SPEARFISH, S.D. – After falling in their RMAC opener earlier this week, the Black Hills State University men's basketball team looks to rebound and return to the win column one final time at home in the 2024 calendar year as they close the home slate against Chadron State. In yet another edition of a classic regional rivalry, the Yellow Jackets and Eagles are set to battle it out on the A2 Arena hardwood at 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, as they each look to create momentum for the final week of games prior to the winter break.
 
GAME DETAILS
Date & Time: Saturday, December 7 at 3 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters the RMAC home opener with a record of 4-5 on the season after falling on the road at South Dakota Mines (58-50) to begin league play on Tuesday evening.
• Despite the Yellow Jackets falling to 7-6 all-time in RMAC openers following the loss to the Hardrockers, they now look to improve upon an 8-4 record in RMAC home openers. Including a commanding 75-56 win over No. 16/18 MSU Denver in last year's first home league game, Black Hills State has won three straight of such games and are 7-1 in their last eight.
• Black Hills State has been picked to finish fourth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 157 points.
• In the first nine games of the 2024-25 season BHSU is averaging 72.8 points, 36.9 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 4.6 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 44.4 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from 3-point range, and 76.9 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents have averaged 66.7 points, 35.8 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 6.7 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 37.9 percent from the field, 34.2 percent from 3-point range, and 74.2 percent from the free throw line.
• The Yellow Jackets currently rank seventh in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage defense (37.9%), 24^th in defensive rebounds per game (29.1), and 35^th in scoring defense (66.7). The BHSU defense has held opponents to fewer than 70 points on five occasions and less than 40.0 percent shooting from the field five times.
• Caelin Hearne continues to lead the team with an average of 16.7 points per game on the year, which ranks third in the RMAC, while he also adds 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. In the midst of nine consecutive double digit scoring games to begin the season, he poured in a career-best 30 points in a win over Sioux Falls, marking one of seven games he has scored 14 or more points. While he's tied for the conference lead with 54 made field goals, he has been shooting the ball at a 45.8 percent clip from the field and 46.7 percent from 3-point range. Highlighted with a season-best performance of 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc against USF, he has knocked down three or more 3-pointers in five games this year as he has tallied the third most baskets from beyond the arc with 21 total this season.
• Newcomer Cam Lowe has also added a spark for the Yellow Jackets this year as he is averaging 12.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting the ball 47.6 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from 3-point range, and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. He has one double-double on the season which saw him score a career-high 21 points and secure a career-best 14 rebounds against Augustana. Overall, he has notched double figure points on five occasions and has posted eight or more rebounds in five contests. With a pair of double digit rebounding performances, he has tallied the second most total rebounds in the RMAC this year (67) and is fifth in rebounds per game average. Additionally, with a blocked shot in six of the nine games, his season total of seven is eighth in the conference.
• Another player to watch is Jaeton Hackley, who is averaging 10.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Overall, he has notched five games in double figures scoring, including a career-high of 19 points in the win over UMary which saw him shoot 8-of-15 from the field. Among his four games this season with four or more rebounds, he secured a career-high of seven rebounds in the most recent match-up against South Dakota Mines. His active defense has resulted in three multi-steal games, including tying a career-high of three steals in a contest against Minot State. Also, against the Beavers, he dished out four assists, tying a career-high and marking the fifth occasion this year that he has recorded multiple assists.
• John Shanklin has stepped up on the defensive side of the ball as he currently ranks second in the RMAC in both total blocked shots (12) and blocks per game (1.3). He also averages 6.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He has currently been shooting the ball 70.6 percent from the field, and most recently went 4-of-4 from the field and added a free throw as he tallied nine points against the Hardrockers earlier this week.
• Ryan Thompson is in his seventh season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 125-59 during his career.

CHADRON STATE STORYLINES

• Chadron State enters their first RMAC road contest of the year with a 4-4 (1-0 RMAC) record this season following their second straight win as they opened league play on Thursday night with an 84-56 win at home against South Dakota Mines.
• The Eagles have been picked to finish 15^th in the RMAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 32 points in the vote by the league's head coaches.
• Through the first eight games of the season CSC is averaging 73.8 points, 38.8 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 6.0 steals, and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting the ball 43.0 percent from the field, 31.2 percent from 3-point range, and 76.0 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 72.0 points, 35.1 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 7.8 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting the ball 42.4 percent from the field, 30.0 percent from 3-point range, and 67.3 percent from the free throw line.
• Chadron State ranks 21^st nationally in NCAA Division II with 33.8 bench points per game, ranking second in the RMAC in the category. Additionally, the Eagles average the most made free throws per game in the conference as they make 16.6 per contest.
• Jalen Thomas leads CSC with 12.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game this season, while also shooting the ball 50.7 percent from the field, 55.6 percent from 3-point range, and 80.8 percent from the free throw line. The graduate transfer from Tarleton State has scored in double figures five times this year, which includes a season-high of 20 points against Sioux Falls. Additionally, he has grabbed six or more rebounds on six occasions, including a season-high of nine against Texas A&M Kingsville.
• Trey Ballard rounds out the pair of Eagles to average double figures as he contributes 10.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.8 steals per game as he shots the ball 40.0 percent from the field, 31.0 percent from 3-point range, and 81.3 percent from the free throw line. He began the year with three consecutive games in double figures and later added a fourth as he poured in a season-high of 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and a pair of 3-pointers. He has connected on a 3-pointer in all eight contests, including three games with two or more, and hit a season-best four 3-pointers in a match-up against Texas A&M Kingsville. Against the Javelinas he also grabbed a season-high of eight rebounds, which he also matched in this week's game against South Dakota Mines.
• Darrius Miles, who adds 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 0.9 assists per game, while shooting the ball 45.8 percent from the field and 77.3 percent from the free throw line, has been a key factor defensively for Chadron State. He currently ranks fourth in the RMAC in total blocked shots (8) and is seventh in blocks per game (1.00). He has posted at least one blocked shot in six games this year, while twice against Texas A&M International and Sioux Falls he recorded two in the contest.
• Chris Francis is in his first season as the head coach at Chadron State, guiding the Eagles to a 4-4 record thus far. Overall, he is in his tenth season as a collegiate head coach, spending the prior nine years at Science & Arts Oklahoma as he has amassed a career record of 179-99 during his two stops.

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday will mark the 205^th all-time meeting on the hardwood between Black Hills State and Chadron State as the Eagles hold the advance 122-82.
• With a 94-83 win in overtime on March 2, 2024, in A2 Arena for the Yellow Jackets, BHSU has now won 12 of the last 14 meetings in the series dating back to January of 2016.