DENVER, Colo. - Black Hills State women's basketball closed out 2021 with a 62-46 victory over the Regis Rangers in Denver, Colo.
 
The Yellow Jackets (7-6, 5-2 RMAC) led by as much as 20 points as they took down the Rangers Friday afternoon led by two double digit scorers with Kammie Ragsdale recording a season high 15 points and Danica Kocer recording 13.
 
Ashlee Beacom led the team defensively with six boards and four steals while Ashley Davis also recorded four steals throughout the game.
 
Defense was the name of the game to open play for the Yellow Jackets as the team would go on an 11-0 run to open play not allowing the Rangers to score until 3:34 in the first. BHSU forced 11 turnovers and recorded five steals throughout the first quarter while outscoring the Rangers 18-5.
 
The Yellow Jackets would increase their lead to as much as 16 up 27-11 before Regis would string together points and knock BHSU's lead back to 10. The Yellow Jackets held a 30-20 lead over the Rangers as the teams headed into the break.
 
The third quarter got off to a slow start by both teams after the Yellow Jackets scored five to open play behind a Hammerbeck 3-pointer and a Kocer layup neither team would score until just before the halfway mark. The Yellow Jackets would dig in from that point going on an 13-7 run to close out the quarter with a 17-point lead at 48-31 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
 
The Yellow Jackets and Rangers played an evenly matched game through the final quarter of play, but the Yellow Jackets early lead would prove to be too much for the Rangers to overcome. BHSU would lead by as much as 20 points three times throughout the fourth before a pair of shots in the paint by Regis with under a minute to play set up the final score of 62-46.
 
As a team the Yellow Jackets shot 46.2% from the field making 24-52 attempts. BHSU was dominate from beyond the arc shooting 40% compared to the Rangers' 9.1% from beyond the arc.
 
At the charity stripe the Yellow Jackets made 6 of 9 free throw attempts for a 66.7% shooting average.
 
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets take on the top ranked Colorado School of Mines Orediggers tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in Golden, Colo. For fans attending masks are required at this contest.