GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.--- The South Dakota Mines women's basketball team started out the 2023-24 season in the Conference Challenge against the University of Texas Permian Basin in Grand Junction, Colo. Friday afternoon. The Hardrockers would drop a heart breaker 60-55 after leading much of the game.
The Hardrockers are now 0-1 on the year and will finish off the road trip tomorrow against West Texas A&M University at 4:30 PM in Grand Junction.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hardrockers jumped out to an early 11-4 lead in the first quarter. The Falcons scored eight straight to finish off the quarter to lead 12-11 after one quarter of play.
Piper Bauer started hot, scoring seven points in the quarter.
Sydnee Durtsche would grab four rebounds.
Bauer started the second quarter scoring eight points to give the Hardrockers a 19-14 lead with 7:00 remaining. South Dakota Mines would outscore the Falcons 15-2 in the first five minutes of the second quarter to lead 26-14. The Falcons would make a little comeback late in the second quarter going on an 8-0 run, but the Hardrockers would go into the locker room up 32-25 at the half. In the quarter, Bauer would score 10 points to end the half with 17. The Hardrockers were 11-35 from the floor and 5-14 from behind the arc.
The second half started slower than the first with each team trading baskets for the first five minutes. The Hardrockers outscored the Falcons 10-8 to lead 42-33 with five minutes remaining in the third. The Hardrockers scored 14 points to the Falcons 13 in the third quarter to lead 46-38.
Savea Mansfield led SDM with six points in the quarter.
The Falcons in the fourth outscored the Hardrockers 9-4 early in the quarter to give the 'Rockers a three-point lead of 50-47. The Falcons would take their first lead since the first quarter 51-50 with 4:00 left in the game. Bauer would tie the game on a three 53-53, but the Falcons would regain the lead with 1:00 left. Despite some chances, South Dakota Mines would drop the game 60-55.
Notes
The Hardrockers were 20-63 from the floor in the loss...As a team, South Dakota Mines had 45 rebounds…Bauer led the way offensively with 22 points, shooting 8-19...Mansfield ended the game with 14 points…
Emily Thomas had seven assists, while Durtsche added eight rebounds.
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.
