SPEARFISH, S.D. – Behind a career-high 23-point performance from
Morgan Hammerbeck, the Black Hills State University women's basketball team (7-4, 4-3 RMAC) snapped the four-game Fort Lewis College (8-5, 5-2 RMAC) win streak with a 77-74 overtime victory to wrap up the weekend inside the Donald E. Young Center.
It was the Hammberbeck (Sr., Hamill, S.D.) show early in tonight's contest. Knotted up at 5-5 barely three minutes in, Hammerbeck hit back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers to score the final Yellow Jacket points of the opening frame, as BH held a 16-14 advantage through one.
Into the second quarter, the Yellow Jackets would extend their early first quarter lead up to as many as 13 points (31-18, 6:02), as six-straight points from
Kalla Bertram (Jr., Colome, S.D.) would see the Black Hills gals get it rolling in front of the home crowd inside A2 Arena. The Skyhawks would mount a run in the final half of the second quarter, pulling even at 34-34 with a minute and a half left in the half. A late Skyhawk 3-pointer from Luisa Chavez would give Fort Lewis a three-point advantage at the halftime break, leading 37-34 after ending the half on a 6-0 spurt.
The first four points of the second half would go to the Skyhawks, building off the momentum they gathered to end the first half. The Jackets would not be deterred, putting together a 10-0 run themselves to take a 45-43 lead four minutes into the third, behind 3-pointers from
Jaylen Ostenson (Fr., Newcastle, Wyo.) and Hammerbeck. Trading buckets with neither team pulling away in the following minutes, as neither side would lead by more than two points until a Hammerbeck steal and
Ellie Moore (Gr., Phoenix, Ariz.) lay-up would give BH a 54-50 lead with under a minute to go in the frame.
The fourth quarter would prove to be a thrilling collegiate basketball game, as both sides battled in the final 10 minutes. A 7-0 Fort Lewis run to open the frame would see them lead 59-54, but the Yellow Jackets responded with their own 8-0 run immediately after sparked by a Hammerbeck lay-up. Black Hills State would hold a four-point advantage with 3:46 remaining on the clock, but the Skyhawks would convert at the charity strike and a late three-pointer with just over a minute left would give Fort Lewis a 65-64 lead. Hammerbeck, continuing her strong showing in a career outing, would knock down her biggest three of the game to give BH the 67-65 lead, but a Fort Lewis jumper would prove to push the game into overtime.
The free basketball period would prove to give the people in attendance a thrilling end to the game, as both teams traded buckets after entering the period knotted up at 67-67. Tied at 72-72 with just two minutes left, Hammerbeck would convert a pair of free throws to give Black Hills State a two-point edge, as the Jackets would not relinquish the lead after that. Down the stretch, the Yellow Jackets hit three of their final four free throws to secure their fourth home win of the season.
GAME NOTES
- Morgan Hammerbeck notched a new career-high with her 23 points on 8-for-19 shooting.
- BHSU set a new season-best with 50 rebounds in the win.
- BH shot above their season average (38.9) from the floor tonight with a 40.6% mark.
- The Yellow Jackets had 21 bench points compared to Fort Lewis' eight, also holding the edge in fastbreak points (16-5).
- Hammerbeck also led the team with her five steals; tying her career-high set against UMary in 2022.
- Ellie Moore also contributed double digit points with 13, along with seven rebounds and a team-best four assists.
- Hammerbeck and Kalla Bertram sat tied for the team lead with nine rebounds each.
- Haylee Weathersby also added eight points and five rebounds in her 20 minutes off the bench.
- Tonight marks the first overtime game of the season for the Yellow Jackets, moving to 1-0 in OT games.
Up Next: The Yellow Jackets will be back in action next weekend for a single game next Saturday, January 13 when the Mountaineers of Western Colorado University (2-9, 0-6 RMAC) make the trek to Spearfish, South Dakota for a 4:00 p.m. tip-off from A2 Arena.
