by LAS VEGAS, N.M. — The South Dakota Mines women’s basketball team looked to close Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play for 2023 on a strong note against New Mexico Highlands Saturday night at the Wilson Complex.
The Hardrockers did just that. In a close game that saw seven lead changes and 11 ties, South Dakota Mines turned to defense and perfect free-throw shooting to get a 59-56 victory. With the win, the ‘Rockers moved to 2-4 in RMAC play and have now won two of their last three games.
How it Happened
The two teams went back and forth in the first quarter as junior Piper Bauer tied the game at 6-6 with a short jumper at the 5:57 mark. Tied at 8-8, New Mexico Highlands scored five straight points before sophomore Savea Mansfield’s hook shot got the Hardrockers back on the board. The Cowgirls would stay ahead the rest of the way and take a 15-12 lead into the second quarter.
The game remained tight throughout the second quarter although New Mexico Highlands had a slight lead throughout until the final minutes. The Cowgirls led 28-23 but the Hardrockers came back with a 3-pointer by junior Lily Peterson with 1:34 to play and a jump shot by sophomore Megan Alexander to tie the game at 28-28 with 58 seconds remaining. That proved to be the final points of the first half.
South Dakota Mines began to take control of the offensive boards in the second half and used second-chance points to take its first lead of the game. The ‘Rockers scored first in the third on senior Madelyn Heiser’s layup before New Mexico Highlands scored six straight for a four-point edge, but the Hardrockers responded with two free throws by Alexander and a 3-pointer and layup by Bauer to put South Dakota Mines back up 39-36. Two free throws by Mansfield put the Hardrockers up by four before the Cowgirls closed strong to tie the game at 45-all after three periods of play. Piper and Spotted Bear led the Hardrockers with 11 and 10 points respectively going into the fourth.
It was more of the same in the fourth period with five lead changes and two ties. South Dakota Mines led 49-48 on a pair of Heiser free throws and after New Mexico Highlands nailed a 3-pointer, the Hardrockers came back to tie the game at 51-51 with 5:39 to play on a jumper by Spotted Bear. Both teams then struggled offensively before Alexander’s layup with 3:23 to play put the Hardrockers back in front 53-51 – a lead they never relinquished. South Dakota Mines went up 57-51 with 26 seconds to play on two free throws each by Spotted Bear and Bauer. New Mexico Highlands finally broke its scoring slump with a 3-pointer with 19 seconds remaining to cut the lead to three. New Mexico Highlands fouled almost immediately, and Bauer connected again on two free throws, answered by a Cowgirl layup with seven seconds remaining. New Mexico Highlands couldn’t foul and the Hardrockers escaped with the 59-56 win.
Notes
Piper Bauer led the Hardrockers in scoring with 17 points, hitting 5-of-15 from the field, including 1-4 3-pointers…She was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line and grabbed four rebounds…Morning Grace Spotted Bear scored a career-high 14 points of 6-of-12 from the field and 2-2 from the line…She also had four rebounds, one assist and two steals
