SEATTLE – The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team earned its first win of the 2019-20 season in double-digit fashion as the Orediggers downed Seattle Pacific by a margin of 66-55 inside Brougham Pavilion.
 
Sammy Van Sickle and Courtney Stanton led the scoring with 14 points apiece. Ten points each from Denali Pinto and Liz Holter made it a quartet of Orediggers in double digits. Pinto led Mines on the boards and assists, pulling down six rebounds and dishing out three dimes. Defensively, Van Sickle notched two blocks and McKale Grant racked up three steals.
 
As a team, Mines (1-2) shot 47 percent from the field and forced 21 Seattle Pacific (0-5) turnovers that led to 20 points off turnovers. Additionally, the Orediggers scored 36 points in the paint. The hosting Falcons held the advantage from long range and at the free-throw line, shooting 33 percent and 81 percent, respectively. However, Mines' stifling defense produced 11 steals for the visitors and that proved to be the difference.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Inside the vintage confines of Royal Brougham Pavilion, Mines proceeded to dominate Friday night's contest from start to finish. The score was never tied and the Orediggers never trailed. It started in the first quarter when Mines dropped 16 points and held SPU to just five. Grant led the team with five of those points and also recorded two steals. Stanton added four points of her own and Mines shot 53 percent from the floor. That momentum carried into the second quarter where the Orediggers outscored the Falcons by a margin of 11-9 for a 27-14 advantage at the half.
 
Seattle Pacific used halftime to make adjustments and came out firing in the third quarter, bouncing back with 22 points in the third frame compared to 17 from Mines. Despite losing the period, Van Sickle dropped five more points and Pinto added two more rebounds. However, a strong third quarter was not enough for SPU. The Orediggers turned the table in the final frame and scored 22 points while limiting Seattle Pacific to 19. Pinto went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Stanton added six points as well and Van Sickle notched both of her blocks in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory.
 
COACH'S COMMENT
"I was proud of how our girls executed the game plan," said head coach Brittany Simpson. "Seattle Pacific is a good offensive team and made some runs. But our girls played how we wanted to play down the stretch. Our inside presence was a huge positive tonight as well."
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 2-0 in the all-time series against Seattle Pacific.
- Friday marked season highs for the Orediggers in overall shooting percentage, three-point percentage, assists, blocks and points.
- Holter's 10 points are the most points the junior transfer has scored in a game with the Orediggers.
- Grant notched a career high in scoring and matched her personal best in steals. Her last game with a trio of steals was Dec. 7, 2018 at Western Colorado.
- Additionally, Grant's five rebounds were a career high for the redshirt sophomore as well.
- In 2019, Pinto is flawless from the free-throw line (17-17).
- Head coach Brittany Simpson is 114-90 in eight years at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines closes its trip to Seattle on Saturday with a game against Concordia-Portland at 1 pm. (PT) inside Royal Brougham Pavilion. Live stats and video will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics. Fans can also follow Mines Women's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesWBB