GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team picked up its first road victory of the season 68-66 at Colorado Mesa Saturday night.

Fraser Malcolm scored a game-high 21 points while Hoyt Nicholas added a season-best 18 points to lead the Yellow Jackets, who led by as many as 20 points including a 19-point halftime advantage thanks to a scorching first half from the field. Black Hills State sank 16-of-22 field goal attempts in the first stanza for a 72.7 percent from the field clip.

Down 12-10, Nicholas sank back-to-back 3-point baskets to open a 16-12 lead followed by a layup from Zach McLemore and a pair of free throws off the hands of Malcolm to complete a 10-0 run and open a 20-12 lead.

Up seven, Connor O'Hearn sank a layup to begin a run that opened a 25-18 lead to a 45-26 halftime lead. Within the run, Malcolm scored seven points and Nicholas six points.

The second half saw the Yellow Jackets maintain the double-digit lead until the 7:55 mark when CJ Davis scored a 3-point basket for CMU and pull within nine points at 59-50.

The Mavericks continued to chip away at the BHSU lead and tied the game at 61-all on a free throw from Connor Nichols. The Yellow Jackets answered back with a dunk from Fraser Malcolm to retake the lead at 63-61. The game was tied again at 64-64 on an Eimer Lopez layup but was quickly answered by a layup from Malcolm.

With Black Hills State holding a 66-64 lead, a scrum broke out between the two squads, leaving the Yellow Jackets to finish the game with five players and the Mavericks four players for the final 1:11. The outnumbered Mavericks were able to get a layup to fall and tie the game at 66-all but sent Antonio Capley to the free throw line with 11 seconds remaining.

The freshman sank both free throws to seal the game for the Black Hills State, who improved to 8-18 overall and 5-15 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Colorado Mesa falls to 7-19 overall and 6-14 in the loop as BHSU swept the Mavericks on the season.

Black Hills State shot 22-of-40 from the field for the game (55 percent) while holding Colorado Mesa to 37.7 percent (20-of-53). The Yellow Jackets also won the rebounding battle 33-29, led by Max Mueller with seven rebounds, a game high. Malcolm added six rebounds along with a block and steal.

The Yellow Jackets close their season out next weekend with a roadtrip to Chadron State on Friday and Regis on Saturday. Tipoff at Chadron is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.