GOLDEN, Colo. – Oredigger true freshman Jade Leon had a career game on Thursday as the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team took down league-leading CSU Pueblo at Lockridge Arena by a score of 62-56.
 
Leon exploded for 20 points while adding seven rebounds, four steals, and two assists. She was 8-of-14 from the floor including a 4-for-5 mark from behind the three-point line. Emma Sixta scored in double digits as well by shooting 75 percent from long range. She finished the game with 13 points four rebounds, four assists, and one block. Audrey Beaty was big on the glass as evidenced by a game-high 11 rebounds. She added four points, two steals, one block and one assist too. A utilitarian effort from Josephine Howery featured nine points, seven rebounds, and three assists. The Pack's Alisha Little, a prime candidate for national player of the year, scored 25 points, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked six shots, and recorded four steals.
 
Mines (5-10, 3-4 RMAC) dealt CSU Pueblo (11-4, 6-1 RMAC) its first conference loss of the season and snapped the ThunderWolves' nine-game win streak. The Orediggers accomplished the feat with a dominant, 58-33 rebound advantage. That margin helped Mines offset 26 turnovers which included 17 steals by CSU Pueblo. The Orediggers' defense held The Pack under 30-percent shooting from the floor but only forced 14 turnovers by the visitors. Furthermore, the home team outscored CSU Pueblo in the paint, 24-22, and on second chances, 23-10. The ThunderWolves did find a bright spot in 17 fast-break points. Leon's performance fueled 29 bench points for Mines. CSU Pueblo only found 11 points from its reserves.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Thursday evening brought the first home game of 2025 for Mines' women, and the Orediggers did not disappoint. Despite the visiting ThunderWolves leading by as many 11 points in the first half and owning the advantage for over 23 minutes of game action, Mines never gave up. The home team showed its grit by closing the first half on an 8-0 run. Three-pointers by Sixta and Leon followed by a second-chance layup from Sixta all took place in the final 2:08 of the second period. That cut CSU Pueblo's lead from 11 points to three points at 31-28 as the teams headed to their locker rooms. Seven points off the hand of Leon along with five apiece from Howery, Sixta, and Jessica Rios topped the home scoring in the first 20 minutes. Rios also pulled down five rebounds.
 
Neither team managed a bucket in the first two minutes of the third quarter. However, Mines broke the silence and quickly tied the game, 33-33, thanks to a Jenna Siebert layup and a Sixta three-pointer at the 7:21 mark. It was one of just two ties in the entire game. Less than three minutes of game action later, Sixta provided the only lead change of the game. Her fast-break layup pushed the Orediggers ahead of The Pack, 36-35, and the home team did not look back. Mines slow, but surely, built its lead. First, it was 45-42 at the end of the third quarter courtesy of 11 combined points in the frame from Leon and Sixta. With 3:46 to play in the game, it was 59-50, the Orediggers' biggest lead of the night. Defense and Howery free-throws brought Mines down the home stretch and all the way to victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 29-38 in the all-time series against CSU Pueblo.
- The Orediggers won three straight and eight of the last 10 against the ThunderWolves.
- Prior to Thursday, CSU Pueblo hadn't lost since Nov. 20 in a non-conference game at Colorado Mesa.
- Leon's outburst against The Pack included career highs in points, assists, steals, and made three-pointers.
- Beaty posted a new career best with her 11 rebounds Thursday evening and Rios matched her single-game career high with eight boards.
- Additionally, Rios moved past 400 points in an Oredigger uniform. She now has 587 in her collegiate career after playing two years at NCAA Division I Sacramento State.
- Six points for Siebert against CSU Pueblo put her over 700 career points at Mines.
- Oredigger Head Coach Brittany Simpson is now 224-133 in her 13th season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines hosts Colorado Christian on Saturday at 1 p.m. inside Lockridge Arena. Free live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be available at ww.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on "X" (formerly Twitter), Facebook, 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.