GUNNISON – Colorado School of Mines women's basketball was restricted to only 24.1 percent shooting and host Western State opened the New Year with a 55-44 defensive triumph Friday at Paul Wright Gym in Gunnison.

The Orediggers (6-6, 1-5 RMAC) overcame a stagnant first 20:00 and six-point halftime deficit to post a 41-36 lead with 6:16 to play. Senior Sam Rusk lined a three-pointer and freshman Elizabeth Tomon buried a jumper in the key to cap the 7-0 spurt that provided Mines its largest lead of the evening.

Western State countered with a game-clinching 16-1 run, eventually closing with 19 of the game's final 22 points.

Freshman Kristin Rydell paced the women with 10 points, converting a game-high tying 6-of-6 at the line, while junior Courtney Martin had eight.

WSCU held the Orediggers to a season-lows in points, field goals (13) and field goal percentage (.241; 13-of-54).

Non-starters Taylor Long and Ajai Ford led the Mountaineers (4-7, 3-4 RMAC) with 15 and 14 points, respectively, as WSCU owned a 31-8 margin in bench scoring. Jade McIntosh added 13.

The Mountaineers only generated six second half field goals, but were plus-9 in free throws in the frame, sinking 15-of-21 (.714) en route to 73.9 percent (17-of-23) for the evening. WSCU shot 18-of-49 (.367) overall.

Mines wraps up its western road trip at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday against two-time defending RMAC champion Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction.