SPEARFISH, S.D.- Black Hills State Women's Basketball (1-1) will look to get back on track after falling in the second matchup of the opening season. They will head to Minnesota for the first of three matchups against Northern Sun teams. They will face Minnesota Crookston (0-2) Wednesday at 3 PM MST in the Lysaker Gymnasium in the UMC Sports Center.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Date/Time/Location: Saturday, November 18 / 4 p.m. CST/ 3 PM MST / Crookston, MN. / Lysaker Gymnasium in UMC Sports Center
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online at the link above.
KDSJ Radio: Black Hills State women's basketball continues to air live on KDSJ Radio with the voice of the Yellow Jackets, Steve Ammerman, giving the play-by-play for all the action.
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• The Yellow Jackets are a brand-new team. They only have seven returning players and only two saw meaningful minutes last year with only one starter returning in Bradie Schlabs. Last year the Yellow Jackets went 18-11 (13-7 RMAC) and finished fourth in the conference and won a game in the RMAC Tournament. They bring in three transfers and six freshmen, while getting two girls back from injury.
• The Yellow Jackets are now 1-1 after falling in a down to the wire game versus St. Mary's. They were leading in the final minute before the Rattlers hit a late three to put them up two and the Yellow Jackets couldn't answer. The Yellow Jackets continued their incredible rebounding with 46 rebounds compared to 40 for the Rattlers. BHSU had 25 offensive rebounds, which was the single most in a game since December 10, 2016. They are now averaging 21.5 offensive rebounds per game.
• Through the first two games of the season BHSU is averaging 65.5 points, 46.0 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 9.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 35.3 percent from the field, 29.8 percent from 3-point range, and 63.6 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 51.5 points, 32.0 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 5.5 steals, and 4.5 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 39.6 percent from the field, 31.4 percent from 3-point range, and 64.0 percent from the free throw line.
• BHSU is ranked top 50 in the country in eight different stats so far this year. They are third in offensive rebounds per game (21.5) and first in the RMAC. 16^th in turnovers per game (12.5), 16^th in rebound margin (14.0), 25^th in rebounds per game (46.0), 32^nd in scoring defense (51.5), 33^rd in assist/turnover ratio (1.04), 33^rd in fouls per game (15.0), and 41^st in turnover margin (5.5), and 50^th in scoring margin (14.0).
• The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish sixth in the conference in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll with 127 points and one third place vote.
• Reigning All-RMAC Second Team Bradie Schlabs is the only starter returning this year. She was named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. Schlabs was third on the team last year with 12.6 points per game, 5.4 rebounds a game and a historic 4.4 assists per game. Her 129 assists was good enough for third all-time in a single season in BHSU history and so were her 4.4 assists per game. She was the first player in BHSU history to have 300 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in the same season and was the first player since 2023 to win an RMAC Player of the Week award. She reached double-digit points in 17 of her last 20 games and had three double doubles. She had a career-high 24 points versus CSUP, 12 rebounds versus Sioux Falls and eight assists versus Adams. Schlabs struggled in her second game after dropping 23 in the first. She only scored five points against St. Mary's, but had five rebounds, and five assists.
• Addie Branscum is a newcomer, who is set to make a huge impact for the Yellow Jackets. In her freshman season with RMAC opponent Regis, Branscum is averaging 16.0 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from behind the arc, which leads the conference and is 54^th in the country. Her career-high is now 19 points, which she just accomplished, and 13 rebounds, which she did late in the season versus Colorado Christian. Branscum scored 13 points in the Jacket's game versus SEU. She had ten of those in the first quarter. She also had four rebounds and two steals. In the second game, Branscum had a career night going 7-13 from the field and 3-4 from three en route to a career-high 19 points in the game versus StMU. She also had six rebounds.
• Brinlee McRae is the other big transfer for BHSU. As one of only two upperclassmen, she brings a lot of experience and leadership to this young squad. McRae spent last season at in-state foe Augustana, where she started in 13 games and played 19.7 minutes per game. She averaged 6.5 points per game with 33 assists and 38 steals. She had a 33.0 percent field goal percentage and made 29-88 threes. She reached ten points nine times including a season-high 18 versus Hastings. Brinlee started her BHSU career strong with eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 22 minutes of play. She shot 4-8 from the field. She had five points and six rebounds in the game versus the Rattlers.
• Emily Cooper was the other top player for the Yellow Jackets in the game versus St. Edward's. She saw 26 minutes of play, which is seven minutes more than her previous career-high. She had seven points, seven rebounds (career-high), three assists (career-high), and three steals (career-high). Cooper had six points, two rebounds, and three assists in the game versus St. Mary's but went 2-11 from three.
• Audrey Norville has turned into a solid player for BHSU. She played a lot of minutes last year and has now been thrown into the starting lineup. After not scoring in the first game versus SEU, Norville had a stellar second start, where she had her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Each of those were career highs. She shot 3-7 from three, which the three three-pointers were a career high also.
• Head coach Kelly Kruger is entering into his first season as Interim Head Coach of the BHSU Yellow Jackets. He is 1-1 in his time with the Green and Gold. He is in his 35th season as a head coach, however, and has a record of 532-447 with programs across all levels of college basketball including Northwestern College, Southwest Minnesota State, Adams State, Ashford University, and Iowa Central Community College.

 
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON STORYLINES

• The Minnesota Crookston Eagles are 0-2 this year after falling to Nebraska Kearney and Pittsburgh State on the opening weekend. They lost by a combined 15 points over the two games and only lost by four to PSU on Saturday.  Crookston is coming off a year where they went 9-20 (7-15 NSIC) and finished in a tie for 12^th in the conference
• Through the first two games of the season UMC is averaging 70.0 points, 34.5 rebounds, 12,0 assists, 4.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 42.3 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from 3-point range, and 67.9 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 77.5 points, 43.0 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 7.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 42.5 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from 3-point range, and 68.8 percent from the free throw line.
• The Golden Eagles are top 80 in four categories this year so far. They are 29^th in three-pointers per game (8.5), 41^st in three-point percentage (36.2), 76^th in three point attempts per game (23.5), and 76^th in field goal percentage (42.3).
• Minnesota Crookston was picked to finish 11^th in the NSIC with 85 points and sixth in the NSIC North Division with 22 points. In both polls, they were picked just behind Northern State and ahead of Bemidji State.
• Emma Miller is easily the star and one of the best players in the conference. She averaged 22.7 points per game last year and is on pace to be even better this year. So far, through two games, she is averaging 25.0 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and six assists per game. She has shot 41.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from behind the arc. Miller is a senior 5-1 guard, who scored 27 versus Kearney and 23 versus PSU in her first two games. She plays 40 minutes a game, is 15^th in the country in assists per game, and is 12^th in points per game.
• Riley Jenkins is second on the team in scoring with 12.5 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game. She shoots 40.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from behind the arc. She's scored in double-digits in both games so far with 14 versus PSU.
• Rayna Klejeski is the third leading scorer for UMC and is tied for the lead in rebounds per game. She averages 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds and just dropped 17 versus PSU with eight rebounds. She has had at least seven rebounds in each game this year and shot 6-11 (.545) and 2-2 from three in that game. She is 3-3 from behind the arc this season.
• Head Coach Natalie Moynihan is in her third season with the Golden Eagles and is 18-41 all time with the team. She has never had more than nine wins in a season so far and is 0-2 this year.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• The Yellow Jackets and Golden Eagles met for the first time in their programs history last year with BHSU taking the win 70-62 in A2 Arena last year. Emma Miller and Riley Jenkins combined for 39 points last year in this matchup, while current players on BHSU combined for five.