GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team closed its regular-season schedule Friday night and celebrated its seniors in style with a 57-38 win over UCCS inside Lockridge Arena – all while earning the #4 seed in the RMAC Tournament.
 
The senior quartet of Nicole Archambeau, Cassidy Budge, Anna Kollmorgen and Madelene McDonald were recognized at halftime of the men's game, but put in the work early to earn the win. Budge was impressive, scoring 10 points, racking up five steals, grabbing five rebounds and collecting two blocks. Archambeau was huge on the glass, leading all players with 11 rebounds. She also led all players with six assists. Kollmorgen had a big rebounding night too, pulling down nine boards. McDonald got the start and grabbed a rebound as well.
 
Overall, Denali Pinto notched a game-high 13 points while pulling down nine rebounds. The true freshman also blocked two shots and handed out two assists. Courtney Stanton and Raven Herrera made it a quartet of double-digit Oredigger scorers with 12 points and 10 points, respectively. Stanton matched Pinto and Budge with two blocked shots of her own. Herrera nearly collected another double-double thanks to eight rebounds.
 
Mines (17-10, 14-8 RMAC) combined for six blocks as a team and out-rebounded the Mountain Lions 52-39. The loss ends UCCS's season, dropping the visitors out of the top eight in the RMAC standings. The Mountain Lions shot 20 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from long range. However, UCCS did produce 14 points in the paint and 14 more off of turnovers. Mines' victory pits the Orediggers against fifth-seeded CSU-Pueblo in the first round of the 2019 Under Armour Women's Basketball Tournament.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The story of the game was big runs for the Orediggers. While UCCS struck first on a 3-point shot less than 30 seconds into the game, Mines responded with 11-2 run to take an 11-5 lead. The first quarter would come to an end with the home team in front, 13-8.
 
Mines' next big run came in the second quarter by way of a 12-0 surge over the final 3:45 of the half. Budge sparked it all with a three-point basket and Kollmorgen ended it with a layup as time expired in the second quarter. Additionally, the Orediggers bolstered their run by holding UCCS scoreless for nearly five minutes, taking a 37-21 advantage into halftime.
 
In the second half, the Mountain Lions went frigid from behind the arc and the home team maintained its cushion. UCCS went 0-for-9 from three-point range in the final 20 minutes while Mines outscored the visitors 20-17. The Mountain Lions did manage to outscore the Orediggers in the final period, but only by a margin of 7-5.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is 19-21 in the all-time series against UCCS.
- Budge surpassed 900-career points in Friday night's victory.
- Budge's five steals and two blocks are both career highs for the senior.
- Stanton's 12 points mark her seventh double-digit performance of the season.
- Archambeau has now recorded six assists three different times in her career and twice this season.
- Head coach Brittany Simpson is 112-87 in seven years at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines hosts CSU-Pueblo Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the first round of the 2019 RMAC Under Armour Women's Basketball Tournament. Live video and stats of the game 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.