GOLDEN, Colo. – Ashley Steffeck broke multiple program records on Saturday night as she guided the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team to a 89-82 win against Fort Lewis in the Orediggers' 2023-24 home finale.
 
Steffeck's final line featured 26 points, which led all players, with five assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Along the way, she broke Mines' career scoring record and all-time assists record. Jessica Rios, Loralee Stock, and Josephine Howery all scored in double digits as well. Rios went 5-for-7 from the floor on the way to 13 points Stock had 11 points thanks to 50-percent shooting from the floor and seven made free throws. Howery also shot 50 percent in the game on the way to 10 points. Also notable were four assists from Howery and six rebounds apiece for Jenna Siebert and Quincey Baum.
 
While most lines in the box score were relatively even, Mines (21-7, 16-6 RMAC) held big advantages in its 22 points off turnovers, 18 second-chance points, and 21 points off the bench. Fort Lewis (12-16, 9-13 RMAC) kept pace with the Orediggers' 40-percent shooting mark and worked an edge in rebounding. However, the Skyhawks only found two points off their bench and trailed in three-point shooting by three long-range buckets. The loss brings Fort Lewis' season to an end. For Mines, the victory locks in the fifth seed for the 2024 RMAC Women's Basketball Tournament which starts on Tuesday. The Orediggers will travel to Colorado Springs to play UCCS in the quarterfinal game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite multiple narrow margins throughout the game and very similar resumes in the box score, Saturday was a wire-to-wire victory for the Orediggers. Steffeck broke the assists record with two dimes in the first quarter while Nichols poured in six points. Steffeck broke the scoring record in the second quarter by converting free throws off a technical foul. She carried 17 points into halftime. Mines pushed its lead all the way to 13 in the third period despite shooting just 26 percent. Stock provided the hot hand in the final period by way of eight points and a 4-for-4 mark at the free-throw line. The Orediggers went 5-of-6 at the charity stripe in the final 30 seconds to close out the victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 27-37 in the all-time series against Fort Lewis.
- The Orediggers have taken eight straight games from the Skyhawks.
- Steffeck now boasts 1,665 career points and dropped former teammate Denali Pinto (2018-22) to #2 on the all-time list.
- Steffeck also moved over 400 career assists. She surpassed Laura Tyree 2013-17 and is now the only Oredigger – man or woman – to ever record 400 steals and 400 assists in a single career.
- Michaela Lee had a career-high four rebounds on Saturday night.
- Emma Sixta recorded her first collegiate block.
- Stock's seven free throws against the Skyhawks matched her career best.
- Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson is now 219-121 in her 12th season at the helm for the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces UCCS in Colorado Springs on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the quarterfinal round of the 2024 RMAC Women's Basketball tournament. Free live stats will be linked at www.minesathletics.com. There will also be pay-per-view video on the RMAC Network. Additional postseason information will be released at www.minesathletics.com and on social media.
 
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.­­­