GUNNISON, Colo. --- The South Dakota Mines women's basketball team played an extremely competitive game Monday night but couldn't get past the RMAC's hottest team as the Hardrockers fell to the unbeaten Western Colorado Mountaineers, 79-72, during a non-conference matchup in Gunnison Colorado.

The Mountaineers improved to 5-0 on the season which was a record for the program. The 'Rockers dropped to 2-5 on the season.

The 'Rockers grabbed a slight one-point edge after the first quarter, 19-18, but the home team grabbed a three-point advantage at the half, 39-36. Western Colorado gained some distance in the third period, outscoring the Hardrockers, 25-16, and went into the final frame up, 64-52. South Dakota Mines did outscore WCU, 20-15, but couldn't close the gap down the stretch.

Western's lead grew to as much as 18 points in the third, but the Hardrockers didn't go away and battled back as it cut the lead down to six points with 3:10 remaining in the fourth.

South Dakota Mines was hot from deep as the Hardrockers went 10-for-22 (45.5 percent) from 3-point range while shooting 46.7 percent from field overall.  As a team, the Mountaineers shot 55.4 percent from the field - including a scorching 8-for-11 from 3-point range.

Makenna Bodette led South Dakota Mines with 20 points off the bench to go along with five blocked shots. Ryan Weiss had 17 points (going 5-for-8 from 3-point range) while adding six rebounds. Michaela Shaklee tacked on eight markers, two steals, two assists and one rebound.

The 'Rockers will be right back in Gunnison on Tuesday for a 2 p.m. rematch --- this time as a conference bout.