RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Mines women's basketball team opened its two-game road weekend with a matchup against MSU Denver Friday night at the Auraria Events Center in Denver, Colo.
The Hardrockers hung tough against the Roadrunners in the first half as there were five lead changes and 10 ties, but cold second-half shooting doomed them in the end as they fell to MSU Denver 71-52. The 'Rockers trailed by six points at halftime but were outscored 22-9 in the third and were never able to make it any closer. The loss was the third straight for South Dakota Mines and dropped it to 5-10 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A pair of free throws and a basket by sophomore
Savea Mansfield, a bucket by sophomore
Alexis Backhaus and a 3-pointer by junior guard
Piper Bauer tied the game up at 9-9 with 4:11 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Hardrockers went cold and did not score the rest of the first frame as MSU Denver was able to get five points and take a 14-9 lead going into the second quarter.
South Dakota Mines shook off the scoring slump in the second quarter by getting an early 3-pointer by Mansfield and seven points and would take its first lead since 4-2 when a 3-pointer by Bauer and a layup by senior
Naomi Hidalgo capped a 12-0 run.
The two teams would trade leads on consecutive possessions before Mansfield hit 1-of-2 free throws to tie the game at 24-all with 3:56 until halftime. A layup by freshman
Morning Grace Spotted Bear and a jumper by Bauer tied the game at 30-30 with 1:58 to play but MSU Denver would respond with the final six points of the second quarter on two 3-pointers for a 36-30 lead at the break.
Manfield had a strong first half, leading the Hardrockers with 12 points. South Dakota Mines had its best shooting performance in the second period, hitting 8-of-17 from the field, including 2-of-2 3-pointers.
The strong shooting would not last as the 'Rockers hit just 3-of-20 from the field in the third quarter. MSU Denver opened the quarter with another 3-pointer before the Hardrockers responded with a free throw from senior
Madelyn Heiser and a three-point play by Hidalgo to cut the lead to five. The Roadrunners would score seven straight points to take its first double-digit lead of the game at 46-34.
After a Bauer basket, the Roadrunners ran off 10 unanswered points before Mansfield's 3-pointer ended the drought with just under a minute to play. MSU Denver would take a 58-39 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Roadrunners led by as many as 26 points before baskets by Bauer and Mansfield and a 3-pointer by sophomore
Lauren Herman cut the lead to 19 with two minutes to play. Bauer's last second-layup closed the scoring at 71-52 in favor of MSU Denver.
NOTES
Savea Mansfield had another strong game with 19 points and 11 rebounds, which was her fifth double-double of the season and third straight. It was also her seventh straight contest scoring in double figures. Mansfield was 7-of-16 from the field, hitting 2-of-2 3-pointers and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. She also had two steals on defense.
Piper Bauer also scored in double figures with 14 points, adding one steal and three assists. Bauer is now 12 points shy of scoring her 1,000
th career point for the Hardrockers.
Naomi Hidalgo added seven points and five rebounds. South Dakota Mines finished the game by shooting 20-of-72 from the field for 28 percent and hit 5-of-19 3-pointers for 26 percent. The Hardrockers were 7-of-11 from the free-throw line and out-rebounded MSU Denver 45-41. South Dakota Mines had 21 offensive rebounds for 18 second-chance points and had 26 points in the paint to 28 for the Roadrunners.
UP NEXT
The Hardrockers close the weekend at #15/14 Colorado School of Mines Saturday, Feb. 10 with tipoff at 4:30 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 South Dakota Mines 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.
