The Hardrockers, are easily the hottest team in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, now winners of nine straight games after running past MSU-Denver 61-35 Saturday at Goodell Gymnasium. The weekend wins moved them to 12-7 in the RMAC and 14-9 overall.

Like their win streak, the 'Rockers caught fire from long range again, led by the balance of sophomore Ryan Weiss and seniors Sami Steffeck and Courtney Cooper. The hot-shooting trio combined for 10 3-pointers and keyed a big second-half run.

"It's a lot of fun when we get rolling and moving the ball like that," Mines coach Jeri Jacobson said. "There was a little stretch where we were dribbling too much. We have to stop dribbling the ball, just move the ball. I think that really helped and made a difference. They are looking for each other and they know where their teammates' favorite shots are. It's a lot of fun when we are playing like that."

Mines started a little slow, trailing 11-7 at the end of the first quarter, but easily won the next three, taking a 26-20 lead into the locker room at halftime and outscoring the Roadrunners 35-15 in the second half.

Weiss. who led all scorers with 20 points, said they are all starting to mesh together; they know where everybody is going to be on the court.

"It is just so much fun because everybody is playing for each other out there. We're looking to make one more pass, we're hustling and we're going for the rebounds," she said. "We talk a lot about heart. We make it our goal for every quarter to come out and play with more heart than the other team, whether that being going for loose balls, making extra passes or finishing on the O-boards. Our ball movement is a big part of what has helped us being successful. It is so much fun playing with my teammates."

Weiss hit 6-of-11 from beyond the 3-point arc. Weiss and Steffeck both hit two 3-pointers in the third quarter and Weiss added two more early in the fourth. Cooper also had a pair of treys.

"They feed off of each other. When Ryan and Sami get going, they are feeding off each other, but that also means our other guards start feeding off of that too," Jacobson said. "It builds confidence when those are going in."

Weiss said the nice thing about her team is that anybody can hit shots.

"When we get it moving and find somebody open, they will knock it down," she said. "With that kind of momentum, we're looking for each other and looking to find each other on the perimeter and the post inside. That is hard to guard when everybody is making shots."

The Mines defense, meanwhile, held MSU-Denver to just 30% shooting from the field and 1-of-11 3-pointers. Jacobson said their defense set up their offense.