Mines (1-4) vs. #9 Minnesota State (4-1) – Friday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (1-4) vs. #12 Fort Hays State (5-0) – Saturday, 3 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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FINALLY HOME
The 2024-25 campaign started nearly three weeks ago for the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team. This weekend, the Orediggers will play inside the friendly confines of Lockridge Arena for the first time this season. However, the opposition won't be any sort of sweet potato casserole or savory turkey gravy. Friday brings #9-ranked and defending national champion Minnesota State to town for a 5 p.m. tipoff. Saturday features #12 Fort Hays State starting at 3 p.m. It extends a run of nationally-ranked foes to four for Mines.
 
FREE ADMISSION – BLASTER'S BASKET
Admissions to both games will be complimentary, but fans are encouraged to bring a donation item or consider a cash donation to Blaster's Basket. Blaster's Basket is the food pantry on campus that provides non-perishable food, toiletries and basic school supplies to Oredigger students in need – no questions asked.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
There will be free live video on the RMAC Network on Friday and Saturday. Miles Dunklin will provide the play-by-play commentary. The RMAC Network can be streamed on any mobile device and there is an application for download on most smart TVs. Additionally, live stats will offered for both games.
 
TEXAS REWIND
Mines was last in action at then #1-ranked Texas Woman's on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The result was a 83-57 loss for the Orediggers despite Emma Sixta leading all players with 25 points. Sixta shot 75 percent from the field and made six free throws on eight attempts. Jenna Siebert also added 10 points. Rounding out the individual highlights was Jade Leon who put up seven points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked one shot. Overall, the different in the game was TWU shooting over 50 percent from the field and committing just eight turnovers. Mines shot over 40 percent but committed 21 turnovers. The trip also marked a homecoming for Texas natives Audrey Beaty and Peyton Freiermuth.
 
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET
The Orediggers tout one of the toughest schedules in the country. They've already faced MSU Billings which was #6 at the time and now sits #3 in the DII coaches' poll. Right before that Mines' faced an unranked Simon Fraser team that is now 6-1 on the year. As previously mentioned, the Orediggers also traveled to Texas Woman's last week. The Pioneers appeared in the 2023-24 national championship game and were #1 when Mines faced them. Texas Woman's has since dropped in the polls since taking its first loss of the season. This weekend features defending national champion #9 Minnesota State and #12 Fort Hays State. That makes four straight opponents ranked in the top-12. Furthermore, in two weeks, Mines will host Colorado Mesa which started the season ranked #21 in the nation.
 
SCOUTING MINNESOTA STATE
Commonly referred to as the flagship institution of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, Minnesota State is based in Mankato, Minn. The Mavericks won the DII national title in 2023-24 and are off to a 4-1 start in 2024-25. Their only loss came at the hands of Northwest Missouri State by a score of 85-67. The Bearcats were unranked at the time, but now sit #7 in the media poll. Wins for MNSU include Emporia State, Wisconsin-Parkside, Northwestern (Minn., DIII), and Minnesota Duluth. Three of the four victories have come by double digits. As a team, Minnesota State is ranked third in the nation in free-throw shooting, #6 in scoring offense, and #6 in turnover margin. Individually, Natalie Bremer and Destinee Bursch are the team leaders. Bremer boasts averages of 21.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game to go along with 2.5 steals and 1.5 assists per contest. Bursch puts up 18.4 points per night and also owns 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Also notable is Hannah Herzig whose resume includes 7.0 points, 3.4 steals, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists each night.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE MAVERICKS
Friday marks the second-ever meeting between Mines and Minnesota State in women's basketball. The Mavericks won the series premier on Nov. 25, 2006, in Omaha, Neb. The final score was 61-55.
 
SCOUTING FORT HAYS STATE
Last season, Fort Hays State advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to aforementioned Minnesota State. This year, FHSU is 5-0 and running hot. The Tigers played NCAA Division I defending national champion UCONN in an exhibition to start the year. Since then, they have won off double-digit victories over Augustana, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Adams State, MSU Denver, and Tabor College. Fort Hays State will put its win streak on the line on Friday at Regis before coming to Golden on Saturday. As a team, the Tigers are top-10 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio, assists per game, field-goal percentage defense, defensive rebounds per game, scoring defense, scoring margin, and of course winning percentage. Individually, Olivia Hollenbeck's 19.6 points per game lead the team. She's shooting 66.7 percent on the year. Additionally, Katie Wagner DeGarmo, Talexa Weeter, and Kate Dilsaver are all scoring in double digits as well. Wagner DeGarmo pulls down seven rebounds per game while Hollenbeck also adds 6.2 rebounds, 3.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE TIGERS
Saturday will be a rivalry renewed between Mines and Fort Hays State as FHSU used to be a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. In total, the Orediggers and Tigers have played each other 36 times. Mines trails the all-time series by a margin of 5-31. The two teams last played on Nov. 27, 2009. It was a 56-47 victory for FHSU in Golden. The Orediggers' last win over Fort Hays State came on Feb. 11, 2005, by a 68-56 margin. That game was also in Golden.
 
SISTER-SISTER
The Orediggers' 2024-25 roster features sisters Michaela Lee and Olivia Lee. Michaela is entering her second season at Mines. As a true freshman, she came off the bench and scored six points, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked four shots, and grabbed two steals in just 28 total minutes of action. Olivia is in her first, and only, season as an Oredigger. She started her collegiate career at Western New Mexico before transferring to Cal State San Bernardino after two seasons. The elder Lee completed her bachelor's degree at CSUSB and came to Mines to pursue a master's degree and play her final season of collegiate volleyball. Prior to becoming an Oredigger, Olivia accumulated 462 points, 391 rebounds, 61 blocks, 35 assists, and 21 steals across 81 games.
 
MEET TAYLOR HARRIS
The Mines coaching staff added a fresh face last spring with Taylor Harris taking over as assistant coach for the Orediggers. Harris, a 14-year veteran coach, came to the Orediggers after leading Fort Lewis' women's squad for three seasons. Other stops for the Colorado native include Miles Community College (Mont.), and 10 years of service at fellow RMAC programs in Regis and MSU Denver. Fans can check out Harris' full biography HERE.
 
BOSS LADY
Head Coach Brittany Simpson enters her 13th season leading the Mines women's basketball program. During her decade-plus tenure, she has become the winningest coach in program history both in terms of total wins and win percentage at 220-127 (63.4). Simpson is responsible for all three of the program's RMAC titles including regular-season championships in 2015-16, 2020-21, and 2021-22. She has also led the Orediggers in five of their six trips to the NCAA tournament. Simpson is a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year who has guided 36 All-RMAC selections including 15 first-teamers, 11 second-teamers, one third-team selection and nine honorable mention performers. She has also coached one RMAC Player of the Year, two RMAC Defensive Players of the Year, and two RMAC Freshman of the Year award winners. Eight of Mines' 13 1,000-point scorers have surpassed the milestone under Simpson's watch.
 
UP NEXT
Mines opens RMAC play next weekend on the road at Adams State on Thursday and at New Mexico Highlands on Saturday. Respective tipoff times are 5:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. Free live video will be streamed on the RMAC Network with live stats linked at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on "X" (formerly Twitter), Facebook, 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.