#9 Mines (11-1, 7-0 RMAC) vs. CSU Pueblo (8-5, 5-2 RMAC) – Friday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#9 Mines (11-1, 7-0 RMAC) vs. New Mexico Highlands (9-5, 3-5 RMAC) – Saturday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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HALFWAY THERE
The #9-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team is set to play two games this weekend which mark the halfway point of the 2022-23 regular season. CSU Pueblo comes to Golden, Colo., and Lockridge Arena on Friday for a 5 p.m. tipoff. New Mexico Highlands is Saturday's opponent inside Lockridge Arena, also at 5 p.m. On the line for the Orediggers are nine straight wins and a firm grasp on first place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) standings.
 
TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to Mines home games online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets or at the gate. General admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children, seniors, and military, and free for Mines students with their blaster card.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
All RMAC contests will stream live and for free on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Network. The RMAC Network can be accessed at www.minesathletics.com/tv, as well as with apps on all major smart TV platforms by searching RMAC. Live statistics are also available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
AULD LANG SYNE
Mines bid farewell to 2022 and rang in 2023 with a 75-62 victory at Colorado Christian on New Year's day. It marked the Orediggers' only action of the weekend and the game was moved due to student-athlete struggles returning to campus after the holidays. Jessica Rios, Jenna Siebert, Ashley Steffeck and Loralee Stock all scored in double digits. Sammy Van Sickle nearly had a triple-double thanks to nine points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Mines overcame 10 turnovers in the first quarter and 0-of-18 shooting in the second quarter to get the win. The Orediggers outscored CCU in the second half, 46-27.
 
SCOUTING CSU PUEBLO
After an 0-2 start to the season, CSU Pueblo stands 8-5 overall with a 5-2 RMAC record heading into the weekend. The ThunderWolves are 4-1 in their last five games. Last weekend, they edged Colorado Mesa 67-66 in Pueblo, Colo., before falling to Westminster by a score of 64-56. That loss dropped "The Pack" into a three-way tie for #2 in the conference standings. Individually, CSU Pueblo is led by Charisse Fairley who joined the ThunderWolves after playing at Otero Junior College and then NCAA Division I Fresno State. Fairley has averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 13 games. She ranks #28 in the nation in total three-pointers and #36 in three-point attempts. Landri Hudson averages 10.1 points per game as well. Also notable is RMAC veteran JaNaiya Davis who touts 83 rebounds, 44 assists and 30 steals in 13 games and 10 starts. As a team, CSU Pueblo ranks #2 in the nation in three-pointers per game and #5 in three-point attempts per game. That has fueled a 66.2-point scoring average and a positive scoring margin of 1.4.
 
SERIES HISTORY – CSUP
The rivalry between Mines and CSU Pueblo began in 1977. Since that time, the Orediggers have won 26 meetings with The ThunderWolves and lost 38. That being said, Mines is 7-3 against "The Pack" over their last 10 head-to-head contests. Notable in that stretch is a 100-point outburst by the Orediggers on Feb. 15, 2020, in Pueblo, Colo. The last meeting in the series was the 2022 RMAC Women's Basketball Tournament semifinal on March 4, 2022. CSU Pueblo won that game, 61-54, before falling to MSU Denver in the championship game. Ashley Steffeck racked up five steals and dished out five assists to compliment nine points in the semifinal matchup. Sammy Van Sickle notched two blocks and pulled down eight rebounds as well. Mines' women have not lost to CSU Pueblo in Lockridge Arena during the regular season since Jan. 20, 2018.  
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
At 9-5 overall, New Mexico Highlands' women have won more games this season than in 2019-20 and 2021-22 combined. The Cowgirls did not compete in 2020-21. They started the 2022-23 campaign 7-0 and now sit 3-5 in RMAC play. Despite the hot start, NMHU is now 1-4 in its last five games. Last Friday and Saturday, the Cowgirls dropped a 55-51 game to Westminster and a 68-63 decision to Colorado Mesa. The trio of Juliana Aragon, Krystina Hargood, and Rachael Niles are New Mexico Highlands' individual leaders. Aragon's 14.6 points per game are tops on the team. Hargood does it all with 10.2 points, 5.4 ebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Not only does Niles average 10.1 points per game, but she's elite in ball security. She averages 3.0 assists per game and her assist-to-turnover ratio is 4.29 which ranks #4 in the nation. As a team, NMHU is #8 in the country in turnovers per game at an average of 12.4. Overall, the Cowgirls score 64.5 points per contest with a positive scoring margin of 3.6.
 
SERIES HISTORY – NMHU
Mines is 33-34 in the all-time series against New Mexico Highlands which began in 1977 as well. The Orediggers started the rivalry with seven wins in eight games. Now, over the last 10 meetings between Mines and NMHU, the Orediggers are 10-0. Overall, the Orediggers tout an active win streak of 12 against the Cowgirls. The last time the two teams faced off, Mines won by an impressive score of 108-29. It marked the most points in one game in Mines history and the largest margin of victory in program history. In that game, Quincey Baum scored 16 points and Josephine Howery had 12 points. Ashley Steffeck also racked up 11 steals and six assists. Mines' women have not lost to New Mexico Highlands since Dec. 6, 2014, in Las Vegas, N.M. The Orediggers haven't lost to NMHU in Lockridge Arena since Dec. 7, 2013, nearly a decade ago.
 
NOTING THE WIN STREAK
The Orediggers enter the weekend riding a nine-game win streak. That run is tied for #6 among active streaks in NCAA Division II. Only 23 other teams across all divisions of the NCAA have a long active win streak than the Orediggers. Mines' starting five of Ashley Steffeck, Jessica Rios, Josephine Howery, Sammy Van Sickle, and Megan Van de Graaf have fueled the surge. Steffeck and Van de Graaf tout scoring averages over 12.0 points during the nine-game span. Howery and Van Sickle have also averaged double-digit scoring numbers with Rios sitting at 9.6 points per game thanks to 17 three-pointers. Furthermore, Steffeck and Van Sickle have teamed up to combine for 80 assists, 55 steals, and 22 blocks. The average score during the win streak features 73.2 points for Mines and just 57.8 points for the opposition. The longest win streak in program history is 13 games which the Orediggers accomplished in 2015-16 and in 2021-22.
 
THUNDERWOLF WHISPERER
Sometimes, a player comes along and seems to simply have the number of a particular team. In this case, it's Ashley Steffeck. Since arriving at Mines in 2019, Steffeck has faced CSU Pueblo six different times and put up dominant numbers. In those six meetings, the Orediggers are 4-2 against "The Pack" and Steffeck has averaged 11 points, 4.1 steals, 3.3 assists, and 6.6 rebounds in 34.1 minutes per game while committing just five total turnovers. That makes her career assist-to-turnover ratio against CSU Pueblo a staggering plus-4.0. That being said, the very first time the Fort Collins, Colo., native faced the ThunderWolves, she had just three points, four rebounds, one assist and one turnover in 24 minutes. If one were to remove that game from the equation, Steffeck's averages over her last five meetings with "The Pack" go up to 12.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.0 steals, and 3.8 assists compared to four total turnovers in 36.2 minutes per game. Her assist-to-turnover ratio in that span? Just a casual plus-4.75.
 
SAMMY VAN SICKLE
Last week it was noted that Sammy Van Sickle was one of two players across all divisions of the NCAA to lead her conference in total blocks, blocks per game, total steals, and steals per game. This week she's still #1 in the RMAC in total blocks, blocks per game, and steals per game as the Ralston Valley High School graduate remains among the elite in NCAA Division II. Despite losing her conference lead in total steals (by one steal in two fewer games), Van Sickle remains one of four players in all of NCAA Women's Basketball to rank top-50 in her respective division in total steals and total blocks. The Arvada, Colo., native's 19 blocks rank #32 in DII and her 36 steals rank #23 in DII. The only other women inside the top-50 in both categories in their division are Shaiquel McGruder (New Mexico, DI), Haley Meinel (Jefferson, DII), and Gianna Delfino (Misericordia, DIII). It's also worth noting that Van Sickle is top-10 in the RMAC in six other statistical categories.
 
WINNING BIG
Mines has earned all 11 of its wins this season by double digits. It marks the first time in program history that the Orediggers have earned their first 11 wins of any season by double digits. Their current scoring margin, or average margin of victory, is 16.4 points per game. That's good enough to rank #22 in NCAA Division II and #1 in the RMAC. More notable among the 11 double-digit wins as a 72-53 victory over then-#21 Central Washington. The Wildcats came into the contest undefeated and averaging over 88 points per game and still rank #11 in the nation in scoring offense.
 
STICKY FINGERS
The Oredigger defense continues to rank near the top of NCAA Division II this season. At the top of the list are Mines' 13.6 steals per game which ranks #9 in the nation. That production has helped the Orediggers' turnover margin of 9.83 which ranks #7 in the country. Mines is #10 in DII in turnovers per game at an average of 12.6. Overall, the Orediggers' scoring defense is #17 in the nation, surrendering just 55.8 points per game.
 
IT'S NOT HOW YOU START, BUT…
At 11-1 so far in 2022-23, Colorado School of Mines women's basketball touts its second-best start to a season in program history. The Orediggers started the 2001-02 campaign with a 6-1 record. Their best start to a season in program history was in 2021-22 when they rolled to a 16-1 mark through 17 games.
 
LEADING COLORADO
Colorado is home to 21 different collegiate women's basketball teams representing NCAA Divisions I, II, and III along with the junior college ranks. Mines has established itself as one of the best women's teams in the state of Colorado in 2022-23. The Orediggers are second in total wins, tout the fewest losses and rank #1 in winning percentage. They also boast the longest active win streak in the state. The Buffs of the University of Colorado is the only team in Colorado with more wins than the Orediggers, sitting 12-3 overall.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
The first national rankings of 2023 came out on Tuesday. Mines jumped from #12 to #9 in the media poll sponsored by D2SIDA. The Orediggers held strong at #10 in the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association's (WBCA) top-25. Mines remains the only nationally-ranked women's program in the RMAC. Ashland is the consensus #1 on both lists after moving from #2 to #1 in the coaches' poll. Nebraska-Kearney and Central Washington, two of Mines' 2022-23 opponents, are ranked #22 and #24, respectively, in the WBCA poll.
 
HOW FAR WE'VE COME
The inaugural campaign for Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball was 1976-77. Through the first 20 seasons of the program's existence, the Orediggers totaled 106 victories with zero seasons above .500 and just two double-digit win campaigns. Over the last decade, including the 2022-23 campaign, Mines has racked up 170 wins, three conference titles, and three NCAA Tournament berths. The Orediggers have not finished under .500 since 2014-15, and have recorded double-digit wins every year since 2011-12.
 
BOSS LADY
Head Coach Brittany Simpson is in her 11th season leading the Mines women's basketball program. During her decade tenure, she has become the winningest coach in program history both in terms of total wins and win percentage at 185-108 (63.1). Simpson is responsible for all three of the program's RMAC titles including regular-season championships in 2015-16, 2020-21, and 2021-22, as well as three of four trips to the NCAA Tournament. She is a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year who has guided 31 All-RMAC selections including 11 first-teamers, 11 second-teamers, one third-team selection and eight honorable mention performers.
 
ROOTED IN THE RMAC
Colorado School of Mines was one of the founding members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and is now the longest-standing member among the 15 current institutions. Thus, it is only appropriate that the women's basketball staff is completely rooted in the conference. Head Coach Brittany Simpson attended and played for Colorado Mesa where she was a two-time, All-RMAC player and still holds the career record for free-throw percentage at 89.1 percent over four years. Assistant coach Taylor Flanagan played four years of collegiate basketball at Colorado Christian as Taylor Torres. She was RMAC Freshman of the Year in 2013 and earned Division II Bulletin All-America All-Freshman team distinction. Flanagan was also Second-Team All-RMAC, NCCAA All-Region, and Honorable Mention All-RMAC and joined the CCU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021. Assistant coach Leslie Seymour played and coached at CSU Pueblo as Leslie Haywood. She was part of the 2006 RMAC Championship team and helped coach "The Pack" to RMAC titles in 2008, 2009, and 2010. She was inducted into the CSU Pueblo Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.
 
UP NEXT
Mines starts a four-game road trip on Jan. 13 as the Orediggers head to Regis for a 5 p.m. tip. They'll face UCCS on Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. in Colorado Springs. Free live stats and video of all games will 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.