Black Hills State women's basketball returns under the lights of the Donald E. Young Center this weekend to host the Women's East/West Challenge, kicking off with a matchup against the University of Sioux Falls Cougars on Friday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. before taking on the Northern State University Wolves on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 4 p.m.

The Yellow Jackets (1-0, 0-0 RMAC) opened the 2023-24 season over the road in Bismarck earlier this week on Tuesday night, where they fought back from a 12-point deficit at the half to defeat the UMary Marauders, 58-56. After a rough start in the first two quarters, the Yellow Jackets posted an improved 65% shooting percentage from the floor and 40% from three-point range in the second half of the contest while forcing UMary to two-dozen turnovers, including 14 BHSU steals.
 

Black Hills State  vs.  University of Sioux Falls   FRIDAY, NOV. 17 // 7 P.M. // SPEARFISH, S.D. // DONALD E. YOUNG CENTER Live Stream / Live Stats / Radio / Game Notes / Tickets

FRIDAY vs. USF
The USF Cougars (1-0, 0-0 NSIC) are heading to Spearfish off of their first win of the season earlier this week on Monday, Nov. 13, as they defeated Mount Mary, 66-32 to open their 2023-24 slate. The Cougars head into the 2023-24 campaign ranked eighth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting an 8-20 (5-17 NSIC) record last season. 

COUGARS' LAST TIMEOUT
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball team opened their 2023-24 season with a win. They beat Mount Marty 66-32 in the Stewart Center.

The Cougars got off to a hot start from the field in the 1st quarter. They shot 46.7% from the field, but only 14% from 3 going 1-7. USF would hold Mount Marty to only 38% shooting from the field and 0% on 3s going 0-5 in the first period.

The USF offense would cool down a bit in quarters 3 and 4. They shot 30% and 33% from the field while going 33% and 11% from 3. The Coo were playing solid defense throughout though holding the Lancers to 16% and 19% shooting.

In the 4th quarter, the Cougars caught fire again shooting 42% from the field and 50% from 3. USF held Mount Marty to 22% shooting for the game and 0% from 3 as the Lancers went 0-21 on 3s. For the game USF shot 38% from the field, 24% from 3, and 88.9% from the free throw line.

LAST MATCHUP: BHSU vs. USF (Nov. 20, 2021)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Black Hills State women's basketball team (2-2, 0-0 RMAC) traveled to Sioux Falls to take on the University of Sioux Falls Cougars at the Stewart Center Saturday afternoon falling to the Cougars 74-56.
 
Leading the Yellow Jackets on offense was Danica Kocer. Kocer recorded 11 points on the night along with an assist to lead BHSU.
 
Defensively, 11 Yellow Jackets pulled down boards with Megan Engesser leading the team recording three defensive boards and one offensive board.
 
Six Yellow Jackets recorded steals with Niki Van Wyk and Ashlee Beacom leading BHSU with two each.
 
Black Hills State and the Yellow Jackets opened play with an evenly match first quarter. The Yellow Jackets and Cougars stayed evenly match with neither team taking more than a four-point lead throughout the quarter. Stout defensive play highlighted the first quarter of action as the Yellow Jackets and Cougars went into the half tied at 11 all.
 
University of Sioux Falls gained an edge in the second quarter as they would take a five-point lead despite a swarming Yellow Jacket defense. With just over one minute left in the half BHSU and USF were tied 25 all before USF would score five unanswered points to take a 30-25 lead into the break.
 
Both offenses got hot in the third quarter with BHSU putting up 22 points and USF putting up 31 points. 

Niki Van Wyk, Danica Kocer, and Hailey Weathersby led the team in offense in the third quarter as all three recording five points in the third quarter of action. Ultimately scoring runs by the Cougars would allow them to amass a 61-47 lead over the Yellow Jackets heading into the final quarter of play.
 
As the fourth quarter got started the offenses stayed hot; however, both defenses got back into a rhythm and no points were score from 5:04 to 3:21. 

Although the Yellow Jackets would battle to overcome the 14-point deficit they carried into the fourth quarter, it would prove to be too much as BHSU fell to USF 56-74.
 
BHSU shot 35.2% from the field while as a team the Yellow Jackets were not as hot from beyond the arc as they have been so far this season as they shot 26.7% from beyond the arc.
 
At the charity stripe the Yellow Jackets made 14 of 19 free throws for 73.7%.

MATCHUP HISTORY
In two matchups played between both squads since 2013, USF holds a 2-0. over the Yellow Jackets. 

A FRIDAY WIN WOULD...
Lift the Yellow Jackets to their first 2-0 start since the 2019-20 season, also giving BHSU their first win over USF. 

A FRIDAY LOSS WOULD...
Drop the Yellow Jackets to 1-1 for the third consecutive season in a row and fall to an 0-3 record against the Cougars.  
 

Black Hills State  vs.  NORTHERN STATE   SATURDAY, NOV. 18 // 4 P.M. // SPEARFISH, S.D. // DONALD E. YOUNG CENTER Live Stream / Live Stats / Radio / Game Notes / Tickets

SATURDAY vs. NORTHERN
The Wolves of Northern State (1-1, 0-0 NSIC), picked to finish 10th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' poll, opened the year with a tough matchup on the road against the No. 10 ranked Central Missouri: though they dropped that match, 71-55, they struck back the next night with a 68-59 victory over Rogers State to go 1-1 in their opening weekend. 

WOLVES' LAST TIMEOUT
CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Northern State women's basketball team took down Rogers State Friday in an exciting second half comeback. The win saw Madelyn Bragg score a career-high 25 points and the Wolves shoot a season high 45.5% from the floor. Northern State tallied 16 points in the first quarter, 16 in the second, 18 in the third, and 18 in the fourth. 

NSU trailed 37-32 at the half and rallied back in the fourth quarter holding RSU to just eight points.

Although it was a late comeback for the Wolves the game saw ten lead changes and six tie scores, with Northern grabbing the lead at 7:41 in the fourth and running away with the game.

The Wolves shot well in the contest, notching marks of 45.5% from the floor, 26.3% from the 3-point line, and 76.5% from the foul line.

Northern State tallied 28 points in the paint, seven points off the bench, ten points off turnovers, and 12 second-chance points.

In addition, NSU tallied 35 rebounds, out-rebounding their opponents by ten, 15 assists, eight steals, and three blocks.

Madelyn Bragg led the Wolves offense scoring a career high 25 points, hitting 10-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Rianna Fillipi and Brynn Alfson notched 12 points apiece, while Fillipi dished out a team leading five assists.

LAST MATCHUP: BHSU vs. NSU (Nov. 15, 2019)
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State women's basketball surges in the second half as they cruise by Black Hills State on Friday night from Wachs Arena. The Wolves handed the Yellow Jackets their first loss of the 2019-20 season.
 
NSU out-scored BHSU in three of the four quarters, notching 12 in the first, 18 in the second, 14 in the third, and 20 in the fourth. 

Northern State trailed most of the first half before going on a five point run to lead 30-26 at the break. 

They shot a 39.6% from the field, 35.0% from beyond the arc, and 82.6% from the free throw line in the game. 

The Wolves out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets 45-27 with 11 offensive boards resulting in eight second chance points. 

In the paint, Northern tallied 22 points while holding Black Hills to only 20. 

NSU recorded a single game high with seven made 3-pointers, shooting 50.0% from beyond the arc in the final ten minutes of action. 

The Wolves rallied in the fourth quarter gaining their largest lead of the evening; 16 points with just under two minutes left to play. 

Jessi Marti notched two individual game highs with three 3-pointers made and four steals.

Brianna Kusler also recorded an individual game high grabbing 13 rebounds. Marti, Sara Tvedt, Kendall Kohler, and Haley Rithmiller each shot 1.000% from the foul line in the win. 

Dating back to Nov. 3, 1978, the Wolves have taken all 15 matchups over the Yellow Jackets. 

COACHES
In his 22nd season as head coach of the Yellow Jackets, Mark Nore led BHSU to their sixth RMAC tournament appearance in a row in 2022-23, with their NCAA tournament appearance last season marking the third time the BHSU ladies have competed in the tournament since their DII integration in 2013. 

USF Head Coach Travis Traphagen enters his 16th season at the helm and has established a career record of 275-156 during his tenure in Sioux Falls. Traphagen has led the Cougars to an NAIA quarterfinal, two NCAA tournament berths, 11 NSIC tournament appearances, an NSIC tournament title, and an NSIC South Division title since joining the team in 2008.

Paula Krueger enters her sixth season at the helm of Northern State. A former NSU standout, Krueger returned to the Northern State sidelines after 12 years at the NCAA Division II and high school levels in 2015-16 and recently led the Wolves to an 18-12 campaign in the 2022-23 season.