SPEARFISH, S.D.- The Yellow Jackets end the regular season with a home matchup versus New Mexico Highlands, who beat them earlier this season. BHSU, who is now 16-10 (12-7 RMAC) after dropping a tight-knit affair versus Adams State yesterday, is tied for fourth with CSU Pueblo and UCCS in the conference standings. BHSU couldn't close the deficit against Adams State and now might need a win to keep their standing in the South-Central Regional Ranking.  

GAME DETAILS
Date & Time: March 1st at 1 PM
Location: Spearfish, S.D.- A2 Arena

BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES:
•    Black Hills State enters this game versus New Mexico Highlands tied for fourth in the conference at 16-10 (12-6 RMAC). They are coming off a very rough loss to Adams State, where they had an eight point lead late in the third, but allowed a 16-2 run to the Grizzlies, who then took a big lead and never gave it back as BHSU couldn't close the gap in the fourth quarter, which sets them up for a must-win game if BHSU wants to keep their NCAA Tourney hopes alive. 
•    The Yellow Jackets took the most field goal attempts they have taken all season, shooting the ball 70 times last night versus Adams State. They went 28-70 from the field, which was the sixth worst field goal percentage of the season on those shots. One thing BHSU was able to do really well this game was avoid turnovers. Adams State was ranked 21st in the country in turnovers produced. They averaged 21.89 turnovers forced per game. BHSU only had nine turnovers and did a good job of holding on to the ball.  
•    The crucial part of the game that hurt BHSU was their inability to get to the free throw line. BH only took ten free throw attempts in the game, which is the fewest they have taken all season. They went 8-10, which is a good percentage. However, they did hold Adams State to 7-13 from the free throw line, so, it was a very low fouling game in general. 
•    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 ranked at #7 in the NCAA South Central Regional Rankings, meaning they would be in the NCAA tournament if the season ended today. However, after losing to Adams State, who was ranked #8, BHSU might need a win over NMHU to stay in the rankings.   
•    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 19 games to begin RMAC schedule. They officially clinched a RMAC Tournament appearance last Thursday. They were the third RMAC team to do so.
•    Through the first 25 games of the season BHSU is averaging 64.3 points, 38.6 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 6.1 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.6 percent from the field, 28.0 percent from 3-point range, and 69.6 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 59.8 points, 31.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 6.4 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 39.0 percent from the field, 34.2 percent from 3-point range, and 74.1 percent from the free throw line.
•    The Yellow Jackets currently rank eighth in NCAA Division II in fewest turnovers per game (12.5), sixth in fewest fouls per game (13.2), and 31st in rebound margin (6.9). In the loss versus Adams State, BHSU only turned the ball over nine times, which is their fifth time under ten this season. They fouled 17 times, but almost half of those came in the last 45 seconds of the game and they won the rebounding battle for the 20th time this season 41-38. It is their 13th time this season with over 40 rebounds.
•    Leading four players in double figures scoring for Black Hills State is Kalla Bertram who is one of the top scorers and rebounders in the conference, ranking 12th in points per game (14.0) and in rebounds per game (7.0). Additionally, Bertram adds 1.4 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 136-of-321 shot attempts (42.4%), and has scored in double figures in 20 of the 26 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 off a game versus Adams State where she hit her career-high in points with 28. She went 10-22 from the field, 2-7 from three-point range, and 6-6 from the free throw line. She also added six rebounds as well. 
•    Haylee Weathersby is averaging 13.5 points and adds 6.6 rebounds per game. She currently ranks third in the RMAC in field goal percentage and 25th in the country, knocking down 136-of-246 (55.3%) shot attempts this year. She has scored 12 or more points in 18 of 25 games this year in addition to grabbing five or more boards in 21 contests including eight or more in five of the last seven 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 12-point, nine-rebound performance, where she went 6-9 from the field.
•    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, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. She has scored in double figures in 19 games, including a season-high of 24 points versus CSU Pueblo. She has now had 15 of her last 17 games with double-digits and 12 of her last 16 with 13 or more points. She has secured four or more boards on 23 occasions, including 21 of the last 22 games. Schlabs has dished out four or more assists in 17 games, 12 of the last 19, and has tallied a steal in 23 of 26 games this year. She ranks fourth in the RMAC in assists (110), assists per game (4.1), and third in assist/turnover ratio (1.59), while also ranking 63rd, 56th, and 80th nationally in NCAA Division II in the respective categories. Schlabs has officially moved into a tie for 5th all-time in single season assists with 110, passing Tracy Winjum, Lindsey Buthe, Steph Kelly, Rhea Miller, and Amanda Schelle and tying Alexis Krull. Schlabs is a one-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week winner (2-10-25). She is coming off a 13-point, eight-assist, four-rebound performance versus Adams State.    
•    Morgan Hammerbeck is another player to keep an eye on. She is averaging 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. She is shooting the ball 39.8 percent from the field, 31.9 percent on 3-pointers, and 78.7 percent of free throws. She currently ranks eighth in the RMAC in total 3-pointers made (45) and in 3-pointers per game (1.73). Hammerbeck has one double-double this season coming against South Dakota Mines (18 points, 12 rebounds), and is coming off a rough shooting night, where she had seven points on 2-10 from the field and 2-9 from three. She added four rebounds in the game as well.
•    Yellow Jacket alumna Rachel Erickson is in her first season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding BHSU to a 16-10 record thus far.

NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS STORYLINES
•    New Mexico Highlands are entering the game versus the Yellow Jackets 13-12 (10-9 RMAC) They are coming off three losses in their past four games, including a 77-69 loss to South Dakota Mines last night. Highlands is currently in a tie for seventh in the conference with Regis and Colorado School of Mines.
•    NMHU Head Coach Lindsey Fearing is a former Yellow Jacket under BHSU Athletic Director Mark Nore and will be her third meeting versus BH since she was named Head Coach last year. Fearing is 1-2 versus the Yellow Jackets. She is in the midst of her first season and is 13-12 in her career.
•    The Cowgirls are a top three team in the RMAC in multiple categories on both the offensive and defensive end. They are ranked first in bench points per game (26.6), second in field goal percentage (42.7), three-point percentage (32.1), and turnovers forced per game (19.16), they are third in assists per game (13.5), scoring offense (70.2), steals per game (10.3), and turnover margin (2.48). In the game versus SD Mines, NMHU had 30 bench points, 39.0 percent field goal percentage, 41.7 percent three-point percentage, and won the turnover battle 16-11. 
•    The Cowgirls are averaging 70.2 points per game, 34.1 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 10.3 steals, and 2.2 blocks, while shooting 42.7 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three-point range, and 73.7 percent from the charity stripe. Their opponents are averaging 68.3 points per game, 36.1 rebounds, 11.9 assists, 8.7 steals, and 2.1 blocks, while shooting 41.0 percent from the field, 29.0 percent from three, and 72.8 percent from the free-throw line. 
•    Freshman Guard Kapiolani Anitielu is the leading scorer for the Cowgirls. She is eighth in the conference in scoring averaging 16.3 points per game and is sixth in three pointers per game with 1.96. Anitielu is also the leading rebounder for the team (5.4) and is fourth in the RMAC in blocks per game (1.09) and sixth total blocks (25). She is fifth in the conference in steals per game as well (2.04). Anitielu has reached double-digit points in 19 of 23 games this season, including 9 of the last 11 she's played in. She has also reached five plus rebounds in six of the last eight and 13 total. She also has reached four steals in two of the last four games. She's had a steal in all but five games this season. Anitielu is one of the frontrunners for RMAC Freshman of the Year and is a one-time RMAC Defensive Player of the Week (1-20-25) but has missed the past two and a half games. 
•    Juliana Aragon is the second leading scorer for the Cowgirls, she is ninth in the RMAC in points per game (16.2), first in free throw percentage (87.1), and third in assists per game (4.5) and total assists (112). Aragon is has reached double-digits in 21 of the 25 games this season, including ten of the last 12 since she dropped 16 on BHSU the first time they faced us. The game after NMHU beat us, Aragon dropped 34 versus Chadron State, which was a career high. She comes off the bench for Highlands and has reached five or more assists in eight of the last ten. She is coming off a game versus South Dakota Mines where she dropped 20 for the seventh time this season and shot 5-15 from the field and 9-9 from the line with three assists.
•    Sophomore guard Aspen Salazar is the third leading scorer for New Mexico Highlands, averaging 9.4 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game with 1.9 steals and 2.0 blocks. She is shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 89.8 percent from the free throw line. She has had double-digits in each of the last seven games and has been the leading scorer for NMHU in the past three games since Anitielu missed. She is coming off a 13-point, 5-rebound performance versus South Dakota Mines where she shot 5-17 from the field and 3-4 from the line with two assists and three steals.

SERIES HISTORY
•    BHSU is now 16-1 all time versus New Mexico Highlands with their 16-game win streak coming to an end last month in Las Vegas, New Mexico. When BHSU lost 77-63 for their first conference loss of the season. BHSU was held to 2-15 from three and only had three offensive rebounds and had one of their worst turnover games to that point with 18. Weathersby led the way with 19 points, while Bertram and Schlabs each had 16.