[4] Mines (19-9) at [1] #24 Colorado Mesa (24-5) – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – Grand Junction, Colo. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
vs. RMAC Tournament Championship – Saturday, 6 p.m. – Grand Junction, Colo. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

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ON THE RMAC NETWORK
Every Mines home game and all RMAC contests can be seen live and for free on the RMAC Network at minesathletics.com/tv. The RMAC Network can also be found on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Android TV devices by going to the app store and searching "RMAC".
 
ONLY FOUR REMAIN
The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team is headed to Grand Junction, Colo., this weekend for the 2020 RMAC Tournament semifinals and finals as one of four teams remaining in the tournament field. It marks Mines' second straight trip to semifinals and fourth appearance in program history. The Orediggers' opponent is top-seeded Colorado Mesa in a showdown between the RMAC's #1 offense in Mines and the #1 defense in Mesa. Friday's showdown is also a rematch of last season's RMAC semifinals between the Orediggers and Mavericks. Whichever team wins on Friday advances to the tournament's championship game to play the winner of Westminster vs. Dixie State. For Mines, a loss likely means the end of the 2019-20 season. Thus is the way of postseason play.
 
QUARTERFINAL RECAP
Mines hosted Black Hills State inside Lockridge Arena on Tuesday in the RMAC Tournament quarterfinals. The Orediggers ran away from the Yellow Jackets in a 66-44 victory. Denali Pinto led all players with 24 points while Liz Holter added 15 and Courtney Stanton notched 14. Pinto also added eight rebounds and three blocks in an impressive performance. In other action, Colorado Mesa defeated eighth-seeded MSU Denver by a score of 60-46. Third-seeded Westminster slipped past #6 South Dakota Mines, 76-70. The lone upset in the opening round featured the seventh seed Dixie State toppling the #2 seed Western Colorado on the Mountaineers' home court, 65-60. The quarterfinal results brought all teams to Brownson Arena in Grand Junction where Colorado Mesa hosts Mines and Westminster serves as the home team in a showdown against Dixie State.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO MESA
Colorado Mesa entered the postseason ranked #24 in the nation by the D2CCA after going 22-5 overall and 19-3 in RMAC action during the regular season. That mark proved good enough to clinch the Mavericks' second straight regular season conference title. However, CMU did only go 2-2 over its last four contests in the regular season with a loss to Regis inside Brownson Arena and another loss at Western Colorado. Overall, the Mavericks' defense ranks #1 in the RMAC and #2 in the nation allowing just 49.0 points per game. The defensive effort is anchored by RMAC Defensive Player of the Year Sydni Brandon who touts 83 steals through 29 games. She also ranks #6 in DII in assist-to-turnover ratio. Kelsey Siemons boasts 44 blocks and 27 steals as well. On offense, Danielle Turner leads the way with 15.7 points per game on 446 attempted field goals. Kylyn Rigsby also averages double-digit scoring numbers at 10.9 points per game. Additionally, CMU ranks #11 in the nation in fewest turnovers while scoring 61.2 points per game.
 
FUN COW FACTS
For those who may have forgotten, a quick review reminds us that a maverick – Colorado Mesa's athletics nickname and mascot – is an unbranded calf or yearling – a cow. We'll ignore the gross inaccuracies between the Mavericks' logo and actual definition of their name and move right into fun cow facts. While America is (somewhat) historically known for its red-meat eating, carnivorous ways, the U.S.A. does not actually have the most cows. As of 2016, India had the largest cattle inventory on the planet followed by Brazil and then China. There are over 800 different cattle breeds and none of them eat meat – ever. Possibly the most interesting fact about cows is they can see almost 360 degrees – allowing them to watch for predators from all angles. Ironically, they don't see so well straight in front of them. Cows can detect odors of to six miles away and don't like to be alone. Bovine have 32 teeth but no upper front teeth. All that being said, the author never imagined writing nearly 200 words about cows, but here we are.

BROWNSON ARENA
Colorado Mesa basketball, wrestling and volleyball all compete inside Brownson Arena. Opened in 1968 boasting seating for 1,800, Brownson Arena most recently expanded in 2009 with the addition of seat-back bleachers on the west wall and expanded seating on the east wall. New scoreboards and sound system allow CMU to tout the facility as, "one of the best small college facilities in the country." The renovations also added luxury suites overlooking the gym. Generally speaking, the arena maintains a standard layout with stands on either side but not at the ends. Fans can park just east of the main entrance in the Maverick Center parking garage.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Orediggers are 14-55 in the all-time series against Colorado Mesa. Mines' last win over CMU came inside Lockridge Arena on Dec. 18, 2015. The last time the Orediggers dealt the Mavericks a loss inside Brownson Arena was Dec. 12, 2008. Friday marks the second consecutive meeting between the two teams in the postseason. Mesa won last year's showdown by a score of 62-54. However, prior to the 2019-20 RMAC Tournament meeting, Mines and CMU hadn't met in the postseason since Feb. 27, 2001. The Orediggers have never defeated in the Mavericks in the postseason since the women's basketball program started in 1976. Some might argue it's a "David and Goliath" showdown, but others might just say that Mines is due. The Orediggers' league-leading offense would infer the same.
 
REMEMBERING THE MAVERICKS
Mines and Mesa met in their annual meeting on Dec. 7, 2019. The Orediggers fell in a heartbreaking 55-53 loss that featured a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double from Courtney Stanton. Sammy Van Sickle scored 11 points as well and grabbed seven rebounds. Absent from the matchup was true freshman Ashley Steffeck who had bowed out against Western Colorado just the night before. Since that time, Steffeck has started every game for Mines and the Orediggers even ran off 10 straight wins. The difference in December's meeting proved to be points off turnovers for CMU as the Mavericks parlayed 15 Oredigger turnovers into 16 points. Mines only had six points off nine Mesa turnovers.
 
THE REST OF THE FIELD
The other two teams in the RMAC's final four are Dixie State and Westminster. Mines is a combined 1-1 against those programs in the 2019-20 season. The Orediggers toppled Westminster by a score of 80-70 when the Griffins were ranked #12 in the nation. The very next evening, Mines fell to Dixie State in St. George, Utah, by a margin of 77-72. In the loss, DSU shot 52 percent from three-point range to overcome 26 points from Denali Pinto and 23 points from Courtney Stanton. In the win over Westminster, Pinto dropped 30 on the Griffins' home court. If Mines wins on Friday, its opponent will be one of these two teams.
 
SEMIFINALS SUCCESS
Mines has made three previous trips to the RMAC Tournament semifinals in 2006, 2009 and 2019. The Orediggers are 2-1 in those appearances. The 2006 edition featured Mines against Nebraska-Kearney after the Orediggers defeated Regis 71-57 in the quarterfinals. Iva Tomova scored 21 points and Ashley Gronewoller grabbed nine rebounds in the 67-61 victory over the Lopers. The Orediggers eventually lost to CSU-Pueblo 65-54 in the championship game. The 2009 tournament was nearly a carbon copy with Mines defeating Regis 73-59 in the opening round before taking down Nebraska-Kearney again, 63-56. Brecca Gaffney led the Orediggers with 14 points and eight rebounds. However, Mines' second finals appearance would be spoiled by CSU-Pueblo once again, 62-42. Last year, Colorado Mesa ended the Oreidggers' run of semifinals victories with a 62-54 win on CMU's home court despite 13 points and nine rebounds from Denali Pinto. Friday provides Mines a shot at redemption and the opportunity to make its third-ever appearance in the tournament championship game.
 
RMAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The conference office released the 2019-20 All-RMAC teams on Tuesday just hours before the tournament opener. Mines' own Denali Pinto headlined the announcement at the RMAC Player of the Year. She also garnered First-Team All-RMAC honors while Courtney Stanton and Liz Holter earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC distinction. Pinto is the Orediggers' first RMAC Player of the Year in program history. She finished the regular season leading the RMAC and the entire South Central Region in scoring at more than 20 points per game. Pinto also broke the Orediggers' single-season scoring and free throw records. Holter garnered her first honor thanks to 101 assists through 27 games. She also broke the single-game record with 13 assists against New Mexico Highlands. Stanton rounded out the trio with her first All-RMAC award thanks to 11.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
If the Orediggers win on Friday, they advance to the RMAC Tournament finals on Saturday at 6 p.m. If Mines loses, its season comes to a close.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.