SPEARFISH, S.D. – Rachel Erickson scored 19 points on her Senior Night, as the Black Hills State women's basketball team defeated Colorado Mesa University, 60-54, on Saturday afternoon.

Erickson led the way for the Yellow Jackets (20-6, 14-6 RMAC), going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Keely Bertram recorded 11 points, five assists, and five rebounds. Julia Seamans and Lyndzi Rich each chipped in 10 points.

The first quarter was a game of runs, as Colorado Mesa (18-8, 12-8 RMAC) jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the beginning of the game, but BHSU responded with a 10-0 run of its own to take a 10-7 lead with 5:14 remaining in the first. The Mavericks then went on a 10-0 run of their own, going up 17-10. At the end of the first quarter, CMU held a 19-15 lead.

Karina Brandon made a jumper to open the scoring for the Mavericks in the second quarter, but the Yellow Jackets scored the next seven points to take a 22-21 lead with 2:50 remaining in the half. With BHSU down one, 27-26, with 1:13 left in the period, Bertram sank two three pointers to give the home team a 32-27 lead at the break.

The third and fourth quarters were essentially even between the two teams, with the Yellow Jackets never being able to lead by more than nine points, and the Mavericks unable to get closer than three points. Up four points with nine seconds left, Bertram calmly sank two free throws to seal the victory for the Yellow Jackets.

BHSU shot 39.2 percent from the field (20-for-51), while CMU was 32.1 percent from the floor (17-for-53). The Yellow Jackets were 9-for-22 (40.9 percent) from beyond the arc, while the Mavericks were 10-for-32 (31.3 percent) on three-pointers. The Green and Gold were outrebounded by CMU, 36-35.

Erin Reihle led the Mavericks in scoring with 17, while Karina Brandon added 11.

The Green and Gold will wrap up the regular season on the road on February 23 and 24. The Yellow Jackets travel to Chadron State on Friday, and Regis on Saturday.
  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.