SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team suffered their first set back of the season Friday night as they dropped a 69-57 contest to nationally-ranked No. 4/3 MSU Moorhead inside of A2 Arena. A 10-2 scoring run late in the first half saw the Dragons push their lead to double digits entering the halftime break, however the Yellow Jackets got the home faithful back into the game as they had the top-5 team on the ropes late in the contest, pulling to within just two points with seven minutes to play. MSUM, however, had one final punch that BHSU was unable to respond to as a 19-7 run put the game out of reach in the closing minutes.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 57, No. 4/3 MSU Moorhead 69
Team Records: Black Hills State 2-1, No. 4/3 MSU Moorhead 3-0
Attendance: 2,117
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• A quick layup off the tip by Jaeton Hackley gave Black Hills State the early 2-0 lead just 12 seconds into the contest, however MSU Moorhead was able to string together an early 10-2 scoring run to take a 10-4 advantage with the help of four early assists from Jacob Beeninga.
• Despite the early back-and-forth action by the offenses in the first half of play the defenses were able to string together stops as well, as each team had a two and three minute scoring drought during the first 20 minutes of action.
• After an offensive rebound by Caelin Hearne that resulted in his own layup and second chance points to end a nearly three minute scoring drought cutting the deficit to 21-16, the Dragons seized momentum of the game with a 10-2 scoring run that was capped with a dunk by Logan Kinsey to stretch their lead to 13 points (31-18) before a Yellow Jacket timeout with 4:45 to play in the half.
• The MSUM advantage remained double digits entering the halftime break as they held a 39-25 lead following a made jumper by Beneninga with just six seconds to play.
• Black Hills State began to chip away at the deficit immediately after the half as a layup by Joel Speckman in the opening possession sparked a 9-3 scoring run for the Green & Gold that was capped by a 3-pointer by Cam Lowe to make it a 42-34 game.
• Following the 3-pointer by Lowe, however, the Dragons held BHSU scoreless over a three and a half minute stretch that saw them extend the lead back to 12 points (46-34) with 12:58 to play in the contest.
• Sparked by a 3-pointer by Hackley off an assist from Speckman, the Yellow Jackets began to get the crowd back into the game as they notched a 10-1 scoring run that was capped by Speckman converting an old-fashioned 3-point play to cut the MSU Moorhead lead to just two points (50-48) with 7:39 remaining on the clock.
• Two points would be all the closer BHSU would be able to get as the Dragons had one last response that the Yellow Jackets couldn't answer as they stretched the lead back to 14 points with a 19-7 scoring run to take a 69-55 lead before Deegan Williams scored the final points of the game on a jumper with just 12 seconds to play to make it a 69-57 final to end day one of the East/West Challenge.

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Caelin Hearne: 14 points, 2-of-3 3-pointers, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Joel Speckman: 9 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Cam Lowe: 5 rebounds, 2 blocks
John Shanklin: 8 points, 4-of-7 field goals, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will conclude the East/West Challenge with a 5 p.m. tip-off on Saturday, November 16, against Augustana inside A2 Arena.
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