SPEARFISH, S.D.- The Yellow Jackets are continuing their home stand versus two of the top teams in the RMAC starting with CSU Pueblo. The Yellow Jackets are 12-7 (8-4 RMAC) this season and are coming off a 69-54 win over South Dakota Mines to snap their three-game losing streak. CSU Pueblo has also been in the middle of a rough stretch, losing four of their last six games and now sitting at 13-7 (8-4 RMAC). They will meet for the first time this season at A2 Arena in Spearfish at 5 PM on February 6th. 

GAME DETAILS
Date & Time: February 6th at 5 PM
Location: Spearfish, South Dakota- A2 Arena

BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES:
•    Black Hills State enters this game versus CSU Pueblo ranked tied for second in the RMAC at a 12-7 (8-4 RMAC) record. They are coming off of a major home rivalry win versus South Dakota Mines. During the rivalry game, the Yellow Jackets had 69 points, which is the most they've scored since January 9th versus Regis. 
•    The four points allowed to SD Mines in the fourth quarter was the lowest allowed in that frame since January 3rd, 2020, versus Western Colorado. Black Hills State's 13-point fourth quarter margin was the second largest this season only behind the 16-point margin versus Regis. 
•    The crucial part of the game that helped Black Hills State was the three-point shooting. Black Hills State went 7-17 from three, which was the most threes since the Yellow Jackets have made in a game since the UC Colorado Springs game earlier this season, while the 26 field goals was the most since that Regis game.  
•    Black Hills State is ranked third of four RMAC schools in D2CSC South Central Regional Media Poll, appearing for the 11th consecutive week as they dropped two spots to No. 9 on Monday morning. This marks their lowest rank since the week of November 6th, when they were ranked tied for 9th.  
•    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 tied for second in the conference standings after eight wins in their first 12 games to begin RMAC schedule.
•    Through the first 19 games of the season BHSU is averaging 64.0 points, 38.3 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 6.2 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.4 percent from the field, 28.3 percent from 3-point range, and 67.7 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 58.9 points, 31.8 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 6.4 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 38.4 percent from the field, 35.0 percent from 3-point range, and 77.3 percent from the free throw line.
•    The Yellow Jackets currently rank fifth in NCAA Division II in fewest turnovers per game (12.4), seventh in fewest fouls per game (13.2), and 36th in rebound margin (6.5). In the win over South Dakota Mines, BHSU only had 7 turnovers, which was the lowest of the season, they had only 13 fouls and won the rebounding battle 42-34.   
•    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 14th in points per game (13.4) and 10th in rebounds per game (6.9). Additionally, Bertram adds 1.5 steals per game and 2.0 assists per game. She has been efficient shooting the ball as she ranks eighth in the RMAC in field goal percentage, knocking down 96-of-224 shot attempts (42.9%), and has scored in double figures in 14 of the 19 games this year. She has notched a pair of double doubles this season against Lubbock Christian (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Chadron State (19 points, 11 rebounds). She has reached her season-high mark in steals on three different occasions and has recorded multiple steals in eight games. Bertram is coming off one of her better games of the season where she had 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. 
•     Haylee Weathersby, who is second on the team in scoring with 13.4 points and adds 6.3 rebounds per game. She currently ranks third in the RMAC in field goal percentage and 21st in the country, knocking down 98-of-178 (55.1%) shot attempts this year. She has reached double figures and has scored 12 or more points in 12 of 19 games this year in addition to grabbing five or more boards in 15 contests. She is coming off a quieter night with eight points and three rebounds versus the Hardrockers, where she went 4-5 from the field  
•    Morgan Hammerbeck is another player to keep an eye on. She is averaging 11.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. She is shooting the ball 42,6 percent from the field, 35.0 percent on 3-pointers, and 76.7 percent of free throws. She currently ranks seventh in the RMAC in total 3-pointers made (36) and is sixth in 3-pointers per game (1.89). Hammerbeck is coming off her first double-double of her career where she had 18 points and 12 rebounds. The 12 rebounds were a career high. She shot 7-10 from the field and 4-5 from three.  
•    The lone freshman in the starting lineup for each of the first 19 games this year has been Bradie Schlabs is averaging 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She has scored in double figures in 13 games, including a season-high of 21 points versus MSU Denver. She has now had nine of her last ten games with double-digits and six of her last nine with 13 or more points. She has secured four or more boards on 17 occasions, including all the last 15 games. Schlabs has dished out four or more assists in 13 games, eight of the last 12, and has tallied a steal in 17 of 19 games this year. She ranks fourth in the RMAC in assists (81), assists per game (4.3), and third in assist/turnover ratio (1.62), while also ranking 56rd, 41th, and 60th nationally in NCAA Division II in the respective categories. Schlabs is coming off a 16 point, 5 rebound, three assist performance versus South Dakota Mines, where she shot 6-12 from the field including 2-4 from behind the arc
•    Yellow Jacket alumna Rachel Erickson is in her first season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding BHSU to a 12-7 record thus far.

CSU PUEBLO STORYLINES
•    CSU Pueblo enters this game 13-7 (8-4 RMAC) and tied for second in the RMAC but have lost four of their last six and are falling down the RMAC standings late in the season. They are coming off a dominant 34-point win over Westminster where they won 76-42 and that was their third highest scoring game of the season. 
•    CSU Pueblo Head Coach Tommie Johnson is in his sixth season as head coach for the Thunderwolves. He has a career record of 78-78 (57-59 RMAC) and has had three seasons of under a .500 record.  
•    During this past six games, CSU Pueblo has really struggled defensively. Outside of the Westminster game, they have allowed 71.2 points per game, 38.1 percent from the field, 18.8 free throw attempts per game, and have been outrebounded by 26 rebounds combined. They are first in the RMAC in blocks per game (5.8), free throws attempt per game (21.35), and free throws made per game (14.7), they are also ranked third, 33rd, and 34th nationally in each respective category. They are ranked 28th in the nation and second in the RMAC in steals per game with 11.5, and 36th nationally and second as well in defensive field goal percentage (35.9). 
•    The Thunderwolves are led by Alisha Little, who is a top three player in the entire country. She averages 25.4 points per game, which is ranked third in the nation, 11.8 rebounds (sixth in the nation), 3.85 blocks per game (second in the nation). She has 174 free throw attempts, which ranks second in the nation, while leading the nation with 16 double doubles in 20 games played, she also has one triple double, which came against UC Colorado Springs where she finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 blocks. She has reached 25 points in all but four of her last 18 games, while having a double-double in all but one of her last 15 games. She also has multiple steals in eight of her last nine games including eight against Westminster. Little is coming off a massive game versus Westminster, where she had her second highest point total in 33, 15 rebounds, four assists, eight steals, and four blocks.
•    Tomia Johnson is second on the team in scoring with 8.1 points per game and leads the team in assists with 3.6 per game, which is seventh in the RMAC. She has reached four assists in two of the last three games, with her highest being eight assists versus Northern New Mexico. She has reached double digits eight times, which includes three in a row in January, with her high being 20 versus Westminster the first time they faced them. She is coming off a quiet four-point night versus Westminster, where she added three rebounds, two assists, a block, and two steals. 
•    Landri Hudson is their three-point shooter. She ranks 12th in the conference in three-pointers per game with 1.65 and she is shooting 30.8 percent from behind the arc. Hudson has hit a three in 11 of the Thunderwolves last 12 games but is two for her last 13 from range. She is fourth on the team with 7.3 points per game and is coming off an eight-point game versus Westminster, where she went 3-6 from the field and 1-4 from three. 

SERIES HISTORY
•    Black Hills State is currently being destroyed in the series with a record of 8-17 in the matchup. The Yellow Jackets have won half of those in the last five years, winning four of their last six matchups. 
•    The Yellow Jackets got their second straight win versus the Thunderwolves in January of last season when they won 66-64 in A2 Arena. Gracie Haneborg was the team's second leading scorer with ten points in that matchup.