PUEBLO, Colo. --- The South Dakota Mines women's basketball team continued to battle throughout the game, cutting 8+ point deficits to one possession, but couldn't come through in the end.

In the first quarter, each teams' offense started slowly with the Hardrockers getting the first basket on a layup by Bailey Johnson with just over 8 minutes to go. Once the offenses started to get going, the two teams would go back and forth with 5 early lead changes, and CSU Pueblo held a 10-8 lead after a three-point make by Tomia Johnson. The three-pointer would jump-start a 7-0 Thunderwolf run to close the first quarter with CSU Pueblo leading 14-8.

Early in the second, Madelyn Heiser would continue her strong play lately, hitting a three-pointer. The two teams would continue to answer one another, with CSU Pueblo holding a narrow, 21-18 lead at the media timeout with 4:38 to go in the quarter. Out of the timeout, the Thunderwolves would expand the lead with 4 points leading to a Hardrocker timeout, trailing, 25-18. To end the half Ryan Weiss would hit two free throws, but the Hardrockers would head to the locker room trailing, 30-22.

Early in the third quarter, the Hardrockers would get some momentum going first getting a Johnson layup, then forcing a turnover, and getting two free throws from Weiss, narrowing the deficit to 30-26. Johnson would hit a three after breaking the ankles of Ro Dominguez, cutting the deficit to 1 and expanding the Hardrocker run beginning in the end of the first half, 9-0. Johnson was on fire hitting another three, giving the Hardrockers a 32-30 lead. The two teams would continue to trade buckets and the lead with CSU Pueblo taking a 44-40 lead into the 4th quarter.

To start the 4th CSU Pueblo would get back-to-back layups from Janaiya Davis and Torrie Bass to expand their lead back to 8, 48-40. South Dakota Mines would continue to fight back, this time it was Weiss hitting a three, cutting the Thunderwolves lead to 50-44. That would be followed by a Makenna Bodette jumper and a Heiser layup and the foul, cutting it to one, 50-49. Bo Dominguez hit three straight threes for the Thunderwolves answered by Melissa Johnstone baskets going into the media timeout, with CSU Pueblo leading 59-53. Out of the timeout, Naomi Hidalgo would get a basket. Johnson would get a steal with a little over a minute to go followed by a Hardrocker timeout with 1:18 to play. The Hardrockers would continue to fight, cutting the deficit to 1 with 8 seconds to go then fouled. Janaiya Davis would hit both free throws. A pair of three-point shots did not go for the Hardrockers, to end the game, falling 63-60.

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.