#17/20 Mines (19-4, 14-3 RMAC) at Colorado Mesa (18-5, 12-4 RMAC) – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – Grand Junction, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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RIVALRY RENEWED
It's a one-game weekend for the #17/20-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team as they head to Grand Junction, Colo., for a Friday showdown against Colorado Mesa. While the Orediggers sit atop the conference standings, the Mavericks are less than two games back and looking to strike. An absolute, double-overtime classic earlier this season in Golden set the stage for this Friday's rematch as two of the most successful teams in the RMAC over the last decade renew their rivalry.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Fans who aren't planning to go to Grand Junction can still catch all the action. 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 ACTION
Mines played a pair of games at home last weekend in conjunction with the program's "Rock the Lock" fan-fest. The Orediggers dropped a 69-61 game to Black Hills State on Friday. They bounced back on Saturday with a 58-53 win against South Dakota Mines on Saturday. Ashley Steffeck turned in a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double against BHSU. Shelby Nichols and Jenna Siebert also combined for 28 points in that game. Steffeck poured 30 more points on the Hardrockers to round out a 23-point-per-game weekend.
 
MORE MILESTONES
There has been much ado about Ashley Steffeck revising the entire program record book. Over the weekend she surpassed two different milestones. Her 14 rebounds on Friday pushed her past 700 career boards. The Fort Collins, Colo., native is only the seventh Oredigger in program history to go over 700 rebounds in a career. Additionally, five more steals on Saturday put Steffeck at exactly 400 career steals. No other player in Mines history – man or woman – has ever recorded 400 steals in a career. Steffeck also sits less than 100 points away from the program's all-time scoring record with 11 assists needed for the all-time dimes record.
 
ACTIVE CAREER LEADER
Ashley Steffeck's 400 career steals remain most of any active player in NCAA basketball. That includes men and women across all three divisions. The number also ranks #25 in NCAA Division II Women's Basketball history. She leads the top active men's player, Jalen House out of New Mexico, by more than 120. The next closest women's player, Haley Meinel of Jefferson, trails Steffeck by 20 steals. The Oredigger graduate student is also #3 among all active NCAA Division II women's players in steals per game at 3.05. Steffeck also owns nearly every program steals record. It should be noted that steals were not considered an official NCAA Division II category until the 1992-93 season.
 
RMAC RACE
Only five games remain for Mines in the 2023-24 regular season and the Orediggers control their own destiny in the race for a fourth conference title. Mines sits #1 in the RMAC standings with a one-game advantage over Regis, Adams State, and UCCS who are all tied for #2 with a 13-4 record in league play. Colorado Mesa is alone at #5 thanks to a 12-4 mark. Black Hills State, Colorado Christian, and CSU Pueblo currently round out the final three spots in the projected RMAC Tournament bracket. However, similar to a 1.5-game spread at the top of the standings, just three games separate 6-9 and only eight teams make the postseason. MSU Denver, South Dakota Mines, Chadron State, and Western Colorado remain mathematically alive in the race to the postseason, but would need a massive change of fortune. New Mexico Highlands and Westminster are both out of contention.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Last Friday's loss gave Mines back-to-back defeats for the first time since the 2022-23 postseason. Even so, the Orediggers remain nationally ranked in both major polls released earlier this week. The D2CSC Women's Basketball Division II Media Poll put Mines in a tie with Montana State Billings at #17. The WBCA NCAA Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll voted the Orediggers #20. No other RMAC team is ranked or receiving votes. Ashland is #1 on both lists.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO MESA
Colorado Mesa enters the weekend with a record of 18-5 (12-4 RMAC). The Mavericks had won six straight games including a 62-51 decision at Regis last weekend. However, CMU's run was halted on Saturday when UCCS dealt the Mavericks a 55-51 loss in Colorado Springs. Even so, Colorado Mesa remains undefeated (10-0) this season inside the friendly confines of Brownson Arena, and the Mavericks are 16-1 when shooting a high percentage than their opponent. Across NCAA Division II, CMU ranks #5 in assist-to-turnover ratio and #12 in assists per game thanks to Kyle Kravig's 5.7 dimes per night. That puts her #9 in the nation. Colorado Mesa is also top-20 in DII in rebound margin. Individually, the Mavericks boast multiple stars. Olivia Reed averages 16.6 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from the floor. Mason Rowland is a top candidate for RMAC Freshman of the Year thanks to 15.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Kravig's assist numbers were already mentioned. Reed also adds 1.4 blocks per game to CMU's arsenal.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE MAVERICKS
Mines and Colorado Mesa started their respective conference campaigns earlier this season on Dec. 1 in Golden, Colo. The outcome was a double-overtime thriller claimed by the Orediggers, 89-85. Ashley Steffeck provided the game-winning points with three free throws down the stretch. She finished the game with 25 points, seven rebounds, seven steals, six assists, and two blocks. Jenna Siebert added 19 points while Shelby Nichols and Emma Sixta combined for 24 points. The win improved the Orediggers to 21-61 in the all-time series against the Mavericks. It also marked Mines' second straight win over CMU. The Orediggers have won seven of their last 10 meetings with Colorado Mesa. However, one of those three losses was an 81-74 decision in Grand Junction, Colo., during the 2021-22 season. The Mavericks are 7-31 against Mines inside Brownson Arena.
 
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 217-118 (64.7). 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 has Saturday off. The Orediggers play at Colorado Christian next Friday and head to Chadron State on Saturday. Both games will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network. Live stats will also be linked 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.