RAPID CITY, .S.D --- The South Dakota School of Mines women's basketball team is off to Durango, Colo., this weekend to begin the 2017-18 season with the Conference Challenge Classic hosted by Fort Lewis College.
The Lady Hardrockers will face Eastern New Mexico University Friday at 1 p.m. (MST) followed by a matchup with the University of Texas Permian Basin Saturday at 5 p.m. (MST).

After the first-ever Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference post-season tournament appearance a year ago, the Hardrockers return the core of their squad to continue the winning tradition this year. SD Mines lost just one starter in Megan Rohrer to graduation. Seniors Krista Showalter (averaged 4.0 ppg and recorded 128 assists last year) and Payton Humpal (8.4 ppg) lead a talent group of juniors and sophomores.

The 'Rockers can hurt you in a lot of ways. Junior Taylor Molstad averaged just over nine points a game last year, while sophomores Sami Steffeck (9.9 ppg) and Cooper Courtney (7.1 ppg) were very effective on the perimeter. Sophomore Anna Haugen also returns as an effective scoring and rebounding weapon (8.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg) along with Molly McCabe (6.0 ppg,  4.1 rpg).

ENMU will be a challenge for the Lady 'Rockers. The Greyhound finished the season with a 20-9 mark and made appearances in both the Lone Star Conference Tournament as well as the South Central Region Tournament. Last season, ENMU shard the LSC title with Angelo State and posted its first 20-win season since 1992-93. The Hounds were picked second in the LSC Preseason poll this year.

The Greyhounds have an experienced roster with six seniors returning for the 2017-18 campaign. Eastern returns much of last team's championship team, which includes First Team All-LSC and All-Defensive selection Mikaela Connor. Daeshi McCants, a Third-Team All-LSC choice also will play a prominent role. The duo combined to earn five conference Player of the Week awards.

The Hardrockers gave ENMU all they could handle last year, falling 69-66, after leading for a majority of the game.

Saturday's matchup will feature the UTPB Falcons, a team that was picked to finish 10th in the 2017-18 Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll. The Falcons return three of four top scorers from last season, led by Briana Caro's 13.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game and  nine players from last year with nine newcomers joining the roster.

The Hardrockers came up short to the Falcons in last year's opening weekend. UTPB defeated SD Mines, 57-50 in that outing.