SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University women's basketball team remained one of two unbeaten teams in RMAC play on Thursday night as they secured a 79-55 victory over Regis in A2 Arena. The Yellow Jackets used a pair of major scoring runs in the match-up to hold control of the game, using a 26-4 scoring run in the first quarter and early second quarter to take an early 20-point advantage, however they needed to respond to the Rangers 23-9 rally to claw back within six late in the third quarter, with a 24-4 run to grab their largest lead of the night at 26 points in the closing minutes of the contest. BHSU saw a pair of 20-point performances on the night by Morgan Hammerbeck and Kalla Bertram lead the way as four players scored in double figures while the team shot 50 percent from the field, marking the fourth time this year BHSU shot 50 percent or better in a contest.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 79, Regis 55
Team Records: Black Hills State 9-3 (5-0 RMAC), Regis 5-7 (3-2 RMAC
Attendance: 721
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• While Regis would grab the early 4-2 lead with baskets by Taylin Serlen and Athena Saragoza in the opening minute, Morgan Hammerbeck would set the tone for what would be a big game with a pull up jumper a step in front of the free throw line as she drew Black Hills State even at four with 8:41 to play. The ensuing possession Haylee Weathersby secured her first offensive rebound of the game, which led to a pull up jumper in the lane by Bradie Schlabs to give the Yellow Jackets a 6-4 advantage with 7:59 remaining in the first quarter. Erin Fry briefly tied the game once again, but a left-corner 3-pointer by Kalla Bertram off an assist from Hammerbeck gave the Yellow Jackets the lead for good as they began to break open the lead as the basket sparked a 9-0 scoring run. Ultimately, after BHSU trailed 4-2 early on, the Green & Gold outscored the Rangers 23-4 as the run was capped in the first quarter by a pair of 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds as Bertram connected on a right-wing 3-pointer off an offensive rebound and assist by Weathersby and then Audrey Norville beat the buzzer from the right-corner off a kickout pass by Bertram to make it a 25-8 game after a quarter.
• The momentum continued into the second quarter as the scoring run extended to 26-4 as Schlabs found Weathersby inside on the left-block and she then proceed to power the ball up and in through contact to draw the foul and make it an old-fashioned 3-point play. The and-one pushed the lead to 20-points just 13 seconds into the second quarter before Regis finally found the bottom of the net with back-to-back field goals by Fiona Snashall and Saragoza, breaking a drought of 3:13 without a field goal. The Rangers would chip away at the Yellow Jacket lead as they used a 10-3 scoring run with all points coming from Fry during a nearly two minute stretch to make it a 35-22 ball game in favor of BHSU with 4:39 to play till the break. Black Hills State did not allow Regis to get any closer in the opening half, as they took a 16 point advantage (42-26) into the locker room after Hammerbeck scored the final seven points for the Yellow Jackets, including capping the first 20 minutes of action with a turnaround, one handed shot in the lane in the closing seconds.
• After a pair of blocked shots and eventually a steal by Weathersby on the opening possession of the third quarter, Hammerbeck continued her own personal scoring run with a right-elbow jumper off a pass from Gracie Haneborg to make it nine straight for the graduate student. The Yellow Jackets then pushed the lead back to 20 points (46-26) as Schlabs burst through the Ranger press and found Bertram on the left-block for an easy layup off a no look pass. While forcing six turnovers in the frame, RU saw their best run of the contest as they clawed their way back into the game with a 23-9 run to trim the deficit to just six points as BHSU led 55-49 before Weathersby knocked down a pair at the charity strip in the final minute of the quarter to make it a 57-49 advantage entering the fourth.
• While Regis saw success in the third quarter, Black Hills State found their grove once again in the fourth quarter as Schlabs corralled a tipped pass and found an opening along the left side of the lane for a layup to push the advantage back to double digits (59-49) just 22 seconds into the final frame. The Yellow Jackets shot 50 percent from the field in the quarter as they strung together a 24-4 scoring run which ended with Bertram giving them their largest lead of the game at 26 points (79-53) on a pair of free throws with 1:56 to play. During the run BHSU dished out six assists as the ball movement resulted in six different players scoring. Regis ended the scoring in the game with a right-handed layup by Mary Crossland as she picked up the loose ball on a breakaway with 1:17 left on the clock, bringing the final score to 79-55.

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Morgan Hammerbeck: 20 points, 8-of-13 field goals, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Kalla Bertram: 20 points, 4-of-8 3-pointers, 9 rebounds, 1 assist
Haylee Weathersby: 17 points, 7-of-10 field goals, 9 rebounds, 5 rebounds, 2 steal
Bradie Schlabs: 15 points, 7-of-12 field goals, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State remains at home on Saturday, January 11, as they are set to host MSU Denver in a 1 p.m. match-up in A2 Arena.
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