DENVER, Colo.- The Yellow Jackets pulled off a second half comeback to pull away from the Roadrunners and extend their win streak to seven games with help from
Brinlee McRae, who put up a career-high 27 points in the win. BHSU had the best three-point shooting night of the season making a season-high ten threes, and a season-high 55.6 three-point percentage. They were down by as much as nine in the second half and were down seven in the third quarter before getting the lead back and running away with it in the fourth quarter.
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 81, MSU Denver 68
Team Records: Black Hills State 8-5 (5-1 RMAC), MSU Denver 4-10 (2-4 RMAC)
Attendance: 433
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The game started off incredibly well for the Yellow Jackets. They went on a 10-2 run to begin the game with Taylin Serlen having six easy points on three layups. MSUD started to close the gap going on a 5-2 run to make it 12-7. A 7-2 run with a McRae three helped get BHSU up big early at 19-9, before the Roadrunners ended the first quarter on a 4-0 run to cut BHSU's lead to 19-13.
- MSU Denver started the second quarter on a 11-4 to take their first lead of the game at 24-23 before McRae hit a jumper to take the lead back. Mikylah Espinosa and Nevaeh Millard combined for 14 points in a 14-4 run that gave the Roadrunners a 38-29 lead that had the Jackets on the ropes. However, BHSU caught fire late with a jumper from McRae and two threes from Maureen Ulrich and Emily Cooper to help BHSU cut MSU Denver's led to 40-37 going into halftime.
- Halftime leaders for the Yellow Jackets included Taylin Serlen, who had 12 points and two rebounds in the first half. Also, McRae had 11 points and two rebounds. For the Roadrunners, it was Espinosa, who had 17 points in the first half and Millard, who had 11 points.
- MSUD started the second half on a 5-1 run to take a 45-38 lead. The Yellow Jackets answered with a 10-2 run that included two threes from McRae to take a 48-47 lead. Espinosa hit a three to take a 50-48 lead before McRae tied it with a jumper at 50-50. After that, the teams went back and forth with MSU Denver taking a 54-52 lead off free throws, before the Yellow Jackets ended the quarter on a 9-0 run with five points from McRae and four from Sawyer Stoebner to make it 61-54 ending the third quarter.
- McRae hit another three to give BHSU a ten-point lead in the fourth quarter at 66-56. The two teams went back and forth with BHSU hitting shots including another three by Emily Cooper and MSU Denver responding with free throws. After that McRae three, the Roadrunners' next seven points came from the charity stripe. Ulrich hit another three and Schlabs made a layup to give BHSU a 15-point lead at 78-63. MSU Denver ended the game on a 5-3 run but not before Brinlee McRae hit a three to make it to her career high with 27 points to give BH a 81-68 win.
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS:
Brinlee McRae: 27 points, 6 rebounds, 11-17 (.647) field goal percentage, 5-8 (.625) three-point percentage.
Taylin Serlen: 14 points, 8 rebounds
Sawyer Stoebner: 11 points, 13 rebounds
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets will head back home, where they will face New Mexico Highlands and Fort Lewis in A2 Arena next Thursday and Saturday and look to extend their winning streak.
