Black Hills State women's basketball came out on top in their first RMAC conference matchup, defeating the Regis Rangers in a thrilling 71-64 victory that went into an extra frame.
 
The Yellow Jackets (6-1, 1-0 RMAC) shot their lowest shooting percentage of the season at a 36.9 percent clip from the field and 30.8 percent from three-point range. Despite the struggles in shooting, the 65 total shots put up by BHSU made room for four Yellow Jackets to enter double-digit scoring territory tonight. Danica Kocer led with 17, Niki Van Wyk and Morgan Hammerbeck were next with 11, and Megan Engesser was the last double-digit scorer with 10 points versus the Rangers. Van Wyk led from the charity stripe after knocking down six of ten tonight.
 
Kocer shot 35.3 percent from the field and made all five attempted free throws on the night. From beyond the arc, Hammerbeck and Engesser led with 50 percent and 33 percent, respectively.
 
On the defense, BHSU was able to force 16 turnovers and eight steals, with Hammerbeck claiming three steals of her own.
 
Three shots were put up between both squads before a Yellow Jacket foul set up an appointment at the charity stripe for Regis, who capitalized and made both shots to go up 2-0. Niki Van Wyk was quick to respond as she nailed a three-point bucket twenty seconds following the free-throws, but the Rangers clapped back with a three of their own.
 
Both teams exchanged a layup each before a Megan Engesser three-point shot gave the Yellow Jackets the 11-7 lead. A long-range shot from Regis brought the Rangers within one, but a pair of Kocer free-throws maintained the Yellow Jacket lead heading into the final minute of the first quarter.
 
Both teams exchanged scores heading down the stretch as BHSU ended the quarter with a fast-break steal from Van Wyk that set up a Kalla Bertram layup, setting the score to 18-12 heading into the second frame.
 
The Rangers and Yellow Jackets exchanged whiffed shots to start the second quarter until a Megan Engesser three-point shot expanded the BHSU lead to 21-12. Throughout the middle, Regis was able to strum up a small 7-2 burst to bring the score to 23-21 with 5:36 left to go in the half. After a Hammerbeck three and a Ranger layup, a Van Wyk layup kept BHSU in the lead by six.
 
Down the stretch, Capley secured the final five points of the half to extend the Yellow Jacket lead to 33-23 as the ladies went into the halfway break.
 
Out of the locker room, Engesser got things started with a three-point shot 70 seconds into the frame. After a pair of free throws for Regis, the Yellow Jackets drove back down the court and were able to get the ball back three times before a Capley rebound and layup extended the Yellow Jacket lead to 38-25, but Regis made this game dicey from here.
 
The Rangers charged back into the game on a 17-8 series, bringing the score to a slimmed 48-44 Yellow Jacket lead heading into the final quarter.
 
Erin Fry of Regis opened the final quarter with a three-point shot to bring them within one and later took the lead on another Fry layup to go up 49-48. The Yellow Jackets continued to put shots up but could not connect heading into the halfway point as they went 0-7 and only held three rebounds.
 
A long-range jumper from Regis extended the Ranger lead to 53-48 as BHSU was able to soak up three points from the free throw line courtesy of Hammerbeck and Van Wyk. A Kocer layup and a Hammerbeck three gave BHSU the brief 56-55 lead that was exchanged multiple times heading into the final minutes. Down 60-59, a lone Regis FT landed on the mark and sent the game into an extra quarter of basketball.
 
In the opening moments of the extended frame, Kocer reintroduced the Yellow Jackets with a pair of layups to have BHSU jump out in front 64-60. Despite multiple attempts from Regis to take over the game, they struggled to connect from deep as they only made 11 percent of their shots from the field.
 
A Van Wyk rebound and foul with 11 seconds left was enough to put away the Rangers, with the senior guard knocking down the final two free throws of the night to secure the 71-64 Yellow Jacket victory.
 
Up Next
BHSU returns to the Young Center court tomorrow night at 4 p.m. as they're up against the UCCS Mountain Lions.