PHOENIX, Ariz. - South Dakota School of Mines and Technology from Rapid City drilled 16 three-point field goals and scored 37 points off 33 Arizona Christian University turnovers in a 105-70 collegiate women's basketball victory, Saturday, December 15, in Fultz Memorial Gym in Phoenix. ACU has lost its last five contests, and South Dakota Mines has won eight of its last nine, including two wins at ACU this weekend. 

Arizona Christian, guided by second-year head coach Jerry Conner, takes on La Sierra University (Calif.), Thursday, Dec. 20, at 5:30 p.m., in Fultz Memorial Gym on the ACU campus in the Firestorm's final game before Christmas. 

Senior guard Hillary Hawkins made 10 of 20 from three-point range, a South Dakota Mines record for three-pointers, and finished with 34 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Hawkins scored 15 points with 5 three-pointers in the first half. 

The Hardrockers quickly gained control of the contest with 15 consecutive points in a span of 3:43 and led 23-5 with 13:05 remaining and led three more times by 18, and put together a run of seven consecutive points and took a 39-15 lead with 7:32 left, its widest advantage of the first half. ACU fought back with an 18-3 run and sliced SDSMT's margin to just nine points, 42-33, with 2:53 left before intermission. ACU's run was fueled by 10 free throws in 11 attempts and a rare four-point play by senior guard senior guard Paula Clendaniel (Tucson, Ariz./Cienega H.S./York College (Neb.) who made a three-pointer and the ensuing free throw at the end of the run. SDSMT rebuilt its lead to 50-35 by halftime. 

ACU contributed 21 turnovers in the first half which led to 20 points for the Hardrockers and shot just .292 from the field (7-24) while SDSMT shot .529 (18-34) in the first 20 points. ACU stayed as close as it did by making 17 of 19 free throws (.895) in the first half. 

SDSMT scored the first eight points of the second half at the beginning of a 15-4 streak that propelled the Hardrockers to a 65-39 lead, its widest advantage to that point of the game. Hawkins scored eight points with 2 three-pointers during the run. SDSMT's lead reached 30 points with 1:29 left, 98-68, and its biggest lead, 105-68, was reached on Hawkins' 10th three- pointer of the contest with 33 seconds remaining 

Freshman reserve forward Olivia Antilla supported Hawkins' 34-point performance with 22 points, 3 three-pointers, six rebounds and seven assists, and reserve guard Devyn Asche also came off the bench for South Dakota Mines and added 15 points on 6 of 11 shots, three rebounds, two assists, one blocked shot and three steals. Guard Lexie Long finished with seven points, 2 three-pointers, five rebounds, six assists and one blocked shot, and forward Kelcy Schaunaman also scored seven points. Senior forward Katie Strandholm scored 6 points and had four rebounds and two assists, and junior center Renee Waters totaled five points, four rebounds and one blocked shot. 

ACU's only player to reach double figures in scoring was sophomore forward Sarah Beth Hock (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.), ACU's leading scorer and rebounder, who finished with 17 points and five rebounds. Junior guard Tenisha Royston (Shiprock, N.M./Shiprock H.S./Scottsdale CC) contributed nine points, six rebounds, six assists and one blocked shot and made all five of her free throw tries, and sophomore forward Jamie Heath (Phoenix, Ariz./Thunderbird H.S.) scored nine points with one three-pointer and had one steal. Freshman guard Gabrielle Evans (Phoenix, Ariz./Arcadia H.S.) added eight points, one three-pointer, three rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot, and sophomore forward Stephanie Brimhall (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.) finished with six points, three rebounds and one steal. Freshman guard Kiara White (Phoenix, Ariz./Washington H.S.) gave ACU six points, three rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal.