SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State men's basketball team will make their home debut this weekend as they are set to host the annual East/West Challenge with match-ups against No. 4/3 MSU Moorhead and Augustana on Friday, November 15, and Saturday, November 16. The Yellow Jackets and the Dragons will play in a 7:30 p.m. contest in A2 Arena, while BHSU and Augie are prepped for a 5 p.m. tip-off the next day.
 
GAME DETAILS VS. NO. 4/3 MSU MOORHEAD
Date & Time: Friday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
GAME DETAILS VS. AUGUSTANA
Date & Time: Saturday, November 16 at 5 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters their home opener with a record of 2-0 on the season after leading from start to finish in both of their games at the Far West Texas Showdown against Texas Tyler (82-59) and Sul Ross State (82-60).
• Consistency has been the name of the game thus far for BHSU as not only have they scored 82 points in each of their first two contests, however in each of the four halves this year they've scored 41 points.
• Following the first week of the season, the Yellow Jackets moved into the top-10 of the South Central Region D2CSC Media Poll, tying for fifth with fellow RMAC foe MSU Denver.
• Black Hills State has been picked to finish fourth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 157 points.
• In the first two games of the 2024-25 season BHSU averaged 82.0 points, 45.0 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 3.0 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 47.5 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from 3-point range, and 77.1 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents have averaged 59.5 points, 38.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 5.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 31.1 percent from the field, 23.1 percent from 3-point range, and 71.8 percent from the free throw line.
• Returning All-RMAC Honorable Mention selection, Caelin Hearne has been the go to player for the Yellow Jackets, averaging 15.5 points while grabbing 4.0 rebounds and dishing out 2.0 assists per game. He has shot the ball 50.0 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from 3-point range. His four baskets from beyond the arc against Texas Tyler brought his career total to 100 and he then added three more against Sul Ross State.
• Newcomer Cam Lowe has added a spark for Black Hills State early on, averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting the ball 54.5 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from 3-point range, and 90.0 percent from the charity stripe.
• Rounding out double digit scorers so thus far through two contests is Jaeton Hackley and Joel Speckman, as they each average 10.5 points per game. Additionally, Speckman adds 8.0 boards per game.
• Ryan Thompson is in his seventh season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 123-54 during his career.

#4/3 MSU MOORHEAD STORYLINES

• MSU Moorhead enters this weekend with a record of 2-0 after beginning the season at historic Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri, as a part of a regional challenge where they earned victories over Henderson State (71-66) and Arkansas Monticello (58-42).
• The Dragons enter the week as a top-5 team in the nation, ranking No. 4 in the NABC Division II Coaches' Poll and No. 3 in the D2CSC Media Poll. Additionally, they jumped to No. 1 in the Central Region D2CSC Media Poll.
• The Dragons have been picked to finish second in the NSIC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 183 points and six first place votes.
• Through the first two games of the season MSUM is averaging 64.5 points, 41.0 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 3.0 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting the ball 41.1 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from 3-point range, and 86.2 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 54.0 points, 29.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 7.5 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting the ball 38.2 percent from the field, 21.1 percent from 3-point range, and 55.2 percent from the free throw line.
• Jacob Beeninga highlights a pair of returning First Team All-NSIC selections, and he enters the weekend averaging 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting the ball 41.7 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point range, and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. He opened the season with a 24-point performance against HSU, knocking down four 3-pointers and grabbing six boards in the win.
• The second returning First Team All-NSIC performer, and the NSIC Newcomer of the Year in 2023-24, is JaMir Price, who is only averaging 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game as he has struggled to shoot the ball, only knocking down 26.7 percent of his shots from the field.
• Rounding out double digit scorers thus far this season includes Jacob Jennissen and Logan Kinsey who each average 13.0 points, while they average 9.0 and 5.5 rebounds per game respectively. In MSUM's last outing against UAM, Jennissen secured his first double-double of the year with 18 points and 11 boards.
• Tim Bergstraser is in his third season as the head coach at MSU Moorhead, guiding the Dragons to a record of 52-13 during his career.

SERIES HISTORY

• Friday night will mark just the fourth all-time meeting between Black Hills State and MSU Moorhead with the Dragons holding a 2-1 lead in the series.
• MSUM secured an 86-72 win in last season's November 18, 2023, meeting against the Yellow Jackets in the King Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. 

AUGUSTANA STORYLINES

• Augustana enters the East/West Challenge with a record of 1-1 on the year, posting a win over No. 20 Northwest Missouri State (72-50) before falling to Missouri Western at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri.
• The Vikings have been picked to finish sixth in the NSIC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 117 points.
• Through the first two games of the season AU is averaging 66.5 points, 28.0 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 10.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting the ball 46.2 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from 3-point range, and 55.6 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 66.0 points, 35.0 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 6.5 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting the ball 44.2 percent from the field, 30.2 percent from 3-point range, and 72.2 percent from the free throw line.
• After losing a pair of All-NSIC performers from last year's team, Tanner Te Slaa has taken the lead role early on this season as he is averaging a team-high 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting the ball 64.3 percent from the field, 66.7 percent from 3-point range, and 71.4 percent from the free throw line. He opened the year with a double-double against the nationally ranked Bearcats with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
• The only other player for the Vikings averaging double figures scoring is Sam Rensch who has posted 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals per game this year. He has given opposing offenses trouble early this year as he collected four steals against Northwest Missouri State before recording another two against Missouri Western.
• Cody Schilling is in his first season as the head coach at Augustana, and third year overall as a head coach after spending two prior years at Mount Marty. He has guided his Viking and Lancer teams to a record of 11-49 during his career.

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday will mark the 25^th all-time meeting between Black Hills State and Augustana with the Vikings holding a 16-8 advantage in the series.
• AU earned a 76-70 win over the Yellow Jackets in last season's meeting on November 17, 2023, in the King Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.