RAPID CITY, S.D. – South Dakota Mines' women's basketball team finished the weekend on Saturday afternoon with a matchup against Westminster.
The defense was the most significant factor in this one. The Hardrockers held Westminster to just 49 points in the nearly wire-to-wire victory. They won or tied in the second, third, and fourth quarters on their way to a fourth RMAC victory in the 60-49 defeat of the Griffins.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Early in the first quarter, the women's basketball team got off to a good start, taking an 8-3 lead just four minutes in.
The two teams would battle back and forth throughout the remainder of the first, but Westminster led 16-15 at the horn sound.
Early in the second, the Hardrockers were on a roll, getting out to a 26-18 lead after an 11-2 spurt with back-to-back transition baskets by
Reese Terwilliger and
Morning Grace Spotted Bear.
After Westminster cut the deficit to two, the Hardrockers got baskets from Spotted Bear, free throws from
Lauren Herman, and a buzzer-beater from Bauer. The Rockers took a 35-26 lead into the break.
The third quarter started the same way. South Dakota Mines kept its foot on the pedal, taking a 41-27 lead after a pair of
Savea Mansfield free throws.
Throughout the remainder of the third, SDM would keep in command going into the fourth with a 52-39 advantage.
A seven-zero run in favor of Westminster would follow as they cut the deficit to 52-46 after two Olivia Tausinga free throws gave her 25 with 4:18 to play.
Two baskets in a row, including a three from
Piper Bauer, gave the 'Rockers an eight-point, 57-49 lead.
A Spotted Bear basket from the mid-range expanded the lead back to double-digits, and that would virtually clinch it as the Hardrockers earned the 62-49 victory.
NOTES
Piper Bauer led the team in scoring with 15 points…
Morning Grace Spotted Bear and
Savea Mansfield scored 13 and 12 points, adding nine and eight rebounds each…Spotted Bear added four steals, while
Miquedah Taliman had five assists.
UP NEXT
The Hardrocker women's next game is against Chadron State on Tuesday night. The tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
You can find the latest on South Dakota Mines women's basketball all year long on X and Instagram (@hardrockerwbb), and you can also follow on Facebook at Hardrocker Women's Basketball. The latest on South Dakota Mines athletics can be found by following us on X at @GoHardrockers.
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 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.
