SPEARFISH, S.D.- Black Hills State Women's Basketball (1-4) are set to begin RMAC play this week, where they will face the South Dakota Mines Hardrockers (1-5) in Rapid City Tuesday night. They will look break their four-game losing streak and grab a win to begin the conference season.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Date/Time/Location: Tuesday, December 2 / 5:30 p.m. / Rapid City, S.D. / King Center
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online at the link above.
RMAC Network: Beginning in the 2025-26 season the RMAC Network will now move to Pay-Per-View. Fans can purchase a single game pass ($10), monthly ($25) or annual subscription ($130). Individuals with bhsu.edu or yellowjackets.bhsu.edu email address can still take advantage of the Peak Pricing Promotion by using the code Y26-RMACEDU.
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 1-4 after falling to Northern State and Sioux Falls in the East/West Challenge. The Yellow Jackets held the lead late versus Northern and were within two of the lead versus Sioux Falls late, but were unable to get wins in either matchup. BHSU continued to outrebound their opponents winning the rebounding margin 74-68 over the two games and have now won the rebounding battle in all five games this season.
• Through the first five games of the season BHSU is averaging 63.8 points, 40.6 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 7.8 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 37.6 percent from the field, 29.1 percent from 3-point range, and 65.4 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 60.6 points, 33.2 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 5.8 steals, and 3.2 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 43.1 percent from the field, 31.2 percent from 3-point range, and 67.1 percent from the free throw line.
• BHSU is ranked top 90 in the country in five different stats so far this year. They are 41^st in offensive rebounds per game (15.6) and first in the RMAC. 44^th in rebound margin (7.4), 69^th in turnovers per game (15.4), 82^nd in rebounds per game (40.6), and 89^th in scoring defense (60.6).
• 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.
• Addie Branscum is a newcomer, who is already making a huge impact for the Yellow Jackets. Branscum, a transfer from Regis, is averaging 12.4 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 38.2 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from behind the arc, which is second in the conference. 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 has now had ten points in four of the five games this year. She has also reached four rebounds in every game. Branscum had her first single-digit game of her season with only four points versus Sioux Falls after scoring 14 in the game versus Northern State. She had 11 rebounds and three assists those games as well.
• Sawyer Stoebner is second on the team in scoring with 10.2 points per game after putting up her second ten plus point outing in Sioux Falls. She went out and put 15 points on the Cougars and shot 7-7 from the free throw line. This was just after she had her first 20-point game of her career versus Minnesota Crookston. She is also averaging 5.6 rebounds a game and had 14 rebounds during the East/West Challenge with a career-high eight versus Sioux Falls.
• Reigning All-RMAC Second Team Bradie Schlabs is the only starter returning this year. She was named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. She has started the year averaging 9.2 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists. After becoming the first player in BHSU history to have 300 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a season last year, the sophomore made it back to double-digits versus Sioux Falls going 6-13 from the field and scoring 13 points. She had five assists in that game as well, while providing a rebound in every game this year
• Emily Cooper is in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native is averaging 7.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists this year while shooting 35.9 percent form the field on 14-39 shooting. Cooper is coming off the best game of her career where she had a career-high 14 points versus Sioux Falls. She shot 5-12 from the field and 3-10 from the three-point line. While also adding three rebounds and three assists.
• 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 has put up five rebounds in four of the five games this year and recorded three steals versus Sioux Falls.
• Head coach Kelly Kruger is in the midst of his first season as Interim Head Coach of the BHSU Yellow Jackets. He is 1-4 in his time with the Green and Gold. He is in his 35th season as a head coach, however, and has a record of 532-450 with programs across all levels of college basketball including Northwestern College, Southwest Minnesota State, Adams State, Ashford University, and Iowa Central Community College.

 
SOUTH DAKOTA MINES STORYLINES

• South Dakota Mines is entering this game 1-5 and have lost their last three in a row. They fell to both St. Mary's and St. Edward and didn't win in the East/West Challenge. They just lost to Minot State this past Saturday 75-69. Their only win this season is against Nebraska Wesleyan.
• Through the first two games of the season SDM is averaging 60.8 points, 32.0 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 6.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 36.8 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from 3-point range, and 69.4 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 67.8 points, 33.8 rebounds, 13.8 assists, 7.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.8 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from 3-point range, and 73.0 percent from the free throw line.
• The Hardrockers are top 90 in the country in five categories. They are 63^rd in turnovers per game (15.1), 65^th in three pointers per game (7.6), 73^rd in three-point attempts per game (23.3), 75^th in fouls per game (16.3), and 83^rd in three-point percentage (32.8)
• South Dakota Mines was predicted to finish 11^th in the RMAC with 56 points just ahead of Fort Lewis and just behind Colorado Christian.
• Savea Mansfield is the scoring leader so far for SDM this season. The senior is averaging 14.0 points per game, 5.3 rebounds a game and is shooting 30-67 (.448) from the field and 74.2 percent from the line while ranking fifth in the conference in total free throws and sixth in free throws attempted. She ranks third in the RMAC in offensive rebounds per game with 3.4 as well. She has scored ten points in ever game this year and just had her first 20-point game of the season against Minot State, while also putting up seven rebounds.
• Morning Grace Spotted Bear is once again having a great season so far the Hardrockers. She's second on the team in points per game with 12.2, but is leading the team in rebounds with 7.0 and assists with 2.5. Spotted Bear is fifth in field goal attempts with 82 in the RMAC and is fifth in rebounds with 42. She started the year off with 46 points in the first three games averaging 15 points per, but after a couple of rough games on the offensive end, she bounced back versus Minot by putting up her first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds on 6-18 from the field.
• Freshman Addison Miranda has emerged as one of the top three-point shooters in the RMAC. The freshman is averaging 11.8 points per game while shooting 41.3 percent from behind the arc and 42.9 percent from the field. She is first in the conference with three pointers (19), three-point attempts (46), and three-pointers per game (3.2), while ranking second in three-point percentage (41.3). Miranda reached ten points in four of the six games this year including 23 versus Nebraska Wesleyan where she went 7-15 from three. She has made three pointers in five of six games this year and is averaging 36 minutes a game. She had 12 points on 2-5 from behind the arc versus Minot State. She also leads the team with 13 steals including five versus NWU.
• Head Coach Kyley Bachand is entering her first season with South Dakota Mines and her third season as a NCAA head coach. Bachand is 1-5 at SDM and is 15-45 overall after going 14-40 at William Jewell College over two seasons there.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• BHSU is dominating the all-time series versus the Hardrockers, currently holding a 36-19 record over SDM. They have won six straight games dating back to the 2021-22 season and have won their last three in Rapid City.
• Last year, the Green and Gold went 2-0 versus SDM and won each game by a combined 29 points.
• Schlabs put up 16 points in their last game versus South Dakota Mines in Spearfish last year, while Stoebner, Schlabs, and Norville combined for 17 points in Rapid last year.