SPEARFISH, S.D.- The Black Hills State Yellow Jackets (7-5 (4-1 RMAC)) are riding a six game win streak into their matchup versus the MSU Denver Roadrunners (4-9 (2-3 RMAC)) after winning their third straight 50-point game and breaking the record for the biggest margin of victory in an RMAC game in program history. The Yellow Jackets will remain in Denver to face the Roadrunners looking to continue their streak.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Date/Time/Location: Saturday, January 10 / 1 p.m. / Denver, Colo. / Auraria Event 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.


BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• The Yellow Jackets are 7-5 and 4-1 in the RMAC and started their 2026 year on a high note with a 53-point win over Regis 89-36. The Yellow Jackets were able to win their sixth straight game and have been on an absolute tear recently. In those six wins, the Yellow Jackets have an average margin of victory of 39.7. They have four wins of 45 points or higher, and five of those six have come by more than 20.
• In the matchup versus Regis, the Yellow Jackets set the season record for steals in a game with 21. They outrebounded the Rangers 50-22 and outrebounded them offensively 20-2. They shot 47.2 percent from the field on 35-74 and held Regis to 31.0 percent from the field and .67 percent from the three-point line. The Yellow Jackets have now held opponents to 2-30 from three in their last two games.
• Through the first five games of the season BHSU is averaging 71.0 points, 45.4 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 10.4 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 40.8 percent from the field, 28.4 percent from 3-point range, and 66.5 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 50.0 points, 30.1 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 6.8 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 34.9 percent from the field, 23.6 percent from 3-point range, and 65.3 percent from the free throw line.
• BHSU is ranked in the top 30 in the country in seven different stats so far this year. They are second in scoring defense (50.0), third in rebound margin (15.3), fifth in rebounds per game (45.42), eighth in scoring margin (21.0), ninth in offensive rebounds per game (17.3), 14^th in three point percentage defense (23.6), and 26^th in field goal percentage defense (34.9)
• 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 were picked to finish sixth in the conference in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 127 points and one third place vote. They are currently 4-1 in the RMAC and in a tie for third in the conference.
• The Yellow Jackets have now won the rebounding battle in each of their first 12 games to begin the season. It is the longest streak in BHSU's RMAC history that they've won the rebounding battle and the first time that they've won it in nine straight to begin the season.
• The Yellow Jackets are averaging 17.3 offensive rebounds per game and for the first time in BHSU's RMAC history have won the offensive rebounding battle in all 12 games this season, which is the first time to begin a season and the longest streak in program's D2 history.
• The Yellow Jackets have six wins this year by 20 points or more. They only did so five times in all of the 2024-25 season.
• Against PUCPR, The Green and Gold set the record for most rebounds in a single game in BHSU's RMAC history (61), most offensive rebounds in a single game in BHSU's RMAC history (29), least fouls in a single game in BHSU's RMAC history (4), and it was the first time since 2019 that the Yellow Jackets scored 90 points in a game (91), and the most assists in a game since 2017 (26). The Yellow Jackets used all of this to set the biggest win margin of the season and the biggest since 2017 (58).
• They have now won three games in a row by 50 or more points, which is the first time in program history. They beat PUCPR by 58 and then beat UPR Mayaguez by 51. Just last night they beat Regis by 53 to keep the 50-point streak alive.
• They defeated the Chadron State Eagles by 49 in what is now the second largest RMAC margin of victory in program history. The Yellow Jackets held a 51-10 lead at halftime. This held the record for largest RMAC margin of victory for just over a month before the Yellow Jackets broke it with a  53-point win over the Regis Rangers.
• The Yellow Jackets shot 25-31 from the free throw line in the win versus UCCS. It was only the second time since 2021 that BHSU made 25 free throws in a game. It was also only the fourth time in the program's D2 era that they made 25 or more free throws in a game and shot over 80 percent from the line.
• On the other hand, the 38.9 percent from the charity stripe (7-18) that UCCS shot was the lowest free-throw percentage by an opponent who shot over 15 free throws in BHSU's D2 history.
• Addie Branscum is a newcomer, who made a huge impact early for the Yellow Jackets. Branscum, a transfer from Regis, having not played since early December, the sophomore led BHSU in scoring with 11.0 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from behind the arc. Her career-high is now 19 points and 13 rebounds, which she did late in the season versus Colorado Christian. Branscum has now had ten points in six of the eight games this year. She has also reached four rebounds in all but one game. Branscum had the first double-double of her career against SDM where she had 16 points and ten rebounds. She then had ten points and five rebounds against CSC.
• Sawyer Stoebner is second on the team in scoring with 9.9 points per game after putting up her third ten plus point outing in a row against CCU. She is also second on the team with 5.8 rebounds. Stoebner is third in the RMAC in offensive rebounds per game (3.0). 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 also had 14 rebounds during the East/West Challenge with a career-high eight versus Sioux Falls. Stoebner had 11 points, five rebounds, and six steals in the dominant win over the Eagles. Then turned it around and had 10 points and 5 rebounds versus the Mountain Lions. Finally, she finished 2025 RMAC play by scoring 11 points and grabbing eight rebounds against the Cougars. Stoebner did not play much in the blowout wins in PR. Finishing with 17 total points in 36 total minutes. She had 14 rebounds in the two games in Puerto Rico. She got back to her double-digit scoring against Regis with 12 points on 6-10 (.600) shooting. She also put up four rebounds and two steals
• 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 9.4 points per game, 4.3 rebounds and 5.0 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 has reached ten points in six of the 12 games this season. Schlabs is now ranked 24^th in the country and second in the RMAC in assists/turnover ratio (2.00), 26^th in the country and tied for first in the RMAC in total assists (60), and is 13^th in the country and is leading the conference in assists per game (5.0). She has had two assists in every game this year and has had four in ten of 12. She also has two steals in seven of the last eight games. She had a career-high nine assists in the win versus PUCPR and added seven more versus UPRM. She also had 11 rebounds in two games in only 42 minutes. In the matchup versus Regis, she had 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in one of her better all-around games of the season
• Emily Cooper is in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native is averaging 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists this year while shooting 36.7 percent from the field on 29-79 shooting. She is ranked 35^th in the country and third in the RMAC in assists/turnover ratio (1.83). She is also ranked fifth in the RMAC in assists per game (3.5). Cooper a great game earlier in the season where she had 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. Cooper beat that with a career-night versus UCCS, where she had a career-high 19 points, with 12 of them coming in the fourth quarter. She shot 4-8 from the field, 4-8 from three, and 7-8 from the charity stripe including making three of four in the final 18 seconds. She had six points, five rebounds, and three assists versus the Rangers.
• Taylin Serlen has made a massive impact as of late for the Yellow Jackets. The Regis transfer, after only playing a combined 40 minutes in the first seven games of the season has played in 107 the last five games. She is averaging 7.6 points per game and is sixth in the RMAC in blocks per game (.82). She has entered the starting lineup and made her presence known. Against UCCS, she was tasked with guarding one of the RMAC's top scorers the entire game and held her to eight points. She also shot 6-8 from the free throw line in that game en route to eight points, four rebounds, and a block. Against CCU, she had her best RMAC game of her career on Saturday. She had an RMAC career-high 17 points on 7-12 (.583) from the field and 3-4 (.750) from the line, she also had five rebounds and a block. In the two games in Puerto Rico, she averaged 15 points per game reaching 16 versus PUCPR with 7 rebounds and then 14 versus UPR Mayaguez with four rebounds. Serlen went 12-17 (.705) from the field in the two games. She had nine points and four rebounds versus Regis in the 2026 opener on 4-5 (.800) from the field.
• Alli Glasscock is making a massive impact as a freshman. She has only been averaging 14.6 minutes per game but has averaged 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds. She is shooting 46.0 percent from the file don 23-50 shooting. She nearly had a double-double versus Northern State, where she had 12 points and nine rebounds which were both career-highs. Against CSC, she had eight points, six rebounds and four steals. Coming back to the lineup against Regis, she had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and three steals in 15 minutes of action. 12 of those 14 points came in the fourth quarter and she shot 6-10 (.600) from the field.
• Maureen Ulrich has started six of 12 games this season and is starting to come on as of late this season. She is averaging 6.5 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game. She has scored double digits four times this year including 12 in the win versus Chadron State and a season-high 13 points in the win versus Regis last night. She shot 6-8 (.750) from the field in the game.
• Brinlee McRae has been on a tear recently. She is averaging 6.5 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game, but she averaged 17.0 points per game in Puerto Rico scoring 19 and 15 in the two games there, while coming back and scoring eight points with four assists against Regis. She has nine of her 20 assists in the last three games.
• 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. She is leading the team in rebounds with 5.9, while averaging 6.4 points per game. 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 nearly had her second career double-double with seven points and eight rebounds versus UCCS. She went 5-5 from the free throw line in that game. Norville has put up eight rebounds in each of the last two games and has had five or more in seven of nine. She had six points to go along with the eight rebounds versus CCU and shot 2-2 from behind the arc. She had 17 combined points in P.R. and then had ten rebounds versus UPR Mayaguez.
• Head coach Kelly Kruger is in the midst of his first season as Interim Head Coach of the BHSU Yellow Jackets. He is 7-5 in his time with the Green and Gold. He is in his 35th season as a head coach, however, and has a record of 539-451 with programs across all levels of college basketball including Northwestern College, Southwest Minnesota State, Adams State, Ashford University, and Iowa Central Community College.

 
MSU DENVER STORYLINES

• MSU Denver currently sits at 4-9 and 2-3 in the RMAC with wins over Fort Lewis and Westminster. They have lost four of their last six games including losing Thursday night by 14 to South Dakota Mines 82-68. In large part due to losing the second quarter 33-12. Mines won the shooting battle .444-.371 and also won the three-point battle .423-.226. They also out assisted 27-15.
• Through the first seven games of the season MSUD is averaging 74.3 points, 35.7 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 9.7 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 42.5 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from 3-point range, and 76.5 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 75.3 points, 42.4 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 9.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 41.2 percent from the field, 33.0 percent from 3-point range, and 71.8 percent from the free throw line.
• The Roadrunners are top 50 in the country in six categories. They are tenth in three-point percentage (35.6), 28^th in bench points per game (28.6), 31^st in free throw percentage (76.5), 38^th in scoring offense (74.3), 42^nd in free throws made per game (15.07), and 50^th in fouls per game (15.3).
• MSUD was picked to finish ninth in the conference with 89 points behind New Mexico Highlands and ahead of Colorado Christian. They are currently in a tie for ninth with Fort Lewis with a 2-3 record.
• Mikylah Espinosa has been one of the top all-around players in the RMAC this season. Espinosa is leading the Roadrunners in points per game with 15.8, which is seventh in the RMAC and she is sixth in the conference in total points with 205. She is also second in the conference in assists per game behind Schlabs with 3.9, fifth in assists (55), fifth in assist/turnover ration (1.10), fifth in steals (29), fifth in steals per game (2.29), and sixth in field goal attempts (180). She has scored in double figures in each of the last 11 games including 32 versus Westminster and 27 versus Western Colorado in the same weekend. She also has three assists in ten of the 13 matches including ten versus Fort Lewis. In the loss to SDM, she had 18 points, three assists, and five steals.
• Nevaeh Millard has been one of the top bench players this year in the RMAC averaging 12.8 points with no starts. She is shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from three. She had an eight game double digits streak snapped on Thursday night versus the Hardrockers, when she was held to eight points. She did put up 29 versus Manhattan Christian, 23 versus Fort Lewis, and 21 versus Westminster.
• Jadyn Watts is the other top scorer for MSU Denver and is averaging 11.1 points per game. She is also averaging 6.7 rebounds, which is ninth in the RMAC and is sixth in total rebounds with 94. She reached ten points or more in six of their first seven games, but has only reached it once in their last six. This included a 24 point, 11-rebound double-double versus Fort Lewis that was her first of two double-doubles this year. She also put up one versus #3 Lubbock Christian with 16 points and 10 rebounds. In the loss to South Dakota Mines, she only had eight points and two rebounds.
• Head Coach Lynn Kennedy is in his first season with MSU Denver after spending his previous 23 years of coaching at four different schools including the last four with Division 1 McNeese State and another six years at Portland State. Overall, he has a 375-339 record with a  4-9 record at MSU Denver in his one season.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Yellow Jackets are currently losing the series to MSU Denver all time 12-16, but have won six of their last eight matchups including the last three in Denver. BHSU's last loss to MSUD was in February of 2023.
• Last year they won in Spearfish 63-49 that included Schlabs having a 21 point, 10 rebound double-double as the Yellow Jackets outscored the Roadrunners 19-7 in the second quarter to help them win.