SPEARFISH, S.D. – For just the second time ever, the Black Hills State University women's basketball team has begun RMAC play 6-0, matching the best start to league play in program history with a 63-49 victory over MSU Denver on Saturday afternoon in A2 Arena. The Green & Gold previously began conference play 6-0 in 2015-16, the year the Yellow Jackets earned their first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament bid.
 
Despite a after a tightly contested first quarter, the Yellow Jackets only trailed for a total of 46 seconds, and they eventually began to create separation with a 19-5 scoring run to enter the halftime break and extended the run in the opening minutes of the third quarter with nine unanswered points to make it a 28-5 rally. BHSU was led by three players in double figures, including Bradie Schlabs who posted her second career double-double with a career-high 21 points while adding ten rebounds.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 63, MSU Denver 49
Team Records: Black Hills State 10-3 (6-0 RMAC), MSU Denver 3-11 (2-4 RMAC)
Attendance: 683
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Morgan Hammerbeck started the scoring in A2 Arena on Saturday afternoon, as she connected on a shot from the top of the key off a kickout pass from Bradie Schlabs with 9:16 to play in the first quarter. Hammerbeck continued to pace the Yellow Jacket offense early as she scored 11 of the first 15 points for the Green & Gold as she converted an and-one after making a left-handed layup through contact to make it 10-7 with 6:26 to play and then hitting her second 3-pointer of the game on a left-wing 3-pointer off an assist from Kalla Bertram to break the tie and give BHSU the 15-12 advantage with 4:00 remaining on the clock. MSU Denver responded to the basket from beyond the arc with four unanswered points on baskets by Brianna Sealy and Jackie Pippett to give the Roadrunners their first and only lead of the game (16-15) as 3:07 remained in the opening period. The lead did not last long, however, as Schlabs hit a left-wing 3-pointer off a Haylee Weathersby steal and a Bertram assist to give BHSU the lead back at 18-16 with 2:21 to play. Schlabs would score the final seven points of the quarter for the Yellow Jackets as they held a 22-20 advantage after ten minutes despite Nevaeh Millard drawing the Roadrunners within two in the closing seconds with a driving right-handed layup.
• Pippett tied the game at 22 apiece with 9:03 to play in the second quarter and that would be the last time the game would be tied as Schlabs gave Black Hills State the lead for good with a 3-pointer from the top of the key off another assist on a kickout pass from Bertram. Ultimately, the freshman scored 13 consecutive points for BHSU and matched her previous career-high of 15 points in the first half, ending with a right-handed reverse layup of an inbounds pass from Bertram as the Green & Gold took a 28-24 lead with 4:08 to play in the period. With the Black Hills State defense locked in, MSU Denver made only one field goal in the second quarter as Pippett made a shot just inside the 3-point arc at the top of the key off an assist from Millard, however, the Yellow Jackets took advantage of the cold shooting as Hammerbeck knocked down a left-wing 3-pointer at the buzzer off a pass from Schlabs and screen from Audrey Norville that pushed the lead to 41-28 with a 19-5 scoring run to enter the break.
• The momentum continued to be all in Black Hills State's favor as Schlabs found Weathersby cutting to the rim for a right-handed layup to start the scoring in the third quarter just 12 seconds in. The Yellow Jackets scored the first nine points of the second quarter as Weathersby ended the rally with a right-handed putback off an offensive rebound, and capping a scoring run that started in the second quarter, at 28-5 as BHSU held their largest lead of the day at 23 points (50-27) with 6:57 to play in the period. The run came to an end when Sealy scored a fastbreak layup off a steal from Millard with 6:15 remaining on the clock, ending a scoring drought of 5:54 that was forced by the relentless Yellow Jacket defense. The steal and layup sparked a 10-3 scoring run for the Roadrunners as they trimmed the lead down to 16 points (53-37) as Millard used a spin move in the paint to get to the rim for a left-handed layup with 35 seconds to play in the quarter. BHSU ended the MSUD rally as Gracie Haneborg went 1-of-2 at the charity stripe to end the scoring in the frame and give the Green & Gold a 54-37 lead entering the fourth quarter.
• Hammerbeck started the scoring in the final quarter of action with a left-handed layup as Bertram found her cutting to the rim from the wing, however, immediately afterwards MSU Denver would string together another scoring run as they cut the deficit to 11 points (58-47) with a 10-2 run that was capped by a pair of Amanda Byrnes free throws with 3:50 to play. The Yellow Jackets would keep the Roadrunners at bay though and not allow the visitors to get within single digits, ending the game by scoring five of the final seven points to earn a 63-49 victory. 

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Bradie Schlabs: 21 points, 8-of-15 field goals, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
Morgan Hammerbeck: 18 points, 3-of-6 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, 1 steal
Kalla Bertram: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State will take to the road for the first time in the 2025 calendar year as they visit New Mexico Highlands on Thursday, January 16, for a 5 p.m. tip-off in the John A. Wilson Complex in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
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