SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's basketball team looks to send their two seniors, Caelin Hearne and John Shanklin, out on top as they look to protect a current 5-game win streak in A2 Arena when they host New Mexico Highlands. The Yellow Jackets will also be looking to position themselves in the upcoming RMAC Tournament with four teams within a game of each other in second through fifth place entering the final day of the regular season. Additionally, BHSU will seek their third sweep of a conference opponent this year when the team's tip-off at 3 p.m. inside of A2 Arena.
 
GAME DETAILS
Date & Time: Saturday, March 1 at 3 p.m.
Location: Spearfish, S.D. – A2 Arena
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters the final game of the regular season with a record of 16-11 (12-7 RMAC) after holding off a competitive Adams State team by a score of 100-93 on Thursday night. In the contest the Yellow Jackets reached the century mark for just the seventh time in program history, and the first time since a 103-97 victory at Adams State on February 24, 2023. Additionally, it was the 3-point shot and efficient ball movement that lifted BHSU to the win, knocking down 18 shots from beyond the arc, tying for the second most in program history and doing so at a 60.0 percent clip which was third best in school history (min. 10 made). The Green & Gold assisted on a season-high 24 baskets, tying for third most in school history, but also marked the third time this season alone they dished out 20 or more in a game.
• During the current 5-game home winning streak, the Yellow Jackets have taken over in the second half with their defense, outscoring Western Colorado, South Dakota Mines, CSU Pueblo, UCCS, and Adams State by a combined 198-153 in the final 20 minutes of the contests. The stifling defense held those opponents to just 47-of-134 (35.1%) from the field and 7-of-40 (17.5%) from 3-point range. The 44 points by Hardrockers were a season-low for the Green & Gold.
• After a pair of tough non-conference losses in the final seconds early in the season, the Yellow Jackets are now 7-2 in A2 Arena in RMAC action. Additionally, BHSU is 74-18 (80.4%) against RMAC opponents at home since 2017-18.
• Black Hills State was picked to finish fourth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 157 points in the vote by the head coaches. They are currently tied with Colorado Mesa for fourth place in the conference standings with a 12-7 record. The Yellow Jackets have secured their eighth consecutive 10-win season in conference play, dating back to the 2017-18 season, and have won 12 or more league games in four straight years.
• Through 27 games in the 2024-25 season BHSU is averaging 76.7 points, 35.9 rebounds, 13.9 assists, 5.2 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 48.2 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from 3-point range, and 71.6 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents have averaged 69.8 points, 33.1 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 7.2 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.6 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from 3-point range, and 75.6 percent from the free throw line.
• BHSU has knocked down at least six or more 3-pointers in each RMAC contest this season and on 12 occasions have connected on ten or more made shots from beyond the arc in a league game this year. As a team the Yellow Jackets are 193-of-484 (39.9%) and are averaging 10.2 made 3-pointers in the 19 league match-ups.
• The Yellow Jackets currently rank 13^th in NCAA Division II in 3-point field goal percentage, 24^th in effective field goal percentage (56.0%), and 25^th in field goal percentage defense. BHSU currently leads the RMAC in field goal percentage defense, 3-point percentage, and 3-pointers per game.
• Cam Lowe has emerged as the top scorer and rebounder for the Yellow Jackets, averaging 15.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He adds 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting the ball 49.8 percent from the field, 38.7 percent from 3-point range, and 79.5 percent from the free throw line. Among RMAC leaders he currently ranks third in rebounds per game, fourth in points per game, sixth in field goal percentage, and seventh in 3-pointers per game (2.04). He's scored in double figures 21 times on the year, including in eight consecutive games. He poured in a career-high of 28 points in a thrilling overtime win at UCCS, shooting 7-of-9 from the field, 6-of-7 from 3-point range, and 8-of-8 from the charity stripe, one of seven 20-point performances this year. Additionally, as one of the conference's most active rebounders, he's secured eight or more rebounds in 17 contests this season, including ten or more in eight games which includes a career-high of 14 against Augustana. He's posted a team-high seven double-doubles this season. In the most recent game against Adams State on Thursday night he scored 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and 7-of-7 from 3-point range, matching the BHSU and RMAC record for 3-point percentage as he was the first Yellow Jacket to ever be perfect from beyond the arc on seven attempts and the sixth in conference history.
• As the Yellow Jackets enter the final game of the regular Caelin Hearne remains on milestone watch as he closes in on becoming the next 1,000 point scorer in Black Hills State history with 985 points and counting. Among the top scoring threats for the Green & Gold all season long he currently averages 14.5 points while adding 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. He has scored in double figures in 21 of the 26 games he's played in this year for the Yellow Jackets, including four times in which he scored 20 or more points and a career-best 30 points in a win over Sioux Falls. While having made 139-of-304 field goal attempts this season, he is shooting 45.7 percent from the field which is eighth-best in the conference. Additionally, with 51 made 3-pointers, he is one of three BHSU sharpshooters to have made 50 or more shots from distance this season while shooting 38.0 percent or better as he is knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a 38.9 percent clip. Averaging 1.96 3-pointers per game, which ranks tenth in the conference, on ten occasions he has knocked down three or more shots from distance, including a season-best performance of 5-of-6 shooting from deep against USF. He has also secured four or more rebounds ten times and dished out three or more assists eight times.
• The facilitator and defensive leader for the Green & Gold is Jaeton Hackley, who leads the team in assists (3.8) and steals (1.4) while adding 11.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. The redshirt sophomore has scored in double figures 17 times this season, which includes a pair of 20-point outings. He scored a career-high of 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 7-of-7 from the free throw line against No. 8/10 Colorado School of Mines last month. Among his seven games this season with four or more rebounds, he secured a career-high of seven boards in the first match-up against South Dakota Mines. His active defense has resulted in 13 multi-steal games, including a career-high of four steals in the victory over Chadron State in December, while he also shattered a career-high with ten assists in the same contest. His first career double-double with 13 points and ten assists against CSC marked the first time since February 10, 2023, that a Yellow Jacket tallied double digit assists when Adam Moussa notched a triple-double against UCCS. He is now up to 14 games of four or more assists this season after doing so in now nine of the last ten games as he averages 5.7 in the last ten games. He currently ranks fourth in the RMAC in assist/turnover ratio (1.89), total assists (102), and assists per game, while also ranking tenth in total steals (38).
• Tristan Hurdle has emerged as one of the top sharpshooters in the nation as he leads both the RMAC and NCAA Division II with a 3-point percentage of 48.5 on 65-of-134 shooting from beyond the arc on the year. Additionally, in the 18 league games alone he is shooting the ball at a 53.2 percent clip from deep as he has connected on 58-of-109 shot attempts. He also ranks second in the league in 3-pointers per game (2.83) and total 3-pointers (65). He's connected on multiple 3-pointers in 18 games this year, including 16 of the last 18 games. Last month he hit five shots from beyond the arc in back-to-back wins over CSU Pueblo and UCCS as he reached five or more 3-pointers for the fifth time this year. On the season he is averaging 10.4 points and 2.1 rebounds. Hurdle has scored in double figures 11 times and has twice reached the 20-point mark. His 27-point performance against Regis set a new career-high in points and made 3-pointers with 8-of-12 shooting from deep. On the glass he has secured a season-high of seven boards against the ThunderWolves.
• John Shanklin has been a defensive threat for opponents this season, ranking fourth in the RMAC in both total blocked shots (33) and blocked shots per game (1.22), while he also adds 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He has posted a blocked shot in 13 of the last 16 games and in 21 games overall this year. On 12 occasions he has tallied multiple blocks, and he matched a career-high of three against No. 8/10 Colorado School of Mines last month after previously reaching the mark against No. 4/3 MSU Moorhead earlier this year. While he has scored in double figures three times this year, he is shooting the ball an efficient 66-of-93 from the field for a 71.0 percent clip which includes 46-of-63 (73.0%) shooting in conference play. Additionally, he has secured five or more rebounds on ten occasions.
• Another threat in the post for the Yellow Jackets is Joel Speckman, who ranks third in the RMAC in offensive rebounds per game (2.33) and is eighth in both total blocks (21) and blocks per game (0.88). He adds 7.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, while shooting the ball 58.3 percent from the field. He has scored in double figures in seven games total this year. He has secured five or more rebounds in 16 games this season, including reaching ten or more three times. His 10-point, 10-rebound performance against Western Colorado was his first double-double of the season and just the second of his career. He has posted multiple blocked shots in six games, four of which he recorded a season-high of three in the contest and most recently doing so against Adams State in which he posted three blocked shots within the first three minutes of the game.
• Ryan Thompson is in his seventh season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 137-65 during his career.

 
NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS STORYLINES

• New Mexico Highlands enters their final game of the season with a record of 12-15 (5-14 RMAC) on the season following a 66-55 win at South Dakota Mines for their second consecutive win. The Cowboys had four players score in double figures in the win while shooting the ball 48.2 percent from the field.
• NMHU was picked eighth in the RMAC Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll, receiving 90 points. They are currently 14^th in the conference standings with a 5-14 league record.
• Through 27 games this season NMHU is averaging 78.4 points, 32.2 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 8.3 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting the ball 44.5 percent from the field, 32.5 percent from 3-point range, and 71.5 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 81.0 points, 34.1 rebounds, 14.9 assists, 6.2 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting the ball 50.6 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from 3-point range, and 75.0 percent from the free throw line.
• Kenard Richardson is the top scorer (14.9) and rebounder (5.3) for the Cowboys, while adding 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game and shooting the ball 44.9 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from 3-point range, and 74.0 percent from the free throw line. With back-to-back 14 point games against UCCS and SDM, he has now scored in double figures 18 times this season, including a season-high of 34 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field, 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range, and 7-of-9 shooting from the free throw line against Angelo State. Including the one 30-point game, he has recorded 20 or more points in eight games. He has secured four or more rebounds on 20 occasions, including grabbing a season-high of ten against Chadron State, which helped him notch his lone double-double of the year as he added 23 points. He currently ranks seventh in the RMAC in points per game and is tenth in the league in field goal percentage.
• Another scoring threat to watch for NMHU is Blessin Kimble who is averaging 12.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, while shooting the ball 52.3 percent from the field. He has scored in double figures in seven of the last eight games, leading to 15 total occasions on the year. He has six 20-point games on the year, including a season-high of 24 points on two occasions against Fort Lewis and UCCS. He has grabbed four or more rebounds in 22 games this year, including a season-high of nine against Colorado Mesa. He currently ranks second in the RMAC in offensive rebounds per game (2.52) and is fourth with 95 made free throws.
• Rounding out the double digit scorers for New Mexico Highlands is KJ LaMonte who is averaging 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steal per game, while shooting the ball 42.1 percent from the field and 82.0 percent from the free throw line. The freshman has scored in double figures in four of the last six games and 13 total times this season, including a season-high of 20 points against Western Colorado as he shot the ball 6-of-7 from the field, 1-of-2 from 3-point range, and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. He has secured three or more rebounds in 13 games and has dished out multiple assists in 17 games. He posted a season-high of seven assists against Fort Lewis. He has also collected multiple steals in nine games, including a season-high of three on two occasions against MSU Denver and Western Colorado. He currently ranks tenth in the RMAC with 91 total made free throws and is 12th in free throw percentage.
• Mike Dominguez is in his fifth season as the head coach at New Mexico Highlands, having guided the Cowboys to a 66-73 record during his career.

SERIES HISTORY

• Since joining the RMAC in the 2012-13 season, Black Hills State holds a 12-7 advantage in the series and has won 11 of the last 13 meetings.
• The Yellow Jackets won their sixth consecutive game against the Cowboys earlier this season with a 71-56 victory on January 16, 2025, in the John A. Wilson Complex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• BHSU has won six straight against NMHU in Spearfish.