RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The Hardrocker offense continued to play well, buoyed by 27 from
Bailey Johnson night, and got out to an early double-digit lead before having to fight off the Mountain Lions for the win at the end.
Early in the first quarter, the Hardrockers offense would start how it ended last night, with 6 early points including a 4-point play from
Ryan Weiss. The Hardrockers would get out to a 24-11 lead, but UCCS would continue to fight and we would have a very high scoring 1st quarter, with the Hardrockers leading 27-23.
The offenses would slow down for the first few minutes of the second but
Ryan Weiss would drive to the basket, pick up a foul, and hit a free throw to give South Dakota Mines a 36-29 lead. This would be a lead that would stick until
Bailey Johnson would hit a pair of free throws, giving her 15 on the night and expanding the Hardrocker lead to 38-29. A
Madelyn Heiser and-1 would give the Hardrockers a 9-point advantage, 41-32. UCCS would hit convert an and-1 of their own, but as they had the entire half, South Dakota Mines had an answer, this time it was a pair of Weiss free throws. UCCS would get a jumper to fall, cutting it to 6. To end the half
Naomi Hidalgo would hit a three just before, the buzzer giving the Hardrockers a 46-37 lead to end the half.
Early in the second, the offense would continue to play well, with a pair of Johnson free throws getting her to 17 on the night and the Hardrockers a double-digit lead at 50-39. UCCS would score 9 straight from there to cut into the deficit, Hardrockers, 50-47 at the media timeout with 3:30 remaining. Out of the timeout, after a made UCCS free throw,
Melissa Johnstone would draw an offensive foul on the Mountain Lions, but then UCCS would tie it on a layup by Jasmine Jeffcoat. The two teams would trade buckets before a basket by Weiss gave the Hardrockers a two-point lead. That is how the third quarter would end, with the Hardrockers leading 54-52.
To start the 4th, the Mountain Lions would score first, retying the game, before Weiss would hit a driving layup, giving her 17 on the night.
Madelyn Heiser would follow with a basket, stretching the Hardrocker lead to 4. The Hardrockers would keep the momentum going, first with a pair of offensive rebounds then a Johnson three, expanding the run to 7-0. It would continue with another layup by Heiser, giving South Dakota Mines a 63-54 lead. UCCS would follow with 3 points straight, but the Hardrockers would not be deterred, first with a
Makenna Bodette post basket. Going into the media timeout with 4:44 remaining, the Hardrockers led 65-57. Out of the timeout, UCCS would drill a three only to be followed by another Hardrocker answer, with two free throws from Johnson, giving her 22 on the night. UCCS would fight back, cutting the lead to 4 with 2:50 remaining. Sophie Abela would hit a driving layup, cutting the Hardrocker lead to 67-65, however, on the following possession, Johnson would get back to the free-throw line, hitting both, giving her 24 on the night and giving the Hardrockers a 4-point lead with 2:13 to go. UCCS would fight back to tie up with under a minute to go. The Hardrockers had possession and shared the ball with
Naomi Hidalgo finding
Bailey Johnson for a huge three with 14.4 to take a three-point lead. On the ensuing possession UCCS would score, but just two points. Weiss would be fouled and hit one. The Hardrockers would win the game 73-71.
A postgame interview with
Jeri Jacobson is posted below.
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 11 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
