LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Black Hills State is on the road this weekend, with their first pit stop against New Mexico Highlands resulting in a 62-43 victory.

The Yellow Jackets (13-3, 8-2 RMAC) shot 24-of-64 from the floor and had a 9-of-28 look from beyond the arc while shooting 50 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Danica Kocer was the leader of BHSU's four double-digit scorers against the Cowgirls as she dropped 18 points on the night. Logging 25 minutes off the bench, the senior knocked down 7-of-16 from the floor including 4-of-8 from three-point range. Kocer also recorded five rebounds, an assist, and a pair of steals in the game.
 
Megan Engesser, Summer Fox, and Ellie Moore were the other Yellow Jackets with double-digits in the point column at 11, 10, and 10 respectively. Moore led the team with eight total boards while logging two steals and the only block for BHSU.
 
The defense for BHSU was dominant in their performance versus the Cowgirls as they held NMHU to two single-digit quarters while forcing 17 turnovers, giving up nine in contrast. The Yellow Jackets also dominated in the paint with 28 points while securing 16 second-chance points.
 
Engesser nailed a three-pointer on the Yellow Jackets' first possession, sparking the momentum they'd carry through much of the first half. Both teams traded the lead up to a Danica Kocer three-ball, which tied the game at 10-10 midway through the first quarter. Both teams remained within one score of the other, but an Ellie Moore point from the charity stripe put the Yellow Jackets up 16-14 heading into the second frame.
 
Once again, an Engesser three-pointer opened a five-point lead for the Yellow Jackets that they did not give up the rest of the game. BHSU had answers to all scoring up to their final two possessions, where Niki Van Wyk and Summer Fox buried quick layups to end the quarter with BHSU up front by eight, 31-23.
 
Out of the halftime intermission, NMHU opened the quarter with a five-point run to bring the game to 31-28 at the 7:34 mark, but a free throw point via Engesser and a Kocer three regained a seven-point lead for the Yellow Jackets. The Cowgirls were able to knock down a three and a layup inside the four-minute mark, but two treys and a pair of free throws from Fox and a single freebie from Ellie Moore gave BHSU the 12-point, 47-35 lead heading into the final quarter of regulation.
 
Moore's jumper to start the quarter was met with five back-to-back points from NMHU's leading scorer, Juliana Aragon, to cut the BHSU lead to nine points. The Yellow Jackets, however, held the Cowgirls to a single three for the remaining 7:14 in the game, tallying 13 points of their own to bring the game to a close with BHSU on top, 62-43
 
Up Next
The ladies ride the momentum gained tonight to Pueblo, Colorado for a 5 p.m. matchup on Saturday, Jan. 21 against the CSU Pueblo Thunderwolves.