RAPID CITY - Turnovers and a cold-shooting second half wrecked the season opener for the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology women's basketball team on Friday.

The Hardrockers committed 34 turnovers - including 22 in the first half - and shot just 18 percent in the second half of a 60-54 loss to Dana College in the first round of the Dakota Athletic Conference/Great Plains Athletic Conference Challenge in Rapid City.

The woeful shooting helped the Vikings pull away from a 34-34 halftime tie.

"We showed our inexperience and our youth," Mines head coach Barb Felderman said. "The turnovers were huge. So many of them were just unforced."

The Vikings, which went 8-22 last season and were picked to finish 12th in the 13-team Great Plains Athletic Conference, took a 53-49 lead with just over three minutes left in the game on Brittany Pritchard's 10-foot jumper from the right side. Mines cut the advantage to just one point on a 3-pointer from the right corner by Loryn Schuetzle just a minute later.

But the Vikings had an answer scoring 30 seconds later on Tricia Trotter's baseline drive, giving Dana a 55-52 advantage. On Mines' next possession, Bethany Holyoak was called for an offensive foul and Dana took advantage, scoring on Amanda Bryant's driving layup for a 57-52 lead with just over a minute remaining.

Mines trimmed the lead to three points, getting a bucket by Natasha Begay, but that would be as close as the Hardrockers would get.

"I know we can play better," Felderman said. "Even in scrimmages and practice we've had more energy, more aggression. Maybe it was first-game jitters."

Mines shot just 5-of-27 in the second half and was 16-for-49 in the game. The Hardrockers overcame a sluggish start - 3-for-8 shooting and three turnovers - to rally from a 7-1 deficit and forge a 34-34 tie at halftime. Mines rebounded from the cold start to shoot 11-for-22 in the opening 20 minutes.

"I don't know if our legs tired out in the second half," Felderman said. "The bulk of the shots were good looks at the basket and they would just rim out."

Bryant powered the Dana offense, scoring 23 points on 11-of-15 shooting. The 6-foot-2 senior had 17 points in the first half. Trotter chipped in 19 points, including 13 in the second half and Erin Bazata pulled down seven rebounds.

Mines, which went 18-11 last season and were selected to finish fourth in the Dakota Athletic Conference, got 12 points and five rebounds from Schuetzle and 10 points from Begay. Maria Luze added nine points off the bench for the Hardrockers.

"We will get better," Felderman said. "We have a long way to go."

Mines will face Dordt College today at noon.