SPEARFISH, S.D. – Despite three players in double figures, the Black Hills State University women's basketball team fell 71-59 to Colorado Christian University on Tuesday night in the Quarterfinal Round of the RMAC Shootout.
Playing a home postseason game in the NCAA era, the Yellow Jackets were unable to carry the momentum of the packed Young Center as Bailey Kusser sank four 3-point baskets and scored a team-high 14 points. However, Taylor Torres of CCU scored a game-high 23 points as the Cougars scored 32 points in the paint and 19 points off 21 Yellow Jacket turnovers.
Down six points in the opening minute of the third quarter, the Green and Gold went on a 9-0 run that was jump started on a 3-point basket from Christine Thorn. With 7:35 left in the quarter, Remi Wientjes drained a long-range basket to knot the game at 32-all. After a steal from Thorn, she hit Taylor Trohkimoinen for a trey of her own and a 3-point Yellow Jacket lead.
That forced a Colorado Christian time out where they were able to cut the lead to just one point after Torres sank a pair of free throws.
The squads would then trade the lead throughout the final four minutes but CCU would enter the fourth quarter with a two-point lead at 46-44.
Black Hills State scored the first three points of the fourth quarter, thanks to an old-fashioned 3-point play from Kassidy Scott. Scott scored a layup and followed with the free throw for the 47-46 lead with 9:16 remaining.
Torres too the ensuing inbounds pass and tore up the court where she made a layup to regain the lead at 48-47. Over the final nine minutes of play, the Yellow Jackets were unable to regain the lead. The home squad did knot the game at 59-all with 4:26 remaining. However, the Yellow Jackets were unable to find the basket again as CCU made its free throws down the stretch, to stretch the lead to take the 71-59 victory.
Behind Kusser's 14 points, Trohkimoinen scored 11 points and Scott had 10 points.
The Yellow Jackets have a 20-7 record and await their fate on Sunday to see if the 20 wins are enough to be selected to the NCAA Tournament.
