Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team fell 86-71 Saturday night to Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado.
The Yellow Jackets fell behind 12-2 in the opening minutes of the game before cutting the deficit to three points on a Wyatt Krogman layup for the 30-27 score with 3:46 remaining in the first half.
However, Colorado Mesa (8-5, 4-3 RMAC) would enter the intermission with a 38-34 lead.
After CMU raced out to a 10-point lead in the opening minutes of the second half, the Green and Gold went on a 10-2 run to cut the lead back to two points with 16:26 remaining in the game.
The run began with a Krogman 3-point basket, which was answered by the Mavericks Kabir West on a layup.
Patrick Mendes scored on a jumper followed by a Nick Ongarato layup, then 3-point basket made the score 48-46.
That was the closest the Yellow Jackets (5-6, 3-4 RMAC) would get as the home team pulled away behind 28 points from RMAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Stephan, who completed the double-double with 19 rebounds.
For the 11th time this season, Ongarato scored in double digit points, and seventh-straight game where he led the Yellow Jackets in points, scoring 19 Saturday night.
Riley Ryan hit double-digits with 14 points and adding five rebounds while the RMAC's leading assister Krogman had five assists on the night.
The Yellow Jackets play in the Young Center for the first time in 2016, hosting Regis with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff Friday night.
