By: Con Marshall
CSC Sports Information
CHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State College women's basketball team led from start to finish while opening its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference schedule with a 71-67 victory over South Dakota Mines on the Eagles' home court Thursday night.
Most of the game was not as close as the final score would indicate. The Eagles, now 2-5 for the season and 1-0 in RMAC play, held a 12-3 lead after the first eight minutes had been played and eventually were ahead by 18 points—33-15--with 2:23 left in the second period. However, Mines scored eight of the last 10 points prior to halftime, cutting the difference to 35-23 at the break. In the second half, South Dakota Mines cut the difference to only three points twice in the final 2:33 before the Eagles held on for the win.
Kylie Krise was the Eagles' leader, finishing with 23 points off the bench to match her career-high from a year ago against MSU Denver. She sank seven of her nine field goal attempts, including 5-of-6 three-pointers, and was 4-of-6 at the free throw line. In addition, Krise grabbed 10 rebounds, giving her a double-double for the first time in her two years at CSC.
Both Camren Morris and Allison Richards tallied 12 points for Chadron State, Kyra Tanabe added 10 and Ashayla Powers eight. Behind Krise's 10 boards, four different Eagles finished with five rebounds apiece – Richards, Morris, Powers and McKenzi Petersen.
Most of the Hardrockers' scoring was provided by sophomore forward Morning Grace Spotted Bear with 24 points and senior guard Piper Bauer with 22. Spotted Bear was 6-of-14 from the field, one of them a 3-pointer, and was 11-of-15 at the free throw line. Bauer was 7-of-18 on her field goal shots, two of them treys, and was 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.
Overall, the Eagles shot 43.1% (22-51) from the field while Mines hit just 31.1% (19-61). Krise provided the difference with her 5-of-6 from behind the arc, as the Eagles meshed eight three-pointers in 20 attempts while the Hardrockers were just 4 of 23.
Spotted Bear grabbed 12 rebounds for game-high honors, but the Eagles out-rebounded the Hardockers 46-37 overall.
The Eagles will travel to Spearfish Saturday to face Black Hills State (5-3, 1-0 RMAC). The Yellow Jackets also beat the Hardrockers on Tuesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
South Dakota Mines—Morning Grace Spotted Bear 24, Piper Bauer 22, Emily Thomas 6, Samantha Darnell 5, Lauren Herman 4, Miquedah Taliman 3, Micah Hammerquist 3. Totals: 19-61 (4-23) 25-37 67 points, 37 rebounds, 12 assists, 13 turnovers.
Chadron State—Kylie Krise 23, Camren Morris 12, Allison Richards 12, Kyra Tanabe 10, Ashayla Powers 8, Megan Counts 2, Bati Assefa 2, Jordyn Stokes 2. Totals: 22-51 (8-20)19-27 71 points, 46 rebounds, 12 assists, 21 turnovers.
South Dakota Mines 8 15 23 21 ---67
Chadron State 12 23 22 14 ---71