SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team hosts Johnson & Wales on Saturday, November 18. The game at the Young Center is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m.

THE GAME - Johnson & Wales
 » Yellowstone Christian is a member of the NAIA, and the Association of Independent Institutions. The team is currently 0-6, after finishing the 2016-17 season with an 18-12 overall record. Most recently, the Wildcats fell to Regis, 98-74.
 
» The Wildcats average 70.5 ppg, led by Andrew Romero III, who scored 24.7 points per game. Jontrell Herman (19.7 ppg) also averages double-figure scoring.
 
» Romero and Herman returned to Johnson & Wales after leading the Wildcats a year ago in scoring (17.8 ppg).
 
» Black Hills State University finished the 2016-17 season with a 9-19 overall record, and were 6-16 in conference. They were picked to finish 11th in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
» Makaleb McInnis currently leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring, with 16.5 ppg.
 
» The Yellow Jackets leading returner is Fraser Malcolm, who earned All-RMAC Honorable Mention for his play last season. Malcolm averaged 14.0 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. He scored in double figures in 23 of 28 games.

THE COACHES
» Jeff Trumbauer enters his fourth season at the helm of the Yellow Jackets. He has a 33-52 record at BHSU.
 
» Quintin Grogan is in his fifth season as coach of JWU. Prior to coaching the Wildcats, he was an assistant coach at Northern Arizona.
 
Last Time Out

Black Hills State took down Yellowstone Christian College on back-to-back nights last weekend. In Friday's game, an 86-52 win, Fraser Malcolm recorded a double-double, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Wyatt Krogman (13) and Makaleb McInnis (11) each scored in double figures as well.

In Saturday's game against the Centurions, the Yellow Jackets led by as many as 37 points, and ultimately won, 99-64. McInnis scored a game-high 22 points in 26 minutes, while Malcolm had 19 points, and Patrick Mendes scored 13 points. Malcolm was 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

99 Problems, But a win ain't one
The Yellow Jackets scored 99 points against Yellowstone Christian (Nov. 11). This was the most points scored by BHSU since they scored 101 in an overtime loss to Colorado Christian in 2013 (Dec. 14).

Share the rock
BHSU has begun the season averaging 17.0 assists though two games. The 18 assists against Yellowstone Christian (Nov. 11) are the most in a single game since the Yellow Jackets had 19 in a 84-59 victory over Regis in 2015 (Dec. 12).

Settling in
Some of the new players on the Yellow Jackets this season are already making a large impact. Junior transfer Mckaleb McInnis leads the team in scoring, with 16.5 ppg, while junior transfer Dez Stoudamire has earned a starting role on the squad. Freshman Jackson Ehrlin averages 6.5 rebounds per game, which is tied for second on the team.

Malcolm in the Lead
Fraser Malcolm returns to the Yellow Jackets for his junior campaign after leading the squad with 14.0 points per game last season. He played 30.5 minutes per game, and earned All-RMAC Honorable Mention following the season.

Putting Up Numbers
Returning starters with Malcolm are Zach McLemore and Patrick Mendes. McLemore was second on the squad in scoring, with 11.5 ppg. Mendes averaged 9.5 ppg and 2.7 rpg.

New Blood
Despite returning eight players with playing time from last year, there will be a large group of newcomers to the Yellow Jackets. Three transfers will fight for playing time, while two freshman join the squad. Dez Stoudamire, Makaleb McInnis, and Jacob Perkins all come to BHSU from community colleges, while Jackson Ehrlin and Trey Winkler join up after their prep careers.

BHSU Picked 11th by RMAC Coaches
Black Hills State was tabbed 11th in the RMAC Coaches' Poll with 59 points. Fort Lewis was voted to finish first, with 183 points, while Colorado Mines (178), and Regis (177), were selected to finish second and third, respectively.
  Black Hills State is located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsoring 13 NCAA sports with membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the NCAA emerging sport of women's triathlon and NIRA rodeo. For all information regarding Yellow Jacket Athletics, please visit BHSUAthletics.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @BHSUAthletics.