SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team took the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's top team to the brink Friday night, before falling 98-95 in double overtime.

New Mexico Highlands University entered the game as the only undefeated team remaining in conference action and looked like it would continue up 81-78 with six second remaining in regulation. However, Riley Ryan had other thoughts as he sank a 3-point basket to knot the game and force overtime.

In the first overtime period, Black Hills State grabbed the lead on a Ryan-made jump shot but was quickly answered by a Jonathon Mines jumper. The Green and Gold opened an 87-83 lead behind a Sam Mayer dunk and a Nick Ongarato layup.

However, a mini 4-0 run from the Cowboys knotted the game back up at 87-all as Mines sank a pair of free throws and Kaylen Shane hit a jumper with 41 seconds on the clock and the 87-87 score.

Neither team was able to find the bottom of the net forcing a second overtime.

Wyatt Krogman hit a layup to open the second extra period while Max Mueller went 2-for-2 at the free throw line as the Yellow Jackets (3-5, 1-3 RMAC) again had a four-point advantage in the extra period at 91-87.

The Cowboys (5-5, 4-0 RMAC) answered back with an 8-0 run behind a Kendrick Nichols jumper and two deep James Healy 3-point baskets. Free throws from Mueller and Ongarato again knotted the game up, this time at 95-all with 58 seconds remaining.

Highlands had an opportunity to take the lead with the shot clock winding down but Mines missed the jumper, however the offensive rebound from Nichols allowed the Cowboys one last opportunity. Nichols sank a trey with four seconds on the clock to take a 98-95 lead. The Yellow Jackets quickly pushed the ball up the court but Wyatt Krogman's last second shot rimmed out.

The Yellow Jackets controlled the first half of play, opening up a 16-point lead when Patrick Mendes was fed a pass from Krogman for the easy dunk and a 40-24 advantage. However the visiting Cowboys chipped away at the lead all throughout the second half, taking their first advantage on a Marlon Johnson layup at 76-75.

Ongarato sank a career-best 31 points in 47 minutes of action while Ryan netted 25 points. Mueller scored a season-best 15 points. Kendrick Nichols scored a game-high 32 points for Highlands while Jonathon Mines added 25 points, Marlon Johnson 17 and Healy 13.

For just the second time this year, the Yellow Jackets were out-rebounded, a margin of 42-35. Kaylen Shane and Mines had nine rebounds apiece for NMHU while Ongarato had five rebounds to lead BHSU.

The Yellow Jackets look to get back into the win column Saturday evening, hosting Western New Mexico University at 6 p.m. It will be the final visit by the Mustangs to Spearfish as a member of the RMAC.