MOORHEAD, Minn. – Despite shooting better than 50 percent for the third consecutive game to open the season, the No. 17 Black Hills State University men's basketball team suffered their first set back of the season to (RV) MSU Moorhead. The Yellow Jackets were unable to slow the hot-shooting Dragons as they shot 60.0 percent from the field, led by sixth-man Dominic Gooden who scored the program's most points in a game since 1996 as he poured in 43 on 12-of-16 shooting from the floor, 6-of-8 from beyond the arc, and was 13-of-14 at the charity stripe. The Green & Gold on the other hand saw five players in double figures as Cam Lowe, Myles Johnson, Jaeton Hackley, Joel Speckman, and Tristan Hurdle combined for 69 points on 26-of-45 shooting from the floor at a 57.8 percent clip.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Score: No. 17 Black Hills State 85, (RV) MSU Moorhead 100
Team Records: No. 17 Black Hills State 2-1 (0-0 RMAC), (RV) MSU Moorhead 1-2 (0-0 NSIC)
Attendance: 891
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams traded 3-pointers on their first possessions of the match-up as Tysen Gerads hit a jumper from the right-corner and Cam Lowe answered with left-corner triple just 30 seconds in. The track meet continued as BHSU held a 15-12 advantage as Jaeton Hackley made a driving right-handed layup, as BHSU opened the game 7-of-8 from the field, meanwhile MSUM began 5-of-6 from the field.
• Black Hills State opened up a ten point first half advantage at 26-16 with 10:59 to play as Myles Johnson used a steal and layup to cap a 17-6 scoring run. The Dragons then answered with a 3-pointer the ensuing possession with a top of the key 3-pointer by Isa El-Amin, sparking a 33-15 response that ended with steal and layup by Sam Hondl as time expired with a 49-41 MSUM advantage.
• MSU Moorhead pushed their lead to double digits for the first time with the first basket of the second half as Kabine Kaba connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it a 52-41 game with 18:18 remaining. Following the opening 3-pointer, Lowe got the Yellow Jackets back on track as he converted a 4-point play after being fouled on a right-wing 3-pointer, sparking an 8-2 scoring run to claw back within five points at 54-49 as Johnson recorded a steal and dunk with 16:23 to play.
• The Dragons then responded with another run of their own, posting an 8-3 scoring run to extend the lead back to double digits at 62-51 with 14:09 on the clock. MSU Moorhead saw their largest lead of the contest at 13 points a minute and a half later as Dominic Gooden made a free throw to make it 67-54.
• The Green & Gold made one last push with a 17-7 scoring run over a four and a half minute stretch, capped by BJ Woodruff knocking down a right-corner 3-pointer off a kickout pass by Hackley, making it 74-71 with 7:57 left on the clock. Despite the momentum, five consecutive points by Gooden started a stretch of eight consecutive points for the Dragons as they finished the game by outscoring the Yellow Jackets 26-14.

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Cam Lowe: 21 points, 7-12 field goals, 2-7 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Myles Johnson: 15 points, 7-14 field goals, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals
Jaeton Hackley: 12 points, 4-9 field goals, 4-4 free throws, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Joel Speckman: 11 points, 4-5 field goals, 3-4 free throws, 1 rebound
Tristan Hurdle: 10 points, 4-5 field goals, 2-3 3-pointers, 1 rebound
 
UP NEXT
The No. 17 Black Hills State Yellow Jackets remain in Moorhead, Minnesota, for their second game of the East/West Challenge as they face Augustana on Saturday, November 22, at 2:30 p.m. MT / 3:30 p.m. CT in Nemzek Fieldhouse.
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