SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team opens Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play this weekend when it plays South Dakota School of Mines on December 1. The Yellow Jackets travel to Rapid City, S.D., for the rivalry game, which is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m.

THE GAME - South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Hardrockers  

» The Yellow Jackets and Hardrockers meet on the hardwood for the 191st time on Saturday. BHSU leads the all-time series, 102-88, with the Green and Gold winning both matchups last season.

» The Hardrockers enter the RMAC schedule after going 2-5 in nonconference play. The other West River team at the East-West Challenge, SDM fell to both Augustana and Northern State. Most recently, the team fell in back-to-back games to Alaska Anchorage.

» The team scores 63.0 points per game, while allowing opponents to score 67.7 ppg. Allec Williams leads the Hardrockers with 11.4 points per game, while Mitchell Sueker leads the squad in rebounding, pulling down 4.9 boards per game, while also averaging in double-figure scoring (10.7 ppg). 

THE COACHES

» Ryan Thompson enters his first year at the helm of the Yellow Jackets after spending the previous four years as the assistant coach. He recorded his first win as the head coach in a 65-62 victory over Augustana (Nov. 17, 2018).

»  Eric Glen is in his first season as the head coach of the Hardrockers. He spent 14 years as the assistant coach.

 Last Time Out

The Yellow Jackets fell in a pair of games last weekend at the MSUB Thanksgiving Tournament. BHSU's comeback fell short on Friday against Alaska Fairbanks, 68-64, before Montana State University Billings erased a six-point BHSU halftime lead on Saturday to win, 90-70.

Fraser Malcolm had his first double-double of the year against the Nanooks, recording a career-high 29 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Dez Stoudamire also finished in double-figures, scoring 13 points. Tyler Oliver and Antonio Capley each tallied nine boards.

Makaleb McInnis led the way for the Yellow Jackets against the Yellowjackets, scoring 18 points. Stoudamire (15), Malcolm (12), and Connor O'Hearn (11) also finished in double-figures.

Denied

The Yellow Jackets are averaging 4.5 blocks per game so far this season. That is good for third in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and 41st in the country. Stefan Desnica and Antonio Capley both avearge 1.3 blocked shots per game, while is good for being tied for 10th the league.

Top 10

Fraser Malcolm is currently averaging 19.3 points per game to lead BHSU, which is also good for seventh in the league.

Crash the Glass

Stefan Desnica and Fraser Malcolm are tied for 12th in the RMAC in offensive rebounds so far this season, averaging 2.3 per game. Tyler Oliver is averaging 5.3 rebounds per game to lead the Yellow Jackets, which sits eighth in the conference.

First of Many

Head coach Ryan Thompson earned his first career win as the head coach of Black Hills State University against Augustana University, Nov. 17, 2018. The Yellow Jackets got the win, 65-62, in a back-and-forth affair at the East-West Challenge.

Preseason Nod

Fraser Malcolm was selected to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. He was one of 10 players to make the team, and earned the accolade after leading the Yellow Jackets in scoring and rebounding last year, tallying 14.2 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game.

BHSU Picked Eighth by RMAC Coaches

Black Hills State was tabbed eighth in the RMAC Coaches' Poll with 116 points. Regis was voted to finish first with eight first place votes (216 points), while Colorado School of Mines (four first place votes), Fort Lewis (two  first place votes), and Dixie State (two first place votes) were selected to finished second, third, and fourth, respectively, after all receiving at least two first place votes.

Moving On Up

Fraser Malcolm makes a number of appearances in the BHSU career record lists. Malcolm currently sits fifth in free throws made (182), sixth in field goals made (339), fifth in rebounds (453), and fifth in blocks (48). With one season to play, Malcolm was sixth in career points per game (11.2), fifth in field goal percentage (.459), seventh in rebounding average (5.5), and third in free throw percentage (.790). Also making an appearance in the career record lists is Antonio Capley, who currently has 31 blocks, good for seventh all time.

Post Season Accolade

Fraser Malcolm, after leading BHSU in scoring and rebounding, was named to the All-RMAC Second Team following the 2017-18 season.

All-Academic

Two Yellow Jackets were named to the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll for the 2017-18 season. Stefan Desnica and Wyatt Krogman each earned the honor.

New Faces

The Yellow Jackets will be playing under the eye of a new head coach this season. Ryan Thompson, who acted as the BHSU Assistant Coach for the previous four seasons, now moves to the helm of the program. Coach Thompson welcomes seven newcomers as the Green and Gold will have a lot of new faces. Five freshmen and two transfers join nine returners.

National Team Representation

Fraser Malcolm played for the Scottish National Team at the Commonwealth Games in April 2018. Malcolm has now represented his country on five different occasions, however, this was his first appearance with the Senior Team.

International Relations

The Yellow Jacket men's basketball team has five players from across the oceans. Patrick Mendes and Edin Hanusa made their way to the Black Hills from Sweden. Fraser Malcolm traveled across the pond from Scotland, while Stefan Desnica and Sava Dukic both came from Serbia with a pit stop at San Gabriel Academy in California.

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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.

---BHSUAthletics.com---