#20 Mines (22-4, 17-3 RMAC) vs. Adams State (12-13, 10-10 RMAC) – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#20 Mines (22-4, 17-3 RMAC) vs. CSU Pueblo (20-6, 16-4 RMAC) – Saturday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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REGULAR SEASON FINALE
A jam-packed weekend lies ahead for the #20-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team. The Orediggers host Adams State on Friday 5 p.m. as part of "Rock the Lock." Mines then closes the 2021-22 regular season on Saturday against CSU Pueblo while also celebrating Senior Night. Even though Mines has clinched a berth in the RMAC Tournament, there's also a lot going down on the court. The Orediggers are still vying for a RMAC Championship and need two wins to remove all doubt. Adams State is fighting for its postseason life and CSU Pueblo could also take a share or all of the conference crown if it finds success inside Lockridge Arena. Needless to say, both games are must-see and Head Coach Brittany Simpson has called Oredigger Nation to come out in mass.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
All of Mines' RMAC contests and all games in the RMAC Tournament will stream live and for free on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Network. If fans hadn't heard, the new watch portal is available online at www.minesathletics.com/tv or www.rmacnetwork.com. Fans can also download the RMAC Network app on their smart TV or device by searching "RMAC" in their respective app stores.
 
RMAC STANDINGS
The proverbial waters surrounding how a RMAC Champion will be crowned along with seeding for the conference tournament are fairly muddy. What is known is that two wins for Mines makes the Orediggers the favorite to win their second straight RMAC Regular Season Championship. Outside of that, one would probably require a Mines degree in mathematics to figure it all out.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Mines took its final road trip of the regular season last weekend. The Orediggers ground out a 59-54 win at Westminster on Friday to sweep the regular-season series. Courtney Stanton led the charge with 16 points and five rebounds while Denali Pinto put up 13 points, four rebounds and four steals. On Saturday, Mines dropped an 81-74 decision at then #25 Colorado Mesa. The loss came despite Sammy Van Sickle going off for 21 points while adding eight rebounds and three assists. Ashley Steffeck poured in 18 points as well. Saturday's contest gave CMU a season split with the Orediggers after Mines won at home earlier this season.
 
SCOUTING ADAMS STATE
Adams State comes to Golden toting an overall record of 12-13 while sitting 10-10 in RMAC play. The Grizzlies need at least one win in its last two games to keep their postseason hopes alive. They enter the weekend riding a three-game win streak which includes three home victories against Westminster (71-63), Fort Lewis (58-56) and Western Colorado (61-49). Prior to the run, ASU had lost four straight including a 57-52 defeat to Mines in Alamosa, Colo. Individually, Kayla Harris is the name to know and player to watch. She leads Adams State in most statistical categories thanks to 9.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Harris also hands out 1.7 assists and blocks 1.0 shots per game. As a team, the Grizzlies rank #10 in the nation in total steals and #8 in steals per game.
 
SCOUTING CSU PUEBLO
CSU Pueblo faces Regis on Friday before coming to Golden on Saturday. The ThunderWolves have won seven of their last eight games including two straight against Western Colorado and Fort Lewis in Pueblo. At 20-6 overall and 16-4 in conference, "The Pack" is one of the top three squads in the RMAC. They have a list of weapons which is topped by Alisha Davis who averages 16.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. She also boasts 58 blocks in 19 contests this season. Right behind her is JaNaiya Davis who owns 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Ro Dominguez checks in at 9.0 points per game. Additionally, Sydni Williams is a crafty veteran and a familiar name who averages just 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, but can produce far more. As one of the best defenses in the RMAC at the nation, CSU Pueblo ranks eighth nationally in total blocked shots and 13th in total steals. Alisha Davis is the 17th-best shot blocker in all of NCAA Division II.
 
MINES AGAINST THE GRIZZLIES
Friday marks the second meeting of the season between Mines and Adams State. As stated above, the Orediggers edged out a 57-52 win at ASU earlier this season. That improved Mines to 27-34 in the all-time series and extended its winning streak against the Grizzlies to 12. During the 12-game run, the Orediggers produced their largest margin of victory over Adams State on Jan. 10, 2020, as part of a 79-36 victory inside Lockridge Arena. Mines had five individuals score in double digits in that game led by Denali Pinto's 19 points while Sammy Van Sickle put up a 12-point, 15-rebound double-double. The Orediggers have not lost to the Grizzlies since Jan. 13, 2012. They haven't lost to ASU in Golden since Jan. 14, 2011. That makes Mines' win streak against Adams State more than a decade long.
 
MINES AGAINST THE THUNDERWOLVES
CSU Pueblo and Mines also played a game earlier this season. The result was a 70-59 win for "The Pack" in Pueblo. The Orediggers played without the services of Sammy Van Sickle while Ashley Steffeck, Denali Pinto and Courtney Stanton combined for 40 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and six steals. The loss snapped Mines' six-game win streak against CSU Pueblo which marks the longest win streak for the Orediggers in the history of the rivalry. Overall, Mines trails the all-time series 37-25. The Orediggers haven't lost to the ThunderWolves in Golden since Jan. 20, 2018. That contest ended 63-50 despite Emily Bailey dropping 23 points.
 
SENIOR NIGHT
Mines will celebrate four Orediggers at halftime of the men's game on Saturday as part of Senior Night festivities. Included in the quartet is McKale Grant, Liz Holter, Denali Pinto and Courtney Stanton. Grant and Stanton arrived in Golden as true freshmen in 2017-18. Pinto came to Mines one year later as a true freshman in 2018-19. Holter became an Oredigger in 2019-20 after playing two seasons at NCAA Division I Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Overall, they have helped Mines to 94 wins compared to 39 losses while going 75-28 during their combined tenure (as of Feb. 24). That makes Grant, Holter, Pinto and Stanton the winningest senior class in program history. Their names currently appear 27 total times in the program record book with more to come. Grant, Holter, Pinto and Stanton each contributed to more than 10 teams records including most wins in a season (2021-22), fewest points against average, most points scored in a game – twice, and the largest margin of victory (108-29 vs. New Mexico Highlands). More of the accolades will be recognized on Saturday night.
 
RECORDS CONTINUE TO FALL
Mines' record-breaking season continued last weekend as Denali Pinto and Ashley Steffeck both etched their names in the Oredigger record book – again. Pinto did it on Friday night at Westminster where she became the program's all-time leader in made free throws. She surpassed the previous mark of 407 set by Brecca Gaffney from 2006-11. Steffeck toppled the program's single-season steals record on Saturday at Colorado Mesa. Her lone steal in the game gave her 101 for the season which bests the previous record of 100 held by Gabi Sandoval from the 1995-96 season. Additionally, Friday's win at Westminster gave the Orediggers their most wins in a season with 22. The record the 2021-22 squad broke was 21 from the 2015-16 season in which Mines won its first-ever RMAC Championship. Those broken records bring the Orediggers' combined total to 10 different team and individual records matched or broken this season.
 
NCAA REGIONAL RANKINGS
The second public edition of the 2021-22 NCAA Regional Rankings came out on Wednesday. Mines moved up one spot to #7 in the South Central Region. As a reminder, the NCAA Regional Rankings determine which teams advance to the national tournament. The top eight teams in the final rankings released on Sunday, March 6, qualify for the NCAA South Central Region Tournament hosted by the #1 team on the list. This week's rankings kept Texas A&M-Commerce and Lubbock Christian at #1 and #2, respectively. Colorado Mesa rose to #3 as did West Texas A&M at #4. Texas Woman's dropped to #5. Also rising was CSU Pueblo at #6 while Westminster completed the Mines sandwich at #8. After sitting #4 last week, MSU Denver fell to the first team out at #9. UT Tyler rounded out the top-10. If the season ended today, the Orediggers would face Lubbock Christian in Commerce, Texas, for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The latest national rankings – which have zero bearing on teams advancing to the NCAA Tournament – came out on Tuesday. Mines dropped to #23 in the media poll sponsored by D2SIDA after its 1-1 road trip. The Orediggers also dropped from #13 to #20 in the coaches' poll. Mines remains the only RMAC team on the coaches' list. The media's top-25 also features Colorado Mesa at #18 while CSU Pueblo claimed eight votes.
 
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
After taking down the program's all-time free throw mark last weekend, Denali Pinto owns or shares eight different program records. The list includes the top marks in program history for career scoring, season scoring, game scoring, season scoring average, three-pointers made in a game, season free-throw percentage, career free throws made and free throws made in a season. That's it. That's the fun fact.
 
UP NEXT
Mines' next action will be the 2022 RMAC Women's Basketball Tournament. The Orediggers have secured a berth and first-round home game which will be played on Tuesday, March 1, at 5:30 p.m. The opponent is yet to be determined. Tickets can be purchased online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets or at the door. There are no passes or pass list for postseason play.  Live stats and video will also be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.