SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team fell 78-59 to South Dakota Mines on Senior Night, Saturday in the Young Center.

The Yellow Jackets, playing in front of the largest crowd of the season, used the crowd's energy and fittingly have the Yellow Jackets lone senior Max Mueller score the opening basket of the game. The two squads battled back-and-for including five-straight points from Connor O'Hearn to take a 7-5 lead.

Jonas Anderson hit a 3-point basket with the shot clock winding down to give BHSU a 10-9 lead with 13:34 remaining in the first half. However, a layup off the hands of Konor Kulas gave South Dakota Mines an 11-10 lead and would eventually build a lead of 11 points in the first half.

The Hardrockers (11-14, 7-12 RMAC) entered the intermission with a 40-31 lead. SD Mines controlled the second half as the visitors opened a lead as large as 28 points with 3:39 remaining. The Yellow Jackets (7-18, 4-15 RMAC) were able to chip away at that lead with a 10-1 run to close the game. The run began with a layup from Mueller, followed by a fast-break dunk from Fraser Malcolm.

The lone point in the run for SDSM&T came on a free throw from Jake Heath. Muller followed with another jumper in the paint before Elijah Coleman sank a pair of free throws with the run ending on a jumper in the paint from Sam McCloud.

Malcolm was the lone Yellow Jacket in double-digit points with 11 while co-leading the team with eight rebounds. Mueller added eight rebounds with seven points in his final game in the Young Center as BHSU travels to Colorado Mesa a week from tonight for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

Kulas led the Hardrockers with 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting as Heath added 17 points and Marco Pascolo 12.

Along with Mueller, the Yellow Jackets honored senior student assistant coach James Knutson in a pregame ceremony. Black Hills State also honored three previous teams, the 1946-47, 1986-87 and 1996-97 teams with introductions and wearing throwback uniforms featuring the past Purple and Gold colors of BHSU.

Following the trip to Colorado Mesa, the Yellow Jackets close out their 2016-17 season with a trip to Chadron State and Regis on February 24 and 25, respectively.