ranks #6 in the nation, but she does not meet the minimum assists average to be ranked in the RMAC. Also notable is Audrey Beaty who is one of the top-100 shot blockers in the nation. She ranks #54 in total blocks and #75 in blocks per game.
 
NOBODY HAS MORE – NOBODY
Ashley Steffeck continues to rank #1 among all active NCAA basketball players in career steals. That includes men and women across NCAA Divisions I, II, and III. She now boasts 352 steals across the last five seasons. That's over 100 more than the leading active men's player in any division. It's also 25 more than the #2 women's player in DII, 33 better than the leading DI women's player, and 52 over the top DIII women's baller. Additionally, Steffeck ranks #2 among active players in NCAA Division II in career steals average at 3.03 per game across 116 games in her career. The Fort Collins, Colo., native needs 48 more swipes to move into NCAA Division II's top-25 all-time steals leaders. It should be noted that steals were not considered an official NCAA Division II category until the 1992-92 season.
 
RUSHMORE REUNION
The title is probably a stretch on accuracy, but you'll get the picture. This weekend will be a homecoming for Colorado School of Mines' Loralee Stock. The fifth-year Oredigger grew up in Sturgis, S.D., and player her prep ball at Sturgis Brown High School. For reference, Sturgis Brown is just 32 miles and 36 minutes from the campus of South Dakota Mines. The weekend is also notable for Ashley Steffeck whose older sister Sami played collegiately at SDM. The elder Steffeck finished her career as the program's all-time leader in three-point attempts. Ashley's freshman season was also Sami's final season which allowed the Steffeck sisters to go head-to-head for the first time ever in sanctioned competition.
 
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
South Dakota Mines enters the weekend with an overall record of 0-7 while sitting 0-2 in RMAC play. All seven losses have come away from home with Texas-Permian Basin, West Texas A&M, Northern State, Sioux Falls, Black Hills State, UCCS, and Regis dolling out the damage. Six of the seven losses have been by double-digit margins. South Dakota Mines' latest action was on the road at UCCS and Regis. The Hardrockers fell to the Mountain Lions, 80-43, and dropped a 79-50 decision to the Rangers. As a team, SDM is averaging 52.9 points per game and giving up more than 70. Individually, the Hardrockers are led by a familiar face in Piper Bauer who boasts 16.3 points per game. Bauer ranks #2 in NCAA Division II in three-pointers per game and #7 in total three-pointers. Emily Thomas dishes out 3.3 assists per game and Sydnee Durtsche pulls down 6.5 rebounds with 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 9.0 points per game. As noted above, Friday will be South Dakota Mines' first home game of the 2023-24 season.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE HARDROCKERS
Colorado School of Mines is 11-6 in the rivalry with South Dakota Mines. That mark includes an active, six-game win streak for the Orediggers. Last season, the two engineering schools faced off twice. Colorado School of Mines started with a 70-52 home win and finished with an 84-68 victory in Rapid City, S.D. Jenna Siebert averaged 12.0 points per contest across the two meetings. The last time the Orediggers lost to the Hardrockers was Feb. 22, 2020, in Golden. Colorado School of Mines' last loss in Rapid City was Feb. 23, 2019.
 
SCOUTING BLACK HILLS STATE
Black Hills State (4-2, 1-1 RMAC) will host MSU Denver on Friday night before welcoming the Orediggers to town on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets started their season 4-1 thanks to wins against University of Mary, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Mines, and Regis. Their only loss before RMAC play was at home to Northern State. Last weekend, BHSU defeated Regis by double digits before falling, 63-57, to UCCS. Black Hills State's scoring defense ranks #22 in NCAA Division II, limiting opponents to 54.8 points per game while the offense scores 59.5 points per game. Historically, BHSU Head Coach Mark Nore has not been afraid to run full-court pressure for most of the game, so fans can watch for that. Individually, Ellie Moore averages 11.0 points per game and Kalla Bertram puts up 10.2 points per game. Morgan Hammerbeck is tops on the glass with 6.2 rebounds per outing while averaging 2.3 assists.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE YELLOW JACKETS
Mines owns an active, three-game win streak against Black Hills State and is 7-3 over the last 10 meetings. All of that has moved the Orediggers to 10-8 in the all-time series with the Yellow Jackets. In two meetings last season, Mines won 75-47 in Golden and 72-58 in Spearfish. Ashley Steffeck dished out eight assists in Golden before exploding for 22 points, nine rebounds, and five assists at BHSU. Jessica Rios also produced 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists when the teams played at Lockridge Arena last season. The last time the Orediggers fell to the Yellow Jackets was a 73-71, overtime heartbreaker in Spearfish on Jan. 4, 2021.
 
200 WINS
Mines' win against St. Edward's on opening weekend gave Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson the 200th win of her career. It makes Simpson the only head coach in program history to reach the milestone. By default, it also makes her the fastest to 200 career wins in the history of Mines women's basketball. The milestone added to Simpson's impressive resume which saw her become the winningest coach in the history of Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball on Dec. 4, 2020, in a 68-53 win over South Dakota Mines inside Lockridge Arena. Simpson is now in her 12th season as skipper of the Orediggers.
 
BOSS LADY
Head Coach Brittany Simpson is in her 12th season leading the Mines women's basketball program. During her decade tenure, she has become the winningest coach in program history both in terms of total wins and win percentage at 205-115 (64.0). Simpson is responsible for all three of the program's RMAC titles including regular-season championships in 2015-16, 2020-21, and 2021-22. She has also led the Orediggers in four of their five trips to the NCAA tournament. Simpson is a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year who has guided 34 All-RMAC selections including 14 first-teamers, 11 second-teamers, one third-team selection and eight honorable mention performers. She has also coached one RMAC Player of the Year, two RMAC Defensive Players of the Year, and two RMAC Freshman of the Year award winners. Eight of Mines' 13 1,000-point scorers have surpassed the milestone under Simpson's watch. Last season, Ashley Steffeck became the first all-American in program history after earning Honorable Mention All-America status from the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA).
 
UP NEXT
Mines continues its four-game road trip and closes out the calendar year next week. The Orediggers face MSU Denver on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and play at Western Colorado on Saturday at 1 p.m. Free video on the RMAC Network and live stats will be offered for all four games 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.