RAPID CITY, S.D. – Black Hills State women's basketball fell to the Hardrockers 61-58 Saturday night.
 
The Yellow Jackets (16-9, 14-5 RMAC) were led by junior Danica Kocer who racked up 28 points, one assist, two steals, and five rebounds in the game.
 
Ashlee Beacom led the team in rebounds pulling in six boards and scoring five points of her own.
 
The first quarter got off to a slow start for the Yellow Jackets with the Hardrockers opening the game on a 7-1 run. The Hardrockers held that lead throughout the first quarter as they would take a 15-7 lead into the second quarter.
 
With 8:08 to play in the second quarter the Yellow Jackets would take their largest deficit of the game falling behind by 14 points off a Hardrocker three setting the score at 23-9. From there BHSU went on a 14-7 run to cut the Hardrockers lead to seven heading into the break at 30-23.
 
Danica Kocer was the spark BHSU needed in the third quarter as she would tally 16 points and a steal. Kocer would start out the quarter sinking a three-point shot that would put her at her 502nd career point. From there the Yellow Jackets picked away at the Hardrockers lead until they held the lead at 43-42 with 23 seconds left in the quarter. However, a quick response by the Hardrockers set the score at 45-43 as the teams headed into the final ten minutes of regulation.
 
The Yellow Jackets would battle through the final quarter but the lead in the game would elude them throughout the quarter. Despite pulling within one with eight seconds to play the Yellow Jackets couldn't pull out the victory falling 61-58 to South Dakota Mines.
 
As a team the Yellow Jackets shot 33.3% from the field making 18 of 54 attempts while also shooting 33.3% from downtown making 7 of 21 attempts.
 
The Yellow Jackets made 15 of 20 free throw attempts for a 75.0 shooting percentage from the charity stripe.
 
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets have one more road game on Monday at 2:00 p.m. in Gunnison before closing out the season at home February 25 and 26.