The St. Edward’s University Women’s Basketball team shut down the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers in the first and fourth quarters to win 71-51, and sweep its two home games in the South Central Region Crossover.
“For us it’s important to stay true to our processes and our culture,” J.J. Riehl, St. Edward’s head coach, said. “Nobody in our jersey has done something like this.”
Mines turned the ball over five times in the first quarter and was scoreless for nearly eight minutes to open the game. 10 points from Hilltopper guard J.P. on 4-for-6 shooting helped build a 21-6 lead after ten minutes.
The Orediggers offense heated up, shooting nearly 60%, and Hilltoppers cooled off, going 5-for-15 from the field in the second quarter. Orediggers’ leading scorers, Emma Sixta and Jenna Siebert, dropped 11 of Mines’ 18 points in the second quarter to trim the Hilltoppers’ lead to 32-24 at the half.
SEU found its groove early in the second, and a 7-0 spurt to start the third pushed the Hilltoppers lead to 39-24. But Mines weathered the storm, and closed the quarter on a 12-0 run to make it a 44-40 game going into the fourth.
Both teams traded baskets until a 19-0 Hilltoppers barrage buried the Orediggers. SEU shot 6-for-7 and 11 points from J.P. and guard Kiana Bennett, Tyler Junior College transfer, allowed the Hilltoppers to put this game out of reach.
J.P. led all scorers with 25 points, five assists and four rebounds. Bennett added 15 points, and forward Mikah Chapman posted a 12-point, 11-rebound double double.
“We’re a pretty deep team,” Riehl said. “There’s games like this where J.P. can take over, there’s games when (forward) Bailey (Featherstone) can take over, Ramsey (Robledo) as well. I think it’s about us staying where our feet are and what’s important to us and our culture.”
The Hilltoppers will head to Salt Lake City, Utah, this weekend to face Westminster University on Friday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. and No. 21 Colorado Mesa University on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 1 p.m.St
