DENVER, Colo. | COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season kicks off for the Black Hills State University women's basketball team this weekend as the ladies head to Colorado for conference-opener matchups against the Regis Rangers on Friday night and the UC-Colorado Springs Cougars on Saturday evening.
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GRACIE HANEBORG STOCK ON THE RISE
Haneborg, a transfer junior guard, came to BHSU from UC-Colorado Springs and went on a war path through the Yellow Jackets' three prior home matchups.
In those three contests, which saw the Yellow Jackets go 2-1, Haneborg has averaged 11 points per game 60 percent shooting or better in all categories, including overall field shooting (60 percent), long-range (66.7 percent), and from the charity stripe (75.0 percent).
On Monday against South Dakota Mines, Haneborg dropped 12 points on a near-perfect 4-of-5 look from three.
WITH MOORE TO COME...
Returning to the BHSU squad after transferring as a first-year graduate in 2022,
Ellie Moore is on a solid start for the Yellow Jackets. Through four games this season, Moore leads BHSU with 41 total points scored and averages 10.3 per tilt. Moore is also second on the team in rebounds (5.8 rpg), tied for second in steals (eight total), and boasts a 37.8 FG percentage that is second on the team.
STOUT DEFENSE RETURNS
After closing out the 2022-23 season as one of the RMAC's top defensive units, Coach Nore and company are looking to top the conference once again as the Yellow Jackets currently allow the fewest points per game on an average of 53.0 ppg. BHSU is also third in turnover margin (+5.0) and fifth in total steals (9.25 spg).
FRIDAY at No. 24 REGIS
The No. 24 Regis Rangers are off to a hot start in 2023 as the Regis unit finished their non-conference slate on a 5-1 record, with the one game dropped in that lineup to the No. 10/12 MSU Billings. Regis currently averages a +10.0 point differential and 72.8 points per contest while allowing the second-fewest points in the conference as they've held teams to 56.5 points per game. Friday night's NCAA Tournament rematch will be a contest between stout defenses as the Yellow Jackets have held opponents to the fewest points in the RMAC through this week on a 53.0-point average per contest.
REGIS' LAST TIMEOUT
GOLDEN, Colo. – A second-quarter offensive performance of 26 points and a defensive performance that limited Cameron University to four points in the fourth quarter sealed the 73-51 win for the Regis University women's basketball team on Saturday.
The Rangers (5-1 overall) amassed a whopping 53 rebounds–tied for seventh all-time in a single game–and shot no less than 62% in the second quarter en route to their fifth win of the season over the Aggies (2-4 overall).
Up 18 going into the half, the Aggies answered back with 24 points of their own in the third quarter, but Regis was having no part of it as they scored 18 of their own to keep the lead, 59-47 going into the fourth.
But by no means were the Rangers taking the remaining ten minutes easy as they held Cameron to a minuscule 2-for-21 (9.5%) from the field, their second-lowest shooting percentage in a single quarter so far.
Regis' 53 total rebounds–43 defensive, 10 offensive–tie for seventh in the all-time single-game rebounds record.
Those 43 defensive rebounds, according to available university records, are the most single-game defensive rebounds in program history.
Both fourth-year Madison Diercks and graduate student guard Sam Deem posted their first double-doubles of the season. Deem's performance earned her a place in the record books as her 18 rebounds on the night tied for fifth in the all-time single-game rebounds record, offensively, she posted 12 total points.
Alongside Deem, Diercks posted 10 boards and netted 10 points for her first double-double in her career as a Ranger. Ryan finished with 17 points while Saragozs rounded out the double-digit scoring with 11 points on the night.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Dating back to 2012 according to available records, BHSU holds a 12-7 all-time record against the Rangers, with the Yellow Jackets claiming the last five-of-six matchups against Regis including last season's NCAA DII tournament matchup.
A FRIDAY BHSU WIN WOULD...
Bring the Yellow Jackets to a 4-1 start to the season, which is on pace to become the best start BHSU has had since the 2020-21 season when the ladies began the year 6-1 on their way to an RMAC Championship.
A FRIDAY BHSU LOSS WOULD...
Drop the Yellow Jackets to 3-2 on the season and likely knock them out of the RMAC top-five.
SATURDAY vs. UC-COLORADO SPRINGS
The UCCS Cougars were picked to finish ninth in the RMAC in the conference preseason coaches' poll and are riding on a 3-3 record through their non-conference contests. Heading into conference play this weekend with a matchup against South Dakota Mines on Friday, UCCS is looking to knock down their first consecutive winning streak of the season against the Hardrockers and the Yellow Jackets.
UC-COLORADO SPRINGS' LAST TIMEOUT
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –The UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions squared off against Eastern New Mexico University on Friday night from the Gallogly Events Center. While both teams kept the game close throughout, a huge fourth quarter elevated the Greyhounds to a 57-48 victory.
After going neck-and-neck to begin the game, a Breelyn Robinson three and pair of free throws cut the Eastern N.M. lead to just two. With under 30 seconds to play, Robinson found Krystina Hagood for a three pointer of her own to give UCCS a one-point lead by quarter's end.
The pace slowed down in the second quarter as both teams attempted to find some rhythm in their half court sets. Later trailing by three, Rylie Ottmann drilled a long range jumper to even the score at 20 points a piece. Neither team was able to find a flow through the remainder of the frame, landing a 22-22 score going into halftime.
Out of the break, UCCS ramped up the pace of play; White scored two straight baskets to give UCCS their largest lead of the game, which prompted a Eastern New Mexico timeout. Two straight turnovers by UCCS, however, led to easy buckets on the other end to give Eastern N.M. a one point advantage heading into the final quarter.
Despite forcing six turnovers in the fourth, a poor 2-of-10 look from the field proved to be the achilles heel for UCCS as the Greyhounds continued to attack the rim. An 8-0 run late in the quarter lifted the Greyhounds to a 57-48 victory.
MATCHUP HISTORY
The Yellow Jackets and UC-Colorado Springs Cougars are notched on an even 11-11 record since 2013, due in part to BHSU claiming nine of the last ten matchups since 2017.
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 last season, with their NCAA tournament appearance marking the third time the BHSU ladies have competed in the tournament since their DII integration in 2013.
Molly Marrin is entering her ninth season as the head women's basketball coach at Regis University in 2023-24. Marrin officially began her duties on April 20, 2015 and currently boasts a career record of 130-94 (.580). She led program to their tournament championship since 2006-07, and made a return trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016-17.
Taking over the head coaching seat at UCCS in April of 2023, Misty Wilson previously served as Tarleton State's head coach for nine years. She guided the Texans to an impressive 113-61 record in six seasons as a Division II program.
-BHSUAthletics.com-
