SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Black Hills State women's basketball team is currently trying to work themselves out of their longest losing streak of the season. Their three-game losing streak is the longest since they dropped five in a row midway through last season. 

Metro State University of Denver paid a visit to the Young Center on Saturday evening. The Roadrunners dropped three of their last four games entering the contest and were looking to get off the schnide with a victory.

That didn't happen as the Yellow Jackets snapped their three-game losing streak with a 59-53 victory over the Roadrunners. The Yellow Jackets improve to 11-8, 9-6 RMAC while MSU-Denver falls to 11-8, 8-7 RMAC.

Both teams couldn't find their shooting stroke during the opening minutes of the first half. The score was only 4-2 in favor of the Yellow Jackets with 15:57 left in the first half. BHSU jumped out to their largest lead of the first half when Bailey Kusser nailed a three-pointer to make the score 9-4 with 13:43 left.

The Roadrunners responded thanks to back-to-back field goals from Jenae Paine (three-pointer) and Kendra Jesik to knot the game 9-9 with 13:02 left in the first half. 

Chelsey Biegler continued her record-setting free throw shooting when she converted on a pair at the charity strip to give the Yellow Jackets an 11-9 lead at the 11:51 mark of the first half.

The Yellow Jackets held onto the lead for the balance of the first half. Taylor Trohkimoinen's six points led BHSU's 18-16 run to close out the first half. BHSU took a 29-25 lead into intermission.

MSU-Denver set the tempo out of the gates in the second half with a 5-0 run that gave them a 30-29 lead at the 17:29 mark. That was the fuel the Yellow Jackets needed as they stormed out to a 45-35 lead with 11:26 left in the second half led by clutch three-pointers from Kusser and Rachel Erickson.

The ten-point lead by BHSU was their largest of the contest. The Roadrunners kept BHSU on their toes for the next eight minutes of the contest. MSU-Denver outscored the Yellow Jackets 12-8 until Dakota Barrie's three-pointer with 2:43 left in the game gave them breathing room. This made the score 56-47 in favor of the Yellow Jackets. 

Barrie's triple gave BHSU the insurance they needed to hold on to a 59-53 win. Biegler's 11 points led the charge for BHSU. Deni Jacobs netted 17 points to lead the Roadrunner offense.

The Yellow Jackets will return to the road when they travel to Colorado Mesa next Friday, Feb. 6. Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m.