MINOT, N.D. – The South Dakota Mines women's basketball team stepped out of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play and faced Minot State University Saturday afternoon in Minot, N.D.
Minot State was able to take an early lead and lead throughout, sending South Dakota Mines home in defeat.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hardrockers got off to a slow start in their first contest since Dec. 16 as Minot State scored the first eight points before junior
Piper Bauer hit a short jumper at the 5:28 mark. The Beavers, however, responded with five straight points and later closed the first quarter on a 12-2 run to lead 25-6.
South Dakota Mines showed some life in the second quarter, scoring 19 points, but Minot State still led comfortably throughout. Freshman
Morning Grace Spotted Bear opened the period with a layup and Bauer followed with four free throws to make it 25-12. Minot State responded with eight straight points before sophomore
Savea Mansfield ended the run with a layup with 5:56 to play until halftime.
Jumpers by Mansfield and Bauer cut the lead to 40-22 with just two minutes remaining and Minot State closed the first half with a 46-25 advantage.
The Beavers used that first-half momentum and pulled away in the third period, outscoring the Hardrockers 25-11. Bauer's 3-pointer early in the third got the 'Rockers on the board, but South Dakota Mines would go just over two minutes without another point before Mansfield's layup made it 55-30. Minot State would take a 71-36 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Hardrocker defense held Minot State to just one field goal in the fourth quarter, and that came with 7:48 to play. Freshman
Emily Thomas hit a pair of free throws to open the fourth-quarter scoring for both teams at the 8:19 mark and Bauer hit a 3-pointer to make it 73-41. The Hardrockers outscored the Beavers 10-8 the rest of the way and 15-10 in the quarter but Minot State (4-11) picked up the victory, 81-51.
NOTES
Piper Bauer led the way with 18 points…Bauer was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line…
Morning Grace Spotted Bear had a strong all-around game with eight points, eight rebounds and three steals…
Savea Mansfield also added eight points...As a team, the Hardrockers shot 35 percent from the field (16-of-46), but hit just 2-of-17 3-pointers…South Dakota Mines was 17-of-26 from the free throw line...The Hardrockers out-rebounded the Beavers 37-28 as sophomore
Lauren Herman also grabbed eight boards. South Dakota Mines had 15 offensive rebounds in the game.
COMING UP
South Dakota Mines returns to RMAC play to begin the new year as it hosts Fort Lewis Friday, Jan. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the King Center and Adams State Saturday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m.
Fans can find the latest on South Dakota Mines women's basketball all year long on X and Instagram (@hardrockerwbb), while also following on Facebook at Hardrocker Women's Basketball. The latest on South Dakota Mines athletics can be found by following us on X at @GoHardrockers, hardrockerathletics on Instagram and Hardrocker Athletics on Facebook.
ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
South Dakota Mines is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 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.
