GUNNISON, Colo. – Black Hills State men's basketball defeated Western Colorado, 78-73 Friday night in just their second game since Dec. 16.

The Yellow Jackets (13-0, 7-0 RMAC) tallied 10 steals and six blocks on the night, both season-highs for the team.

Joel Scott led on the floor with 22 points and 14 rebounds for his fourth-straight double-double performance, and sixth of the season. He also tallied four blocks and a steal while making 8-of-14 from the field.

Ryker Cisarik was second in the rebound column for the Yellow Jackets with a season-high nine to go along with his 15 points. He went 7-of-8 from the field, and had a team-high four steals while also putting up a pair of blocks.

Matthew Ragsdale totaled 18 points and four rebounds while Adam Moussa scored 10 points to go with four assists, three rebounds and two steals.

BHSU got out to an early 5-0 lead with quick shots from Scott and Ragsdale, but WCU would inch back and eventually take a 12-10 lead as the clock ticked under 15 minutes in the first.

Teams went back-and-forth from there as the Mountaineers kept pace with big threes from Ragsdale and Caelin Hearne to hold a 24-23 lead with 8:41 to go. From there, BHSU rattled off an 11-0 scoring run with the help of a Moussa jumper and a Scott three to take their first double-digit lead of the game, 36-26, with 5:04 remaining in the first.

WCU wasn't done, though, using a quick 5-0 spurt to draw back within five, before layups from Cisarik, Scott and Moussa sent the Yellow Jackets to the locker room with a 42-33 advantage.

Out of the break, WCU outscored BHSU 12-2 and pulled ahead 45-44 with 16:31 remaining. But, threes from Ragsdale, Jaeton Hackley and Moussa put BHSU back on top 55-50, and then a Hackley layup and Cisarik dunk extended the lead to 59-50 midway through the second.

The Mountaineers still wouldn't quit, however, scoring six straight to pull back to within one possession at 9:24 before teams traded buckets over the next several minutes.

BHSU continued to hold the lead over that stretch until layups from Scott and Cisarik helped propel the offense to nine unanswered points, extending the Yellow Jackets to a 72-62 lead with 3:43 to play.

Layups from Cisarik and Ragsdale in the final minutes kept BHSU afloat before free throws from Scott and Moussa helped seal the 78-73 victory.

Up Next
The Yellow Jackets return home next weekend to take on Colorado Mesa Friday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. before hosting Westminster on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.