SPEARFISH, S.D.- The Yellow Jackets are heading into the final regular season weekend of the year. They are currently tied with Adams State for third in the conference, which is perfect, because it's Adams State week. The Yellow Jackets (16-9 (12-6 RMAC)) will host the Grizzlies (17-10 (12-6 RMAC)) in order to move one step closer to a home RMAC tournament game.  

GAME DETAILS
Date & Time: February 27th at 5 PM
Location: Spearfish, S.D.- A2 Arena

BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES:
•    Black Hills State enters this game versus Adams State tied with them for third in the RMAC at a 16-9 (12-6 RMAC) record. They are coming off of a incredibly close back-and-forth affair versus top seeded Colorado Mesa, where they lost 77-74. It was so close that the largest lead of the game was only seven and that was midway through the fourth quarter. 
•    The Yellow Jackets for the first time this season shot over 50% from the three-point line in the game versus Mesa. BHSU went 7-13 from behind the arc. The 53.8 percent from the three-point line was the first time since February 10th of last year versus MSU Denver that BHSU had shot over 50% from deep. 
•    The crucial part of the game that kept BHSU in it besides three-point shooting was their offense and free throws. BHSU made their second highest amount of free throws this year. The 19-23 was the best percentage since they shot 11-12 versus Regis. The 47.1 percent from the field was the second highest mark of the 2025 calendar year. 
•    The 12 double-doubles BHSU has this year is the most in BHSU's D2 history. All five starters have at least one double double. The five different players with at least one is also the most in team history and the three players with multiple double-doubles is once again the most in team history. Currently, Kalla Bertram just got her fourth Thursday versus the Griffins. Haylee Weathersby and Bradie Schlabs each have three, while Morgan Hammerbeck and Gracie Haneborg have one. 
•    Black Hills State is officially in the under consideration ranking in the NCAA Regional Rankings. Which means they are in the top 10 for consideration to the NCAA Tournament.  
•    Black Hills State had been picked to finish ninth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 94 points in the vote among head coaches. They are currently third in the conference standings after 12 wins in 18 games to begin RMAC schedule. They officially clinched a RMAC Tournament appearance Thursday. They were the third RMAC team to do so.
•    Through the first 25 games of the season BHSU is averaging 64.2 points, 38.5 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 6.2 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.7 percent from the field, 28.4 percent from 3-point range, and 69.4 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 59.1 points, 31.5 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 6.5 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 38.5 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from 3-point range, and 75.0 percent from the free throw line.
•    The Yellow Jackets currently rank eighth in NCAA Division II in fewest turnovers per game (12.7), sixth in fewest fouls per game (13.1), and 31st in rebound margin (7.0). In the win over Westminster, BHSU only turned the ball over 10 times, which was their lowest in five games. They did foul 18 times, which is tied for the highest number of fouls BHSU has committed in RMAC play this season. They did win the rebounding battle 35-26, which helped their rebounding margin. 
•    Leading four players in double figures scoring for Black Hills State is Haylee Weathersby, who is averaging 13.6 points and adds 6.5 rebounds per game. She currently ranks third in the RMAC in field goal percentage and 25th in the country, knocking down 130-of-237 (54.9%) shot attempts this year. She has scored 12 or more points in 17 of 24 games this year in addition to grabbing five or more boards in 20 contests including eight or more in four of the last six games. She is now at three double doubles this season against Chadron State (14 points, 10 rebounds), Colorado Christian (29 points, 10 rebounds), and UCCS (15 points, 10 rebounds). She is coming off a 17-point, 9-rebound performance against Colorado Mesa, where she shot 5-10 from the field and 7-8 from the charity stripe.   
•    Kalla Bertram who is one of the top scorers and rebounders in the conference, ranking 12th in points per game (13.5) and in rebounds per game (7.1). Additionally, Bertram adds 1.5 steals per game and 2.1 assists per game. She has been efficient shooting the ball as she ranks tenth in the RMAC in field goal percentage, knocking down 126-of-299 shot attempts (42.1%), and has scored in double figures in 19 of the 25 games this year. She has notched four double doubles this season against Lubbock Christian (17 points, 11 rebounds), Chadron State (19 points, 11 rebounds), CSU Pueblo (17 points, 10 rebounds), and Westminster (13 points, 12 rebounds). She has reached her season-high mark in steals on three different occasions and has recorded multiple steals in 15 games. Bertram is coming her worst game in February against Colorado Mesa, where she only had nine points and six rebounds. 
•    The lone freshman in the starting lineup for each of the first 25 games this year has been Bradie Schlabs is averaging 12.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She has scored in double figures in 18 games, including a season-high of 24 points versus CSU Pueblo. She has now had 14 of her last 16 games with double-digits and 11 of her last 15 with 13 or more points. She has secured four or more boards on 22 occasions, including 20 of the last 21 games. Schlabs has dished out four or more assists in 16 games, 11 of the last 18, and has tallied a steal in 22 of 25 games this year. She ranks fourth in the RMAC in assists (102), assists per game (4.1), and third in assist/turnover ratio (1.50), while also ranking 63th, 56th, and 80th nationally in NCAA Division II in the respective categories. Schlabs has officially moved into 6th all-time in single season assists with 99, passing Tracy Winjum, Lindsey Buthe, Steph Kelly, Rhea Miller, and Amanda Schelle. Schlabs is a one-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week winner (2-10-25). She is coming off one of her best games of the season where she reached 20 points for the third time and added four rebounds and three assists. She shot 6-13 from the field, 2-2 from three, and 6-6 from the free-throw line. She has made 16 of her last 18 free throws.   
•    Morgan Hammerbeck is another player to keep an eye on. She is averaging 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. She is shooting the ball 40.6 percent from the field, 32.6 percent on 3-pointers, and 79.7 percent of free throws. She currently ranks eighth in the RMAC in total 3-pointers made (43) and in 3-pointers per game (1.72). Hammerbeck has one double-double this season coming against South Dakota Mines (18 points, 12 rebounds), and is coming off one of her best games this month, where she had 14 points, three rebounds, and two assists on 5-13 from the field, 2-5 from behind the arc, and 2-2 from the free throw line.    
•    Yellow Jacket alumna Rachel Erickson is in her first season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding BHSU to a 16-9 record thus far.

ADAMS STATE STORYLINES
•    Adams State enters this game sitting at a 17-10 (12-6 RMAC) record tied with BHSU for third in the conference, while having won 7 of last 9 and three in a row. There most recent weekend ended with a 30-point win over CSU Pueblo. In that game, they held Pueblo to 31 percent from the field and 27 percent from behind the arc. 
•    Adams State Head Coach Mario Caetano is in his fourth season as head coach of the Grizzlies. He has a career record of 75-43 and has led Adams State to back-to-back second round finishes in the NCAA Tournament. He has gone 46-18 the previous two seasons and is 17-10 this year. 
•    Adams State is one of the top teams in the country in a few defensive categories. They are ranked ninth in turnover margin (7.41), 21st in turnovers forced per game (21.89), and 14th in steals per game (12.1). They are also top 50 in the country in scoring defense (66.0). The Grizzlies take 20.22 free throws per game, top 50 in the country and make 14.33 a game, also top 50 in the country. So, they get to the line a lot and steal a lot. Versus CSU Pueblo they forced 10 steal and 18 turnovers while going 13-16 from the free throw line. 
•    The Grizzlies are averaging 71.3 points per game, 33.9 rebounds, 12.1 assists, 12.1 steals, and 2.3 blocks, while shooting 39.5 percent from the field, 31.2 percent from three, and 70.9 percent from the free throw line. On the other hand, they are allowing 66.0 points, 41.6 rebounds, 12.1 assists, 6.8 steals, and 2.0 blocks, while opponents are shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 30.6 percent from three, and 72.2 percent from the charity stripe.  
•    Junior guard Kiiyani Anitielu is the top player for the Grizzlies. She leads the team and is seventh in the conference in scoring with 17.6 points per game. She also averages 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.1 steals. She is second in the conference with an 82.4 percent clip from the free throw line. She also shoots 44.1 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from three. She has scored in double digits in all but four games this year and has reached that mark in each of the last nine games, which includes a 52-point performance that broke a 46-year-old RMAC record. She has won back-to-back RMAC Offensive Player of the Week's and is coming off a 28-point performance versus CSU Pueblo, where she went 12-19 from the field and added three steals.  
•    Taejhaun Hill is the second leading scorer for the Grizzlies with 13.6 points per game, while also leading the team with 268 rebounds (18th in the country) and 9.9 rebounds per game (29th in country). She is sixth nationally with 15 double-doubles. She is also ranked 23rd in free throw attempts with 153. She has reached the double-double mark in each of the last 12 games. She has reached double digits in 19 games and has made it over the 20-point mark three times. She has also reached double digit rebounds in 15 games this season. Including 11 of the last 12. She is coming off an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double versus CSU Pueblo. She went 5-11 from the field.
•    The third and final player in double-digits for ASU is Angeline Nageak, who is averaging 11.3 points per game. Her main ability is stealing the ball. Nageak ranks 19th in the country in steals per game with 2.91 a game. She is also 30th in total steals with 67. She has recorded three or more steals in 13 games. She also recorded double-digits in 11 games, but only once in the previous four. She is also averaging 4.0 steals per game, which is shown by her 17 games with three or more assists. She is coming off a game versus CSU Pueblo, where she had her worst scoring output of the season, scoring two points, while having three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. 

SERIES HISTORY
•    CSU Pueblo currently is losing the all-time season series at 10-5. However, they have lost five of the last seven and three in a row dating back to 2020. BHSU's last win versus Pueblo was in February of 2023 when they won 67-60 at home.  
•    The last time these two faced off was in the RMAC tournament last season in the first round. BHSU was a six seed and Adams State was the three seed. Adams State blew out BHSU 83-63 in Alamosa with Morgan Hammerbeck being the only player with more than nine points, scoring 20.