RAPID CITY, S.D. – The women's basketball team plays its final two games of the season this weekend, as they are scheduled to play on Thursday and Saturday in the friendly confines of the King Center.
Those games are slated for 5:30 on Thursday against New Mexico Highlands, with senior day scheduled for 1:00 on Saturday against Fort Lewis.
GAME INFORMATION
New Mexico Highlands
Date/Time: Feb. 27 / 5:30 p.m.
Site: Rapid City, S.D.
Arena: King Center
Series Overall: South Dakota Mines leads 12-2.
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 1
Series at South Dakota Mines: South Dakota Mines leads 6-1.
Streak at South Dakota Mines: New Mexico Highlands Won 1
Watch Live: RMAC Network
Fort Lewis
Date/Time: March 1 / 1:00 p.m.
Site: Rapid City, S.D.
Arena: King Center
Series Overall: Tied 6-6.
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 2
Series at South Dakota Mines: Tied 3-3.
Streak at South Dakota Mines: Fort Lewis Won 1
Watch Live: RMAC Network
CRASHING THE GLASS
The Hardrockers do a great job on the glass, especially on the offensive side.
12.7 offensive rebounds per game leads the RMAC, while South Dakota Mines outrebounds their opponents by an average of +3.7 rebounds, fifth in the league.
DEFENDING THE THREE
South Dakota Mines has done a fantastic job defending the three-point line this season, allowing RMAC opponents to hit just 27.2% from deep, the second-lowest percentage in the league.
CHASE FOR 300
Piper Bauer, who earlier this season set the school record for made three-pointers with 277, has now gone one step further, as she is just five three-pointers short of 300.
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
Heading into the last weekend of the season, New Mexico Highlands is 10-8 in RMAC play. They are looking to clinch an RMAC playoff position and potentially move up beyond their current seven-seed. Overall, the Cowgirls are 13-11.
Sharing the ball and their bench are two of their strong points. They are second in the RMAC, averaging 13.7 assists per game, while their bench leads the conference with 26.3 points per game.
Shooting success is a significant benefactor of ball movement, as they hit 42.9% of their shots, which is also the second-best in the league.
Kapiolani Anitielu and Juliana Aragon are a great one-two punch, averaging 16.3 and 16 points per game, respectively, which is top 10 in the conference.
SCOUTING FORT LEWIS
Fort Lewis has struggled this year, sitting at 6-20 overall and 3-15 in RMAC play.
Defensively, the Skyhawks turn teams over frequently, mainly because of their ability to steal the ball.
They force 17.23 turnovers per game, with 8.8 coming as steals. Those numbers are in the top five in the RMAC.
Darla Hernandez, Deniece Ryan, and Livia Knapp are their double-digit scorers, with each averaging between 10.4 and 11.2 points per game.
Hernandez also averages 7.3 rebounds per game, ninth in the RMAC.
Leading the RMAC is Katie Lamb, who has a 36.3% three-point percentage.
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, hardrockerathletics on Instagram, and Hardrocker Athletics on Facebook.
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 and four associate members located in California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
