PUEBLO, Colo. --- The South Dakota School of Mines women's basketball team put forth a great effort and showed real competitiveness Tuesday night during the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Shootout postseason tournaments as the Lady Hardrockers (No. 8 seed) went head-to-head against top-seeded Colorado State – Pueblo.

Despite the valiant effort by the Hardrockers, the ThunderWolves were able to string some shots together in the waning minutes of the game to hold off a determined SD Mines squad, surviving for a 69-65 postseason win.

 The Hardrockers pretty much went shot-for-shot with the RMAC regular season champs, and even established several runs and took the lead four different times throughout the game. CSU-Pueblo proved though why they have only lost two games this season, using a solid defense backed by some clutch buckets down the stretch to gain the lead late in the game.

CSUP couldn't gain much breathing room early in the game, holding just a one-point edge after the first quarter, 17-16.

The second quarter belonged to the Hardrockers as they overtook the Wolves and led by as much as seven points with just under 3:30 to play in the half. CSUP rallied back, but SD Mine went into halftime up by one, 35-34.

The Lady 'Rockers struggled a little to start the third period, as CSU-Pueblo went on a seven-point run, before SD Mines was able to regroup. CSUP led by four heading into the fourth quarter, 50-46.

The Hardrockers played tough over the final 10 minutes, trading shot-for-shot with the home team, and even gained the lead a couple times. But CSUP kept clawing back and managed to take the lead with just under four minutes to play that they would not relinquish.

"I couldn't be prouder of our effort and tenacity tonight," said Hardrocker women's basketball head coach Ryan Larsen after the game. "The ladies showed some tremendous character in the way we competed. In the end we gave a very good team too many possessions with our turnovers. Besides our ball security problems, I was very happy with the way we played offensively and defensively."

SD Mines finished the game shooting 42 percent from the field making good on 21-50 attempts (including a very impressive 10-21 from three-point range) and converted 13-14 from the free throw line. The Hardrockers tallied 36 rebounds, had 14 assists, six steals and four blocks.

The ThunderWolves hit 27-62 from the field (just five three-pointers) and were 10-12 from the foul line. CSUP had 29 rebounds, 15 assists, eight steals and eight blocks.

Individually, SD Mines sophomore Taylor Molstad paced her team with 15 points, two assists, three rebounds and one block. Freshman Sami Steffeck added 13 points, four steals, three assists and one rebound. Senior Heather Rogers contributed with 11 points – she was 3-3 from behind the arc and 2-2 from the free throw line. Freshman Anna Haugen led the team with 11 rebounds.

"Taylor Molstad was terrific again, Sami Steffeck was aggressive on offense, Heather Rogers gave us a huge boost off the bench and Anna Haugen had another monster night on the boards," Larsen said.

CSU-Pueblo was paced by RMAC Player of the Year Molly Rohrer with 23 points, seven rebounds and five blocks. Taylor Long added 13 points and Tuileisu Anderson and Laren Heyn both had 10 markers.

The loss brings SD Mines' 2016-17 campaign to close and the Hardrockers will have to say goodbye to their three seniors, Megan Rohrer, Carina Russell and Rogers.

"I'm really going to miss our three seniors," Larsen said. "Megan, Heather and Carina have brought so much to this program I can't put it into words. They have left a tremendous legacy for the others to follow. I'm really proud of this team, they've been a blast to coach and have established a new level of expectations for our program."

The Hardrockers women's basketball team is the first program for SD Mines to earn a postseason berth in the RMAC.