GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Oredigger women's basketball team ran up against a staunch defense at #13 Colorado Mesa Saturday afternoon and the result was a 86-47 loss inside Brownson Arena.
 
Mines (4-7, 2-2 RMAC) was held well under 30-percent shooting from the floor, but Jenna Shandy still managed 13 points. She added two assists and a steal to her game resume as well. Sofia Baldessari pulled down nine rebounds. The Orediggers scored 16 of their 47 points on 20 attempts at the free-throw line. Colorado Mesa (11-1, 3-0 RMAC), ranked #13 in the nation, converted over 50 percent of its shots from the floor and scored 54 of its points in the paint. Olivia Reed led the Mavericks with 29 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and one block. Two other CMU players also surpassed 20 points in the game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Quincey Baum made a layup less than 90 seconds into the game, and Shandy drained a free throw at 7:04 in the first quarter. Those points afforded Mines a 3-0 lead. However, Colorado Mesa came alive through a 17-0 run across the next five minutes of action before an Emma Sixta three-pointer ended the drought. By halftime, the CMU lead was 44-24 despite Sixta scoring all seven of her points in just 13 minutes on the court. In the second half, the Mavericks iced the game by wrapping a 21-point surge from the third quarter into the fourth quarter. In the last 10 minutes, Shandy scored six points and Baldessari grabbed five rebounds.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines moved to 5-5 in its last 10 meetings with Colorado Mesa.
- All 11 Orediggers on the roster saw the court on Saturday.
- Baum matched her career high with five made free throws, as did Jade Leon with four.
- Jones' two steals against the Mavericks matched her collegiate best.
- Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson played at Colorado Mesa as Brittany Rowley.
- Saturday marked the 24th showdown between Simpson and her alma mater. She is 8-16 in those games, but 7-5 since the 2020-21 campaign.
- Coach Simpson is now 236-146 in her 14th season leading the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines travels to Hawaii for the Hoops in Hawaii Classic with a game against #25 Alaska Anchorage on Thursday, Dec. 18, and another at Hawaii Pacific on Saturday, Dec. 20.
 
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.