GOLDEN, Colo. – Oredigger newcomer Sofia Baldessari came up big for the Mines women's basketball team Saturday in a 67-56 victory against UT Dallas inside Lockridge Arena.
 
Baldessari's 23 points led all players in the game and came on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor with an 8-for-8 mark at the free-throw line. The sophomore transfer also added eight rebounds, two steals and one block. Emma Sixta proved productive in her second game of the season, scoring 12 points and handing out five assists which tied for the game high. Ten points for Olivia Campbell made it a trio of Orediggers coring in double figures. Also notable were Quincey Baums six rebounds and three steals for Jade Leon.
 
Mines (1-4) earned its first victory of the season after running a tough gauntlet through the first four games. The NCAA Division II newcomers from UT Dallas (0-2) suffered a second straight loss despite scoring over 80 points at UCCS on Friday night. Both teams shot just over 37 percent from the floor. However, the Orediggers benefited from 23 opportunities at the free-throw line and converted 20 of those chances. The Comets only attempted five free throws and made four. Mines clinched the win with narrow edges on the glass and in the turnover battle. Eight three-pointers for UTD gave the visitors an advantage of one from long range.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half was a back-and-forth affair. Six ties and four lead changes resulted in a 30-28, Mines lead at the break. All nine of Shandy's points came in the first 20 minutes and Campbell scored seven to help with the narrow advantage. Baldessari added four of her points and pulled down four big boards for the Orediggers as well.
 
A brief 5-0 run put UT Dallas ahead early in the third quarter, 33-30. However, two big second-half surges by the home team made all the difference. Baldessari accounted for six points during Mines' 8-0 run in the middle of the third period thanks to a three-point foul and a three-point field goal. A lone Comets' field goal stopped the scoreless streak, but another Baldessari field goal and two free throws made it a 15-2 stretch for Mines and afforded the home team a 45-35 lead with 2:29 to play in the third quarter. The visitors still battled and made the score 51-43 going into the last 10 minutes.
 
In the end, the Orediggers busted a 9-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter and found their biggest lead of the game at 60-48. A Sixta field goal and seven more points off the hand of Baldessari accounted for the outburst. After that, the closest UTD got to overtaking Mines was a seven-point deficit at 63-56 with 2:13 remaining in the game. Sixta and Baldessari put the game on ice by combining for a 4-for-4 mark at the stripe in the final minute.
 
NOTABLES
- Saturday marked the first-ever meeting between Mines' women and UT Dallas.
- The Orediggers now lead the Comets, 1-0, in the all-time series.
- Baldessari, who played her first college season at DIII College of Sain Benedict, recorded a career high in scoring and matched her single-game best with two steals.
- Baldessari also notched a new collegiate best after going 8-for-8 at the free-throw line Saturday.
- Campbell, a true freshman, upped her single-game, career high to 10 points.
- Emily Thomas drained two three-pointers in a single game for the first time in her career which started at South Dakota Mines.
- Sixta now touts exactly 100 career assists as an Oredigger.
- Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson is now 233-143 in her 14th season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers travel to #15 Minnesota State on Friday, Nov. 21, for a 6 p.m. CT tipoff. Free live stats will be available, as well as live video with a subscription to the NSIC Network.
 
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.