SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University women's basketball team fell to South Dakota Mines, 71-68, on Friday night to conclude the regular season of play. 

Morgan Koepsell led the Yellow Jackets (15-10, 12-10 RMAC) with 19 points, while Racquel Wientjes tallied 16. 

The Yellow Jackets opened up the rivalry game with two free throws from Keely Bertram to jump on the board first.  A back-and-forth battle ensued, as neither team was able to take a substantial lead over the other, until the Hardrockers (12-14, 9-13 RMAC) used an 11-4 run to lead the Green and Gold, 37-28, at halftime. 

South Dakota Mines pushed ahead of the Yellow Jackets in the third quarter to lead by 11.  Alyssia Martinez drained a trey to lead off the fourth quarter for Yellow Jackets, before Racquel Wientjes made two free throws to bring the score within seven. A jumper for Morgan Koepsell brought the score to 59-54, in favor of the Hardrockers.  Unable to string together a successful run, the Yellow Jackets would ultimately fall, 71-68.

Taylor Molstad led South Dakota Mines with 28 points, while Anna Haugen totaled 16 rebounds.

SDSMT shot 40.4 percent (21-for-52) from the field, while BHSU shot 39.0 percent (23-for-59) from the floor.  The Hardrockers were 9-for-23 from beyond the arc (39.1 percent), while the Yellow Jackets were 4-for-18 (22.2 percent) for three-pointers.  South Dakota Mines shot 66.7 percent from the charity stripe (20-for-30), while BHSU shot 75.0 percent from the free throw line (12-for-16).  The Hardrockers outrebounded the Yellow Jackets, 38-35.

Black Hills State clinched a position in the 2019 RMAC Tournament as the eighth seeded team.  The Yellow Jackets will head down to Grand Junction, Colo., to face the No. 1 seed Colorado Mesa.  Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5.