GOLDEN, Colo. --- The Western Colorado women's basketball team grew its lead each quarter thanks to a stellar defensive effort as the Mountaineers won their RMAC opener 66-48 over Colorado School of Mines on Friday night at Lockridge Arena.

WCU (3-2 overall, 1-0 RMAC) pulled away midway through the third quarter as with the game tied 29-29, Katie Dalton scored in the paint to give the Mountaineers it wouldn't relinquish as it started a 10-2 run capped by a Hannah Cooper free throw with 3:16 left into the third to make it 39-31.

WCU led the Orediggers (3-3, 0-1) 43-35 to start the fourth before going on a 9-0 run to start the quarter ended with a Taytem Coleman 3-pointer with 6:33 left to make it 52-35 as the Mountaineers cruised to the 18-point victory.

WCU held CSM to 23.2 percent shooting from the field (13-for-56), including 4-for-14 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range. The Mountaineers shot 45.8 percent from the field, including going 4-for-11 on 3-pointers.

Dalton paced WCU with 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting to go along with six rebounds and two steals. Samantha Coleman added 11 points (including 2-for-3 from 3-point range) and three rebounds while Jessie Erickson just missed a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds - adding a team-high three assists and two steals as well.

The Mountaineers return to action Saturday as they travel to take on UCCS.