COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four players scored in double figures, as the Black Hills State University women's basketball team defeated University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, 62-58. The Yellow Jackets fought through a delayed tipoff to snap a three-game losing streak.

Racquel Wientjes led the Yellow Jackets (10-4, 6-4 RMAC) with 12 points, while Julia Seamans and Morgan Ham each added 10 points. Katie Messler recorded her first double-double of the season, with 10 points and 13 rebounds. The sophomore also had two assists, two blocks, and two steals. 

After the game was delayed due to late arriving referees, the Mountain Lions (6-10, 5-5 RMAC) started out on the front foot, going up, 6-3, early in the first quarter. However, BHSU went on a 19-4 run, and led, 22-10, at the end of the first period.

The Yellow Jackets scored the first five points of the second quarter, but were outscored, 17-5, over the rest of the period. Madi Gaibler knocked down a jumper just before the buzzer to cap off the run, and draw the home team within five. BHSU took a 32-27 lead into the break.

The second half was fairly even, with the Mountain Lions actually outscoring the Yellow Jackets, 31-30, in the final 20 minutes. The Green and Gold led by 10, 56-46, with 5:37 to play in the game. UCCS slowly chipped away, drawing within three points with 1:30 left. After a made free throw by Julia Seamans put BHSU back up by four, Elly Johnson made a layup and was fouled with 30 seconds left. She made her free throw to narrow the lead to just one point. However, the Yellow Jackets would make three free throws down the line, including two by Wientjes, to secure the 62-58 victory and stop a three-game skid.

BHSU shot 36.4 percent from the field (20-for-55), while UCCS was 39.7 percent from the floor (23-for-58). The Yellow Jackets were 7-for-23 (30.4 percent) from beyond the arc, while the Mountain Lions were 2-for-13 (15.4 percent) on three-pointers. BHSU was 57.7 percent from the charity stripe (15-for-26), while UCCS was 71.4 percent (10-for-14). The Green and Gold were edged in rebounding, 40-39.  

Gaibler led the Mountain Lions with 13 points.

The Green and Gold will next travel to Golden, Colorado, to take on Colorado School of Mines. The game, on January 19, will tip off at 5 p.m.

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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---