GOLDEN, Colo. – Saturday evenings battle between the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team and South Dakota Mines inside Lockridge Arena came down to a last-second shot that dealt defeat to the Orediggers by a score of 77-75.
 
Despite the loss, Denali Pinto still led all players with 31 points while adding three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Nearly half of Pinto's points came thanks to 5-of-9 shooting from behind the three-point arc. Courtney Stanton also surged into double digits, finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds. Stanton added two blocks on defense as well. Additionally, on Senior Night, Heidi Hammond came away with nine points on a trio of long-range shots. Liz Holter's eight assists tied for the game high.
 
As a team, the Orediggers (18-8, 15-6 RMAC) converted 40 percent of their chances from the field including 50 percent of their attempts from three-point range. However, the Hardrockers (15-10, 13-8 RMAC) edged Mines on both fronts thanks to 53 percent from behind the arc and 44 percent from the field. The Orediggers committed two fewer turnovers, but SDSMT came away on top in rebounding, assists and steals. While the loss drops Mines into a two-game skid, the Orediggers still clinch a top-four seed for the RMAC Tournament thanks to UCCS' win over Black Hills State in Colorado Springs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Saturday renewed one of the most interesting rivalries in NCAA Division II and potentially all of college athletics. It brought together two schools focused on STEM studies, featuring future engineers facing future engineers. A rivalry pitting neighbors, former teammates and even siblings against each other. A competition featuring high-academic performers displaying their athletic prowess for all to see as high-flowing emotions moved adults in the stands to scream things rarely heard in everyday life. Indeed, Saturday brought a rare kind of excitement to Lockridge Arena as Colorado School of Mines and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology faced off on the court for the second time this season.
 
The previously-mentioned emotions flowed high right from the opening tipoff and the Orediggers took advantage early. Stanton, Hammond, Van Sickle and Pinto all scored as part of a 10-2 run in the opening quarter which led to a 21-6 lead after 10 minutes of action. However, SDSMT started the second period with a 15-0 run of its own to tie the game at 21-21 with 6:50 remaining in the half. While the visiting Hardrockers surged to a 29-28 lead, it was six points from Pinto that helped provide a 36-31 advantage for the Orediggers at halftime.
 
Bursts of offense and scoring runs continued as the theme in the second half. The home team scored four unanswered in the first 30 seconds before South Dakota Mines busted off a 10-0 run. That surge tied the game at 41-41. But the third proved to be Pinto's period as proven by 17 points in the third frame alone. The sophomore's efforts afforded the home team a 61-56 lead after 30 minutes of action.
 
The turning point of the game came early in the fourth quarter. Stanton hit a layup less than 60 seconds into the period before South Dakota Mines put together a 15-0 run. The visitors' outburst gave them a 71-63 advantage before Holter drained two free throws. It appeared the damage was done, but the home team refused to quite. After an exchange of baskets, Hammond sparked an 8-0 run including the go-ahead three-pointer, making it 75-74 in favor of the Orediggers. However, in the waning seconds, a foul whistled on Colorado School of Mines gave the Hardrockers one more possession and a long-range shot from the corner proved fatal for the Orediggers. A final attempt by the Orediggers was thwarted and SDSMT burst into championship-like celebration with the entire team storming to center court inside Lockridge Arena.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 5-6 in the all-time series against South Dakota Mines.
- Pinto is the only individual in the RMAC with multiple 30-point games this season. Saturday was her third of the year as she moved over 900 points for her career.
- Furthermore, Pinto broke the program record for made free throws in a single season, hitting her 157^th of the year in a 10-for-13 effort.
- Holter surpassed 100 rebounds for the season and boasts 95 assists on the year after Saturday's showdown.
- Head Coach Brittany Simpson is 130-96 in eight years at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines closes the regular season next Friday against UCCS in Colorado Springs. Live stats and video of the game will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can follow Mines Women's Basketball on social media at @MinesWBB. Fans can also follow all of Mines Athletics at www.minesathletics.com or on social media at @MinesAthletics.