RAPID CITY, S.D.--The Griffins defeated South Dakota School of Mines, 66-61, to finish the weekend 3-0 in conference and top of the conference standings.
 
Westminster outscored the home side by nine in the first quarter and six in the second quarter for a 15-point first half lead.
 
The Hardrockers scored the first basket of the game but the Griffins responded with a 15-point run and a 12-point lead to start the night.
 
The teams traded baskets for much of the second quarter until Siciliee Williams and Olivia Elliss scored to increase the lead to 15.  The half would end with the Griffins in the lead, 38-23.
 
South Dakota made surge to begin the third quarter and cut the deficit down to five with a 11-0 run.  A layup by Hunter Krebs ended the run and the Griffins recovered four points to finish the quarter up by nine.
 
Westminster increased its lead to 11 with five minutes left in the game.  Westminster's will to win was tested after a 10-2 run got South Dakota within three with just 55 seconds left.  They regained control and finished the game five points ahead, 66-61.

"South Dakota plays hard and fought back into the game," Head Coach Shelley Jarrard said.  "We hung tough and made enough plays to get the win."
 
Free throws became important on a night that the three didn't fall well.  Westminster was 47.1 percent from the field but only 22.2 percent, 2-9, from beyond the arc.  Westminster went 16-21 from free throw line, 12 more attempts and nine more points than the Hardrockers.
 
Hunter Krebs led the Griffins with 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds, recorded two steals and three blocks.

Elliss led the team with eight rebounds, four on both ends of the court and recorded two blocked shots.  Kaitlin Toluono stole the ball once and grabbed seven rebounds.
 
Three Griffins were perfect from the free throw line.  Williams was 5-5, Kaylee Carlsen was 3-3 and Denise Gonzalez was two of two.
 
Westminster will play its final two games of 2018 on Friday and Saturday, against CSU-Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands.
 
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