GOLDEN, Colo. – The #14/15-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team dropped a 69-61 loss to Black Hills State on Friday night after BHSU completed a second-half comeback at Lockridge Arena.
 
Top performers for the Orediggers included Ashley Steffeck, Shelby Nichols, Jenna Siebert, and Josephine Howery. Steffeck turned in a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double. She added three assists, two steals, and one block as well. Nichols' night featured 15 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Siebert notched 13 points while going 3-of-5 from behind the three-point line. Howery dished out eight assists and had seven points, three rebounds, one block and one steal. Also notable was Loralee Stock who produced three assists and two blocks. Black Hills State had four players score in double digits, led by Morgan Hammerbeck's 15 points.
 
Mines (18-4, 13-3 RMAC) and Black Hills State (13-6, 10-5 RMAC) only committed 10 turnovers apiece. However, the Orediggers only shot 36 percent from the floor compared to the Yellow Jackets' 40-percent clip. Mines did sink eight three-pointers, but BHSU offset the difference by making 17 free throws on 21 attempts. The Orediggers only made three free throws on seven attempts. There were two ties and 12 lead changes in the game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was truly a tale of two halves on Friday as an electric crowd lit up Lockridge Arena for Mines' annual "Rock the Lock" fan fest. The Orediggers rode the momentum of the crowd to a 16-6 lead late in the first quarter. Nichols fueled the early advantage with six points in the opening frame while Howery handed out three assists. Mines entered the second quarter with an 18-12 lead and pushed it to 34-24 by halftime by shooting 66 percent from long range and 46 percent from the floor while holding BHSU to four total field goals. At the break, Nichols had surged to 11 points. Steffeck and Audrey Beaty boasted four rebounds apiece.
 
As stated above, the story of the second half was completely different. Steffeck poured in 10 more points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the final 20 minutes of action. Siebert also added eight points and Howery sliced and diced with four additional assists. At the end of the day, that production and the shenanigans of the rowdy home crowd were not enough to keep the visitors off their game. Black Hills State bounced back with 46-percent shooting from the floor including five three-pointers at a 41-percent clip from behind the arc. The Yellow Jackets capped the comeback with 17 trips to the free-throw line compared to five for the Orediggers.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines has not lost back-to-back games since the end of the 2022-23 season.
- The Orediggers still lead the rivalry with the Yellow Jackets, 11-9.
- Steffeck's career-high 14 rebounds pushed her over 700 for career. She now has 708 in five seasons.
- Steffeck's double-double was the 12th of her career and fourth of the season.
- Howery recorded a single-game career high thanks to her eight assists against the Yellow Jackets.
- Stock recorded multiple blocks in a game for the third time in her career.
- With Colorado Mesa beating Regis on Friday night, Mines remains #1 in the conference standings.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Colorado School of Mines hosts South Dakota Mines on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Live video will be offered for free on the RMAC Network. Free live stats will also be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on "X" (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.­­­