GUNNISON, Colo. - The Western St. Mountaineers (9-12, 8-9 RMAC) won, 76-60, over the Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State University (5-14, 4-13 RMAC) on Saturday night.  Western St.'s, Charles Joseph, was the story of the night with a game high 21 points and 17 rebounds and two blocks. 

BHSU's sophomore guard, Joey Mitchell (6-1 180 Tulare, SD), had the most points on the night for the Jackets with 12.  Sophomore guard, Brady Bisgaard (5-11 170 Belle Fourche, SD) finished with 11 points and four rebounds.  Mitchell and Bisgaard combined for four three-points field goals.  

At the end of the first half, the Jackets found themselves only at a two-point deficit, 34-32.  But thanks to Joseph's 14-point second half, the margin widened as the half went on for the Mountaineers.  Joseph is shooting an RMAC second best field goal percentage of 58.9 percent on the season.

Leading scorer for BHSU and in the RMAC, junior Tanner Adler (6-5 200 Deadwood, SD), did not play due to a minor injury sustained the previous night vs. Colorado Mesa.  

However, the Jackets held tight most of the night and competed even without Adler's 18 point per game average.  Joseph came into the night ranked 21st in scoring in the conference at just 13 points a game.  BHSU held the Mountaineer's leading scorer and the RMAC's eighth leading scorer, to 11 points on the night.

The Jackets, who average 41 percent shooting per game on the season, shot well below their average in the game as they shot 31.3 percent from the field on 21-of-67 shooting.  Western St. shot above their season high of 46 percent field goal percentage as shot 51.1 percent after going 23-for-45 from the field.  

Western. St won the second half by a score of 42-28, as the gap widened late as the Jackets fouled in order to make a push for a comeback which led to made free throws by the Mountaineers.  

Western St. won the rebounding battle, 42-37, but the biggest reason to prevent second chance points for the Yellow Jackets was that 34 rebounds were on the defensive end.  BHSU had a balanced 18 offensive boards with 19 defensive.

In Adler's absence, true freshman Riley Ryan (6-5 190 Sheridan, WY), continued to have his named called for 27 minutes played on the night as did junior forward Kevin Hanes (6-10 215 Colorado Springs, CO), who has seen his most minutes played in a two-game span the last two games with 50 total minutes on the road trip.  

BHSU comes home for the next game on Friday, Feb. 15 versus the RMAC's sixth place Colorado Mines (11-9, 8-8 RMAC) for a 7:30 pm MT tip-off.