SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University women's basketball season tips-off the 2024-25 season with a trip to the Lone Star State as they take on a pair of perennial Lone Star Conference and NCAA Division II contenders in West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian. The two match-ups will both take place in the First United Bank Center in Canyon, Texas, as the Yellow Jackets take on the Lady Buffs at 3 p.m. MST / 4 p.m. CST on Friday, November 1, and then the Lady Chaparrals at 10 a.m. MST / 11 a.m. CST on Sunday, November 3.
 
GAME DETAILS VS. WEST TEXAS A&M
Date & Time: Friday, November 1 at 3 PM MST / 4 PM CST
Location: Canyon, Texas – First United Bank Center
Game Coverage: Live stream available on the Lone Star Conference Network on FloCollege (Pay-Per-View)
 
GAME DETAILS VS. LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN
Date & Time: Sunday, November 3 at 10 AM MST / 11 AM CST
Location: Canyon, Texas – First United Bank Center
Game Coverage: Live stream available on the Lone Star Conference Network on FloCollege (Pay-Per-View)
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State posted a record of 17-10 (14-8 RMAC) during the 2023-24 season and qualified for the RMAC Tournament before falling at Adams State (83-63) in the quarterfinals after a sixth place finish in the league standings.
• In 27 games during the 2023-24 season BHSU averaged 65.0 points, 38.2 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 9.1 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.4 percent from the field, 31.0 percent from 3-point range, and 67.9 percent from the free throw line.
• Black Hills State has been picked to finish ninth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 94 points.
• The group of Kalla Bertram, Gracie Haneborg, Morgan Hammerbeck, and Haylee Weathersby return for the Yellow Jackets having played in a combined 335 games while making 146 starts.
• Bertram is the lone returning all-conference player for BHSU as she earned All-RMAC Second Team, averaging 9.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. She scored in 20 or more points in two games while shooting the ball 44.7 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from beyond the arc.
• Hammerbeck is second among returners in scoring and was third on the team last year with 8.9 points per game while also averaging a team-high 1.9 assists per game. She scored 20 or more points on three occasions and dished out three or more assists in seven games.
• The return of Haneborg makes it three of the top-4 leading scorers from last season back this year as she averaged 7.5 points while averaging 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
• Rounding out the quartet of key returners is Weatherby who tacked on 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds as she notched double figures in points on four occasions and four or more rebounds in 16 games.
• Other returners include Payton Burda who redshirted last season and Alivia Pautz who appeared in 17 games while averaging 1.4 points and 1.6 rebounds.
• Newcomers for BHSU includes Colorado State transfer Taylor Ray, and freshmen Bradie Schlabs, Sawyer Stoebner, Maureen Ulrich, Audrey Norville, Emily Cooper, Addicyn Kessinger, Tess Rule, and Cami Curtis.
• Yellow Jack alumna Rachel Erickson enters her first season as the head coach at Black Hills State.

WEST TEXAS A&M STORYLINES

• West Texas A&M posted a record of 18-13 (13-9 LSC) during the 2023-24 season and qualified for the Lone Star Conference Tournament before falling to Texas Tyler (58-54) in the quarterfinals following a fourth place finish in the west division and seventh overall in the league standings.
• The Lady Buffs have played a pair of exhibition games, defeating Wayland Baptist (93-83) on Friday, October 18, before falling at Arizona on Friday, October 25, by a score of 84-59. Taylor Haggan led WT against the Flying Queens with 17 points and 11 rebounds against the Pioneers while Taytum Bell added 12 points, ten rebounds, and six assists. Kyla Kane was the lone player to score in double figures against the Wildcats, pouring in 16 points while adding three rebounds.
• In 31 games during the 2023-24 season WT averaged 67.1 points, 37.2 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 5.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.4 percent from the field, 31.2 percent from 3-point range, and 75.8 percent from the free throw line.
• West Texas A&M has been picked to finish fifth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, receiving 514 points and one first place vote from the leagues head coaches, media and sports information directors.
• Haggan is the player to watch for the Lady Buffs, transferring to Canyon following one season at Lone Star Conference foe St. Mary's where she was named the LSC Freshman of the Year. During her freshman campaign she averaged 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists for the Rattlers.
• WT must replace their top-2 leading scorers from a year ago, but are led by returners Kane, Hollie Stalder, and Grace Alvarez who each played in all 31 contests last season.
• Kane leads all returners in scoring with 8.8 points per game while adding an average of 3.1 rebounds. She was consistent at the charity stripe in 2023-24, shooting 94.6 percent as she knocked down 53-of-56 from the foul line.
• Stalder added 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, while Alvarez averaged 7.3 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game as she also made 26 starts.
• Josh Prock enters his fourth season as the head coach at West Texas A&M, guiding the Lady Buffs to a record of 65-35 during his tenure. Overall, he is entering his 16^th season as a collegiate head women's basketball coach, making prior stops at Howard Payne and Eastern New Mexico, and has totaled a career record of 274-165.

SERIES HISTORY

• Friday will mark the second all-time meeting between Black Hills State and West Texas A&M, with the Lady Buffs holding the 1-0 advantage in the series.
• WT won the first-ever meeting between the teams on March 11, 2016, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by a score of 63-48 in the Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas. The loss marked the end of the Yellow Jackets first-ever postseason appearance as NCAA Division II members.

LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN STORYLINES

• Lubbock Christian posted a record of 21-10 (16-6 LSC) during the 2023-24 season and qualified for both the Lone Star Conference Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to Texas A&M International (90-80) in the quarterfinals and Colorado Mesa (68-61) in the first round respectively. The Lady Chaparrals ended the season first in the west division and tied for fourth overall in the league standings.
• LCU played a season-opening exhibition match-up at NCAA Division I Rice on Tuesday, October 29, falling to the Owls by a score of 69-49. The Lady Chaps were led by Maci Maddox with 15 points and three steals, while Grace Foster added ten points and six rebounds.
• In 31 games during the 2023-24 season LCU averaged 64.1 points, 31.7 rebounds, 12.2 assists, 7.7 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 42.1 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from 3-point range, and 78.3 percent from the free throw line.
• Lubbock Christian has been picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, receiving 627 points and three first place vote from the leagues head coaches, media and sports information directors.
• Foster is the top returner for the Lady Chaparrals, as the 2-time WBCA All-American averaged 16.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. The senior forward ranked third in the LSC and ninth in the NCAA South-Central Region in scoring last year, which included scoring 20 or more points in 13 games and was highlighted by matching a career-high of 36 points in a match-up against Texas Permian Basin.
• Other notable players returning include Maddox and Audrey Robertson who were both named All-LSC Second Team and Kennedy Chappell who was named to the All-LSC Freshman Team.
• Maddox and Robertson, the pair of graduate students bring considerable experience back into the lineup as they've played in 112 (66 starts) and 121 (68 starts) career games respectively. Robertson averaged 13.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game a year ago, and enters the season with 977 career points, while Maddox averaged 11.5 points and 4.3 assists, and enters the season with 836 points and 307 assists during her career.
• Chappell appeared in all 31 games during her first season in Lubbock while making 12 starts as she averaged 5.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
• Steve Gomez enters his 22^nd season as the head coach at Lubbock Christian, guiding the Lady Chaparrals to a record of 522-152 and three national titles during his career.

SERIES HISTORY

• Sunday will mark the second all-time meeting between Black Hills State and Lubbock Christian, with the Lady Chaparrals holding the 1-0 advantage in the series.
• LCU won the first-ever meeting between the teams on March 11, 2023, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by a score of 66-50 in Stephens Arena in San Angelo, Texas. The loss marked the end of the Yellow Jackets fourth postseason appearances as NCAA Division II members.