GOLDEN, Colo. – Oredigger freshman Jade Leon made two field goals for the Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team on Thursday night. Her last shot went in with 0.4 seconds on the clock and gave Mines a 51-49 victory over Black Hills State inside Lockridge Arena.
 
Leon's final line was unassuming with five points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Emma Sixta's 13 points led the team. She added four rebounds and one assist as well. Jenna Siebert turned in a utilitarian effort featuring 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Josephine Howery tallied nine points on 4-of-7 shooting, and complimented that with four rebounds and three steals. Audrey Beaty rounded out the box score highlights for the home team with seven rebounds, one block, and one steal. Haylee Weathersby led the visitors and the game after scoring 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds while blocking three shots.
 
With the win, Mines (9-14, 7-8 RMAC) snapped its three-game skid and knocked off yet another top-three team in the conference standings. Black Hills State (14-8, 10-5) shot 40-percent from the floor and won the battle on the glass, 40-31. However, the Oredigger defense forced 21 turnovers by the Yellow Jackets and held them without a single three-point basket. Mines' four made three-pointers and a narrow, 16-14 advantage in points off turnovers offset its 35-percent field-goal percentage and 45-percent clip at the free-throw line.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
A slow start on offense had Mines behind, 15-11, at the end of the first quarter. Despite the final score and how it happened, the true turning point in the game came at the 6:35 mark of the second period. Sixta drained a three-pointer from the wing and was fouled. She converted the free-throw and that sparked an 8-0 run for the Orediggers. Sixta accounted for the first six points of the surge and a Howery jumper capped it, giving the home team a 20-17 lead. Black Hills State briefly jumped ahead before halftime, but Olivia Lee's layup from a Sixta dime sent Mines to the locker room ahead 25-23. Sixta and Howery had combined for 15 first-half points.
 
The third quarter was a battle, but the Orediggers did not surrender their narrow lead thank to Siebert's six points and two assists in the frame. In the final period, Mines extended its lead all the way to nine points with 5:32 left to play. However, the Yellow Jackets wouldn't go away. They chipped away at their deficit and eventually tied the game with 11 seconds on the clock. The Orediggers' initial attempt at a game-winner was halted by a whistle and a foul against Siebert. That left just 3.1 seconds to play. The next attempt would not be denied. Leon took the inbound pass from Howery at the top of the key and immediately drove down the lane. Her contested layup kissed the glass and fell through. Only 0.4 seconds remained. Black Hills State used its last timeout to advance the ball. The Yellow Jackets lob towards Weathersby in the post was defended by Siebert and the final buzzer sounded.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 12-9 in the all-time series against Black Hills State.
- Olivia Lee matched her Oredigger best with two critical steals.
- Beaty surpassed 300 collegiate rebounds on Thursday night, and Leon went over 100 rebounds for her career and the season.
- Sixta's 13 points put her past the 400 career-point threshold.
- Siebert moved into the Mines record book for points in a season. She now has 440 points in 2024-25 and ranks #9 in program history.
- Oredigger Head Coach Brittany Simpson is now 229-137 in her 13th season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines hosts Chadron State on Saturday at 1 p.m. It is a Wear Green & Give Game event in honor of Coach Simpson's late sister Annie. Fans are encouraged to wear green and consider a donation to the Mines Student Emergency Fund. Free live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be available for both games 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.