|  Gm. 5/Gm. 6: Black Hills State (2-2, 2-2 RMAC) vs. Western Colorado (2-4, 2-5) | vs. SD Mines (5-4, 5-4) |
Black Hills State men's basketball is set to play Western Colorado at home Friday before traveling to play South Dakota Mines on Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets host the Mountaineers Friday, Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m. and then take on the Hardrockers Saturday, Jan. 23 in Rapid City, S.D. at 7:30 p.m.
While Black Hills State men's basketball has only been able to play four games at this point in the season, the team is 2-2, 2-2 RMAC. Each loss has come at the hands of one of the top two teams in the conference, Colorado Mesa and Colorado Mines, respectively, both being decided by five points or fewer.
BHSU finished last season with a 20-9 record, and 17-5 in conference to tie with Dixie State for a regular season championship. During the season, they strung together a 13-game winning streak, including key wins against Colorado Mesa, Colorado Mines, UC Colorado Springs and New Mexico Highlands.
FRIDAY vs. WESTERN COLORADO
Western is currently 2-5 after dropping its first four games to open the season in which they averaged 65.8 points per game. However, WCU has since won its two of its last three contests, scoring 75 against South Dakota Mines and 102 versus Colorado Christian.
Western will take plenty of shots from beyond the arc, sinking 37.3 of 3-point attempts which is good for third in the conference. They are also third in the RMAC in 3-point attempts with 185 in seven games, averaging 26.4 attempts per game.
SATURDAY AT SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
The Hardrockers are 5-4 this season despite averaging the fewest points scored per game in the RMAC (65.3). They are very efficient shooting from the free throw line and cleaning the glass. SD Mines is tied for first in defensive rebounds per game (29.9), and third in the conference in free throw percentage (74.2%).
COACHES
In his third season as head coach of the Yellow Jackets,
Ryan Thompson boasts a 40-22 record over his time at the helm. He was named RMAC Coach of the Year last season after a 20-9 record and a regular season championship (tied with Dixie State).
Mountaineers head coach Bradd Schafer is currently in his seventh season leading WCU. He began there in 2014 after spending the previous eight at Black Hills State.
Eric Glenn is in his third season with the Hardrockers, being promoted after serving as assistant coach for the previous 13 years.
ABOUTÂ BLACK HILLS STATE
Before jumping to Division II, the Yellow Jackets had a lot of history at the NAIA level in the DAC, winning 14 conference championships. Since becoming a DII institution, BHSU has been improving, and has started to hit their stride over the last few years, last season taking a share as regular season conference champions with a 20-9 record. This year they look to take another step further under third-year head coach
Ryan Thompson.
ABOUTÂ WESTERN COLORADO
The Yellow Jackets are 8-3 all-time against Western Colorado, having now won eight of their last nine meetings. WCU won the first two matchups between the programs, both coming in the 2012-13 season, before BHSU won the next six in a row.
The Mountaineers last defeated the Yellow Jackets Jan. 27, 2018 by a score of 90-76. The first meeting between the two teams on Nov. 30, 2012 is the only time BHSU has fallen to WCU at home, a game that went into double overtime, finishing 93-89 in favor of Western.
ABOUTÂ SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
As a program, Black Hills State is 33-26 all-time against the Hardrockers, dating back to a 66-59 loss Dec. 30, 1994. The last matchup between the two teams came last season in the first round of the RMAC Tournament, in which BHSU fell 80-71. Before that, the Yellow Jackets had won the last six meetings in a row.
A FRIDAY BHSU WIN WOULD...
Improve the Yellow Jackets to 3-2 on the season, giving BHSU men's basketball its best five-game start to the season since opening 3-2 in the 2017-18 season. Before that, the team's best opening was also a 3-2 start in the 2013-14 season.
A FRIDAY BHSU LOSS WOULD...
Move the Yellow Jackets to 2-3 on the season. The men have started each of the last two seasons under
Ryan Thompson 2-3 through their first five games before turning a corner and finishing with winning records. BHSU finished last season going 18-6 to finish with an overall record of 20-9 and finished the 2018-19 season with an 18-11 overall record.
MOUNTAINEERS' LAST TIME OUT
The Western Colorado men's basketball team had five players finish in double figures but fell to Chadron State 85-73 on Friday at the Chicoine Events Center.
The Mountaineers (2-5 overall, 2-4 RMAC) trailed 20-17 with 11:51 remaining in the first half when the Eagles (3-3, 3-3) caught fire offensively - scoring on 10 of 11 possessions (including eight straight possessions) to build a 46-24 lead with 4:50 left in the half.
A jumper by CSC's Jacob Jefferson with 3:47 left in the first half made it 48-24 before a much-needed 12-0 run by the Mountaineers - capped by a Cole Sienknecht steal that led to a Jaelan McCloud layup that was assisted by Cade Wood - cut the Eagles' lead in half at the half at 48-36.
However, the Mountaineers never could cut the CSC lead to single digits in the second half - getting as close as 10 points - as the Eagles had an answer for each Western run.
Chadron State shot 54.7 percent from the field, including going 12-for-24 from 3-point range, while the Mountaineers shot 45.9 percent from the field (8-for-24 from 3-point range).
McCloud and Sienknecht had 11 points apiece to lead the Mountaineers while Jackson Ehrlin had 11 points, 10 rebounds and three assists for his third double-double of the season, Elijah Davidson had 10 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots while Matthew Ragsdale had 10 points as well.
CSC's Jacob Jefferson led all scorers with 24 points.
LAST MATCHUP: BHSU vs. WCU (Jan. 3, 2020)
In a late second half battle full of fouls and excellent clock management, The Black Hills State University men's basketball team outplayed the Western Colorado Mountaineers winning 78-74. The Yellow Jackets are now 7-5 on the season and 4-2 in RMAC play.
The Mountaineers kept it close the first half and the Yellow Jackets entered the second half with a slight two-point advantage. The two teams would keep it tight until 8 minutes in the second half when WCU took the lead by one.
The Yellow Jackets went on a 12-2 run shortly thereafter forcing the Mountaineers to scramble. With a minute left of play, WCU's James Willis drained a three pointer and picked up the extra point. Another WCU three-pointer cut the Yellow Jackets lead to just two with 15 seconds remaining.
An intentional foul to slow the Mountaineers followed by two good free throws by
Antonio Capley sealed the game for the Yellow Jackets.
BHSU was good for 57 percent from the field, 39 percent from beyond the arc, and 68 percent from the charity stripe.
The team was led by
Joel Scott who posted 24 points making 10 of 13 buckets and three free throws.
Stefan Desnica had a balanced night, shooting 7 for 12 from the field posting a total of 17 points. He also pulled down six boards.
Tyler Oliver and
Trey Whitley were also in double digits scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively.
HARDROCKERS' LAST TIME OUT
The South Dakota Mines men's basketball team defeated the Chadron State College Eagles, 60-59, on a last-second shot in overtime on Thursday night at Goodell Gymnasium.
The 'Rockers led for most of the first half as Alejandro Rama paced the Hardrockers with 10 first half points. The Hardrockers went into the locker room at half up 32-24. The Eagles went on a 7-0 run to start the second half to pull within striking distance. From there on the lead went back and forth till the end of regulation when the Eagles tied the game at 51-51.
In the overtime period both teams took turns leading the game till Chadron went up two with two made free throws with seven seconds left in the game. The 'Rockers came down the court and set up Kolten Mortensen for the game-winning three-pointer to earn the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tilt.
Mortensen led the Rockers with 16 points and added five rebounds. Rama finished the game with 14 points and a teaming leading eight rebounds.
Teddy Parham led all scorers with 24 points while shooting 4-8 behind the arc.
The win puts the Rockers above .500 with a 5-4 overall record and 5-4 in the RMAC. The loss leaves the Eagles with a 3-4 overall and RMAC record.
LAST MATCHUP: BHSU vs. SDM (Mar. 3, 2020)
The Black Hills State University men's basketball team was stunned by the Hardrockers in the first round of the RMAC Tournament, falling 71-80. The Yellow Jackets finished the season 20-9 and 17-5 in conference play.
Mines took control of the game early on and the Yellow Jackets were forced to play keep-up much of the first half. They held mines to just a five-point lead to enter half with a short 31-36 deficit.
Tech came ready to play in the second half and quickly pulled ahead by 12. Through solid rebounding, the Yellow Jackets clawed their way back to within three after a huge 3-pointer by
Trey Whitley with 7:00 remaining. Unfortunately, costly fouls would prove too difficult to overcome, leading to BHSU's upset.
The team shot 29-of-66 from the field (43 percent). Of that, they hit 7-of-22 3-pointers (31 percent). The team didn't get many chances at the free throw line, but they were consistent when they did, shooting 6-for-6.
Three Yellow Jackets were in double digits with
Trey Whitley leading the way with 22 points. He shot 8-for-15, pulled down five boards, and hit 4-of-4 free throws.
Joel Scott was good for 17 points also pulling down five boards. He shot 50 percent on the night.
Sava Dukic put up 13 points while
Antonio Capley led the team with 10 rebounds.
PRESEASON POLL
Black Hills State men's basketball tallied two first-place votes and was picked second in the 2020-21 RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll, released Tuesday afternoon.
The poll is voted on by all 15 head men's basketball coaches in the RMAC.
BHSU is coming off a shared 2019-20 RMAC regular season title with a conference record of 17-5. Head coach
Ryan Thompson led his team to a 20-9 overall record last year and will enter the 2020-21 season with a 38-20 record compiled over his first two seasons.
CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
Last season, head coach
Ryan Thompson and now sophomore
Joel Scott were honored by the RMAC for standout 2019-20 seasons. Thompson was named 2019-20 RMAC Coach of the Year while Scott earned RMAC Freshman of the Year.
Tyler Oliver, a 2019-20 senior, was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 16.
-BHSUAthletics.com-
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