SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State women's basketball team (7-4, 4-3 RMAC) concludes a three-game homestand to open the 2024 calendar year, playing host to the Mountaineers of Western Colorado University (2-9, 0-6 RMAC) on Saturday in A2 Arena inside the Donald E. Young Center.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State (7-4, 4-3 RMAC) vs. Western Colorado (2-9, 0-6 RMAC)
Date: Saturday, January 13 // Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. (A2 Arena – Donald E. Young Center)
Watch: rmacnetwork.com // Listen: KDSJ (103.5 FM & 980 AM)
 
JACKET FACTS

• Kalla Bertram sits tied for seventh in the RMAC in steals, notching 2.4 per contest.
• BH is 6-1 on the season when they hold their opponent to under 60 points.
• When recording more steals than an opponent, BH is 5-2 on the season.
• The Yellow Jackets are 5-2 when they outrebound an opponent.
• BH sits with a 6-3 mark when they control the opening tip.
• BHSU loves playing at night (5pm or later), holding a 6-2 mark in those contests (3-1 at home).

DEFENSIVE PROWESS

• BHSU leads the RMAC in scoring defense at 58.5 points allowed per game.
• It's now one of three teams in the league to hold opponents to under 60 points a contest.
• Seven times this season BH has held an opponent to under the scoring defense mark.
• The Yellow Jackets are 6-1 when they hold a team to under 60 points on the year.
• BH also sits third in opponent FG% (.371).

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

• BHSU sits third in the RMAC in average attendance entering the 2024 calendar year.
• BH is one of three schools to sit with 700+ this season for home games at 700 per game.
• The Yellow Jackets sit 4-3 in front of the home crowd on the year.

JACKETS ON THE BOARDS

• Black Hills State now also leads the RMAC in rebounds per game (40.8).
• This comes after 97 total rebounds last weekend (48.5/game) and setting a new season-high with 50 in the overtime win against FLC.
• No one player dominates the boards for the Yellow Jackets, as four average at least five boards per game.
• Morgan Hammerbeck narrowly paces the team with her 5.5 rebounds per game and 60 total rebounds.

LAST TIME OUT

• BHSU split last weekend – falling to nationally-ranked Adams State and picking up and overtime win over Fort Lewis.
• Morgan Hammerbeck tallied a new career-best with 23 points in the win over the Skyhawks on Saturday; also sitting one rebound away from a double-double.  
• In the Adams State game, BH recorded a new season-high with 27 offensive rebounds.
• The Yellow Jackets followed that up the next night with a season-high 50 total rebounds against Fort Lewis.

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS

• Rachel Cockman (Jr., F) leads the Mountaineers in both scoring (17.6ppg) and rebounding (8.8rpg).
• She sits third in the RMAC in FG% (.482) and scoring, while sitting fifth in rebounding.
• Jayda Maves – the 3-point threat for Western Colorado – finds herself eighth in the league in 3FG% (.341), having knocked down 28 3-pointers this season.

SERIES HISTORY – WESTERN COLORADO

• Dating back to 2013, Black Hills State holds a 12-4 record against the Mountaineers.
• All 16 games have been as RMAC opponents.
• The Yellow Jackets are 5-2 inside the Donald E. Young Center against WCU.

Up Next: Black Hills State will hit the road next weekend for a pair of RMAC contests against Colorado Mesa (11-3, 5-2 RMAC) and Westminster (2-11, 0-7 RMAC) on January 19-20.