SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University women's basketball team returns to A2 Arena inside the Donald E. Young Center this weekend for another pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) this weekend. Beginning with the second game of the season against New Mexico Highlands on Friday, followed by the lone meeting with Colorado State University-Pueblo on Saturday.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State (9-5, 6-4 RMAC) vs. New Mexico Highlands (4-14, 3-9 RMAC)
Date: Friday, January 26 // Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. (A2 Arena / Donald E. Young Center)
Watch: rmacnetwork.com // Listen: KDSJ (103.5 FM & 980 AM)
 
Black Hills State (9-5, 6-4 RMAC) vs. CSU-Pueblo (11-8, 6-5 RMAC)
Date: Saturday, January 27 // 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

• BH is 8-2 on the season when they hold their opponent to under 60 points
• When recording more steals than an opponent, BH is 7-3 on the season
• BH sits with a 7-3 mark when they control the opening tip
• Black Hills State is 6-3 when they put the first points on the board

RMAC RANKINGS

• The Yellow Jackets lead the RMAC in scoring defense (56.4 opponent ppg) and rebounding margin (+5.9).
• Additionally, BH sits second in rebounding (39.0rpg), behind Regis.
• Kalla Bertram sits 10th in steals in the league (34), while Ellie Moore sits T12^th in blocks (13).
• Jaylen Ostenson's 19 3-pointers sits T22^nd in the conference and Morgan Hammerbeck's 435 total minutes ranks T23^rd.
• Hammerbeck also sits T23rd in total rebounds (73) and Bertram is 25^th in assists (25).

STOUT DEFENSE ON DISPLAY

• BHSU leads the RMAC in scoring defense at 56.4 points allowed per game.
• Compared to last week, the mark in Division II moves up 12 slots to now sitting top-20 (19^th).
• The defensive prowess is aided by the second-best rebounding mark at 39.0 rebounds per game and leading the RMAC in rebounding margin (+5.9).

LAST TIME OUT

• For the fifth time this season, BH followed a loss with a win – still not losing a game following a loss – after a 72-48 road win at Westminster on Saturday.
• BH shot a season-best 49.2% from the field (30-for-61) in the win.
• BHSU led for 36.5 minutes of the game, leading by as many as 26 points.
• Hammerbeck and Ostenson led the team in scoring with 15 and 11 points, respectively.
• Active defense saw BH force 18 Griffin turnovers that turned into 22 points.
• 14 Yellow Jackets saw minutes in the game, while 11 put points on the board.
• Maggie Dooley made her first-career collegiate appearance and scored her first points as a Yellow Jacket.

FRIDAY VS. NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
New Mexico Highlands enters the weekend with a record of 4-14 (3-9 RMAC), dropping five-straight games. Their last win came against Westminster to start 2024 with a 59-49 win on January 5 in Salt Lake City. Jordyn Lewis (Gr.) leads the Cowgirls in scoring at 11.3 points per game and Aja Scott (Fr.) paces the team with her 4.8 rebounds per game.
 
SATURDAY VS. CSU-PUEBLO
Colorado State University – Pueblo sits right on the heels of Black Hills State in the RMAC standings, sitting 6-5 in RMAC play and just one game behind BHSU in the loss column. Overall, the Thunderwolves hold an 11-8 record and come into Friday's clash with South Dakota Mines winners of three-straight games. The Thunderwolves are led by the league's leading scorer in Alisha Little (R-Jr., F) at 19.4 points per game, who is shooting at a 48.8 percent clip on the season. Furthermore, she averages a double-double for CSUP, grabbing 11.7 rebounds per game which also paces the RMAC, getting it done on both ends of the floor for Pueblo.  
 
SERIES HISTORY – NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS

• Black Hills State is a perfect 16-0 against the Cowgirls in the all-time series.
• The Yellow Jackets hold a 7-0 record against them in Spearfish.
• BHSU topped NMHU in the first meeting this season 63-46 in Las Vegas, N.M. back on December 15.

SERIES HISTORY – CSU-PUEBLO

• CSU Pueblo leads the all-time series, 17-7.
• The Thunderwolves are 7-1 against BH in Spearfish.
• The Yellow Jackets prevailed in the last meeting last season in Pueblo, Colo. (56-49).

Up Next: The Yellow Jackets will begin a four-game road trip over the next two weeks, beginning with a trip to fellow South Dakota RMAC institution in South Dakota Mines on Wednesday, January 31 before a trip Colorado Christian on Saturday, February 3.