KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Date/Time/Location: Saturday, January 17 / 3 p.m. / Spearfish, S.D. / A2 Arena

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.

Linear TV: Due to prior schedule arrangements the men’s basketball game between Black Hills State and Fort Lewis will not be available on linear tv, KNBN-2 and KSFL, on Saturday.

KDSJ Radio: Black Hills State men's basketball continues to air live on KDSJ Radio with the voice of the Yellow Jackets, Steve Ammerman, giving the play-by-play for all the action.

• Black Hills State enters Saturday’s home contest with Fort Lewis looking to tie up the top spot in the conference standings after a 79-74 victory over New Mexico Highlands to improve to 13-2 (6-1 RMAC). The 13-2 start overall and 6-1 league start continues the best start to a season for the Yellow Jackets since 2022-23.
• The loss against MSU Denver last Saturday snapped a 10-game win streak for the Yellow Jackets as they were one of just eight teams in NCAA Division II with a win streak of ten games or more, tying for the sixth longest streak in the nation at the time.
• Shooting 34-of-68 from the field for 50.0 percent against Regis last week, the Yellow Jackets have now shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in 11 of their 15 games in 2025-26, improving to 10-1 this season and 20-2 since the start of 2024-25.
• After a slow start against Dickinson State in the 2025 finale, the Yellow Jackets went on to out-score DSU 55-35 in the second half. The game marked the fourth time this season that BHSU has out-scored an opponent by 20 or more points in the second half, averaging a +5.2 (44.2-39.0) scoring differential in the second half of contests.
• Also, against the Blue Hawks, Black Hills State went to work inside, scoring a season-best 48 points in the paint, a place they average 38.1 points per game from this season.
• Black Hills State has connected on a season-high of 15 3-pointers three times in 2025-26, last week against Regis and then in back-to-back games against UCCS and Colorado Christian as they played their final two conference games in the month of December. The two outings against UCCS and CCU also marked their two most efficient shooting performances from beyond the arc this season, shooting 50.0 percent against the Mountain Lions and 46.9 percent against the Cougars. The Green & Gold have reached double figures from beyond the arc seven times this year, improving to 7-0 in those match-ups and 19-5 in those games since the start of the 2024-25 season.
• The win over CCU in December marked the second time in a two week span that the Yellow Jackets had three 20-point scorers in a single contest. Against the Cougars Cam Lowe scored a game-high 25 points, while Myles Johnson added a career-best 22, and Tristan Hurdle scored a season-best 20. Against South Dakota Mines in the RMAC opener the week prior, Jaeton Hackley scored a career-high 29 points, while Lowe added 23 points, and Wilie Patterson III added a season-high 20 points. The contest against SDM was the first time since a November 16, 2024, game against Augustana that multiple players scored 20 or more points in the same game and the first time since March 13, 2022, against West Texas A&M that three players scored 20 or more points in the same game.
• Black Hills State added their seventh 20-assist game of the season against Regis, dishing out assists on 20 of 34 made field goals. The Yellow Jackets are 7-0 when they dish out 20 or more assists in a game this year and 20-2 since the start of 2012-13. The 27 assists against UMary earlier this year tied a NCAA Division II era program record that was set during a March 1, 2022, victory over New Mexico Highlands.
• BHSU has seen five players score in double figures in five of their 15 games in 2025-26. A year ago, it occurred just five times in 30 games, and they have improved to 9-1 in such games since the beginning of 2024-25.
• In the non-conference slate, BHSU improved to 13-1 in their last 14 games against the Lone Star Conference (LSC) with victories over Sul Ross State (86-54) and Texas A&M International (89-57). Meanwhile, they improved to 6-6 against the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) over the course of the last two years, and 10-11 since 2018-19, as they earned wins over Augustana (75-71), Minot State (72-65), UMary (85-74), and Northern State (77-70). The lone loss of the season came from the hands of NSIC foe (RV) MSU Moorhead (100-85) on the road.
• The win over Northern State on New Year’s Day marked the end of an 11-game losing streak in the series, defeating the Wolves for the first time since 1978 and for the first time in Aberdeen since 1968.
• Black Hills State snapped a 5-game losing streak in the East/West Challenge when they defeated Augustana on November 22.
• The Yellow Jackets began their season with a pair of 32-point wins as they notched an 86-54 win over Sul Ross State and an 89-57 victory over Texas A&M International. With the victories the Yellow Jackets recorded back-to-back wins of 30 or more points for the first time since their 2022-23 Final Four run when they defeated MSU Denver by 32 points (89-57) on February 4, 2023, and UCCS by 31 points (100-69) on February 10, 2023.
• The Yellow Jackets boast the 25th-best scoring margin in the nation, averaging a +13.7 scoring differential. They have recorded seven wins of 20 or more points, and two wins of 30 or more points. Only six of their 15 games have been decided by single digits.
• Black Hills State went 13-of-13 from the charity stripe in the season opener against Sul Ross State, the most made free throws in a game without a miss in the DII era for the Yellow Jackets. 
• The Yellow Jackets entered the 2025-26 season off an 18-12 (13-7 RMAC) record in 2024-25 where they finished in a tie for third in the league standings, their seventh consecutive top-4 finish in the conference.
• BHSU joins only Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa as the only three schools to win 13 or more conference games in each of the last four seasons.
• Dating back to last season the Green & Gold are 21-5 in their last 26 games overall, with a pair of those losses coming to a top-10 nationally ranked Colorado School of Mines squad.
• Dating back to last season, BHSU has won 11 consecutive games in A2 Arena and are 88-25 (77.9%) in the building since 2017-18. The current 10-game win streak is the longest among South Dakota schools and among RMAC schools and is also tied for the ninth longest in NCAA Division II.
• The Yellow Jackets entered the 2025-26 season as the preseason favorites in the RMAC and are now ranked No. 15 in the seventh regular season poll of the NABC Top-25 that was released on Tuesday. With all games occurring during the Ryan Thompson era, the Yellow Jackets are 47-12 all-time as a ranked team in the NABC Division II Coaches’ Poll.
• Through seven games the Yellow Jackets are alone in second place in the conference standings as they sit one game back of Fort Lewis who is 7-0 in the league. BHSU has scored 90 or more points in four of their seven conference games this season, averaging the second-best scoring average in the conference, 89.4 points per game in RMAC play.
• It marked the first time in the NCAA Division II era and the first time since 2002-03, the Yellow Jackets scored 90 or more points in four consecutive games against South Dakota Mines (104-76), Chadron State (90-67), UCCS (97-92), and Colorado Christian (96-76). The 2002-03 team scored 90 or more points in five straight contests, including a November 30, 2002, loss to Sioux Falls (105-108, OT), a December 6, 2002, win over Minot State (97-71), a December 7, 2002, win over Dickinson State (99-77), a December 13, 2002, win over Valley City State (111-107, 2OT), and a December 14, 2002, win over Mayville State (95-74).
• Black Hills State returns three all-conference players from a year ago, as Cam Lowe was named First Team All-RMAC and RMAC Freshman of the Year, while Jaeton Hackley and Tristan Hurdle were named Honorable Mention All-RMAC. All three of those student-athletes were named to the 2025-26 Preseason All-RMAC team.
• The Yellow Jackets return seven players who started a game last season, and they return ten players in total from last season.
• The Green & Gold brings back a wealth of talent as they return their leading scorer (Lowe) and four of their top-5 scorers, they return their leading rebounder (Lowe) and four of their top-5 rebounders, they return their leading assister (Hackley) and four of their top-5 assist leaders, they return their leader in steals (Hackley) and four of their top-5 steals leaders, and lastly they return four of their top-6 block leaders from last season.
• The Yellow Jackets currently rank fourth in NCAA Division II in effective field goal percentage (58.9%), sixth in assists per game (18.6), eighth in field goal percentage (51.0%), 16th in assist/turnover ratio (1.48), 21st in defensive rebounds per game (28.53), 24th in free throw percentage (76.8%), 25th in both scoring margin (+13.7) and 3-point percentage (38.0%), and 28th in 3-pointers per game (9.9).
• Through 15 games the reigning RMAC Freshman of the Year and the Bevo Francis Award Top-100 Watch List member, Lowe, averages 17.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 steal per game. He enters Saturday’s game with 13 double digit scoring performances this season and a streak of 11 straight. He notched his 17th 20-point game of his career, shooting the ball 8-of-12 from the field, 4-of-6 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free throw line against MSU Denver last Saturday. Two nights earlier he posted a season-high performance of 27 points against Regis as he shot the ball 10-of-16 from the field and 7-of-12 from 3-point range. He has connected on three or more 3-pointers seven times this year and in seven of the last 11 games. Nationally in NCAA Division II this season he currently ranks 44th in 3-pointers per game (2.80) and in 3-point percentage (40.4%). He connected on his 100th career 3-pointer last Thursday against the Rangers and has since brought his career 3-point shooting up to 106-of-266 (39.8%). In the Yellow Jackets last outing he grabbed a season-best 11 rebounds against New Mexico Highlands, marking his first double-double of the year as he added 12 points. The match-up with NMHU was one of 12 games thus far with six or more boards. This year he is among the top players in NCAA Division II in free throw percentage, shooting 37-of-40 from the charity stripe for a 92.5 percent clip, and is 29th in defensive rebounds per game (6.40). He is the active career leader (minimum 20 games played) in points per game in the RMAC with a 16.4 career scoring average, is the leagues’ top free throw shooter and field goal percentage (minimum 20 games) leader as he is 86.4 percent from the charity stripe and 49.1 percent from the field in his career, is tied for the lead in career 3-pointers made per game (minimum 20 games) 2.36 per contest, and is second in career rebounds (minimum 20 games) with an average of 7.53 boards per game.
• With his sixth consecutive game in double figures and eighth of the season, Hackley posted his second 20-point outing with 22 points to lead the way for the Yellow Jackets at Northern State on New Year’s Day. The other 20-point outing this year for the redshirt-junior guard came in the RMAC opener at South Dakota Mines, as he poured in a career-best 29 points on 11-of-12 shooting from the field, 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe, while also dishing out five assists and grabbing three boards. In total he has reached double figures scoring in nine games. He is currently averaging 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steal per game this year. He recorded his second career double-double and first of the season with a 16-point and 10-assist outing against UCCS in December, while also adding five rebounds. He has dished out four or more assists in nine of the 15 games this year thus far, including tying his career-high of ten in the win over the Mountain Lions. He has also collected a pair of steals in four games, most recently doing so against Regis last week. This year he currently ranks second in the RMAC and 23rd nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.56), is fourth in assists per game (4.3), and is sixth in the league in minutes played per game (32:44). He entered the 2025-26 season in the top-10 of both the BHSU career assists and steals per game lists.
• Myles Johnson, the December 1 RMAC Defensive Player of the Week following the Minot State and UMary contests, has reached double figures in 11 of his first 15 games back to the court, averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Against Colorado Christian in the last RMAC contest prior to the winter break, he scored a career-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, 2-of-2 shooting from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 shooting at the charity stripe. Thus far in 2025-26 he is shooting 80-of-135 (59.3%) from the field, which currently leads the RMAC and ranks 26th in the nation in field goal percentage. Additionally, he is seventh in the league in steals per game and has collected multiple steals in seven games. He matched a career-high of five steals against MSU Moorhead in November. He missed all of 2024-25 due to injury but averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 2023-24.
• Needing just 31 points to eclipse 1,000 career points, Hurdle remains one of the top sharpshooters from distance in all of NCAA Division II. After leading DII by knocking down 47.6 percent of his shots from beyond the arc in 2024-25, through 14 games in his second season in Spearfish he is currently shooting at a 47.9 percent clip from 3-point range as he is 34-of-71 on the year. In his last outing of the 2025 calendar year against Colorado Christian, he scored a season-high 20 points, connecting on 6-of-8 shots from distance. Then in his most recent outing he recorded his ninth game in double figures this season as he scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc, and 5-of-5 shooting from the free throw line. On seven occasions this year he has hit three or more 3-pointers (14 career games as a Yellow Jacket with three or more 3-pointers). On Saturday against MSU Denver he knocked down his 100th career 3-pointer as a Yellow Jacket, having now connected on 104-of-218 (47.7%) from deep in a year and a half with the Yellow Jackets. Also, during the 2025-26 season, he reached 200 career 3-pointers across his stops at CSU Pueblo, Fort Lewis, and Black Hills State, as he sank his first triple of the day against UCCS on December 11. From beyond the arc in his five collegiate seasons, he is 216-of-518 (41.7%). During the 2025-26 season, the Preseason All-RMAC selection is currently averaging 10.2 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. He currently ranks fifth in the RMAC in 3-pointers per game (2.43) and is seventh in total 3-pointers made (34).
• Jack Haggett ended the 2025 calendar year with one of his best outings of his career, scoring a career-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from the charity stripe against Dickinson State, while also adding five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Against the Blue Hawks he took over in the second half, going 7-of-9 from the field for 15 of his 19 points in less than 13 minutes of action in the final frame, securing his fifth double digit scoring performance of the year. He has made his presence known in the post with a strong start to his sophomore campaign, averaging 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game this season. In the most recent outing against New Mexico Highlands, he matched a season-high of seven rebounds, something he also did against Chadron State and Minot State. Also, against CSC in December, he recorded a career-best four steals as he poured in a then season-best 16 points. In back-to-back outings he dished out a career-best seven assists against UMary and then recorded another six against South Dakota Mines. He has recorded three or more assists in seven games and has posted a career-high three blocked shots twice in 2025-26. In the RMAC he currently ranks fourth in blocks per game (1.14).
• Newcomer Willie Patterson III averaged 9.5 points while adding 6.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. He recorded his second double-double of the season against South Dakota Mines, as he scored a season-best 20 points and matched a season-high of 11 rebounds while shooting the ball 8-of-12 from the floor, 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 2-of-4 from the free throw line. Against UMary he dished out a season-best four assists, one of three games this year that he has recorded multiple assists in a game.
• Another transfer making a large impact in the rotation this year is Jackson Seale, arriving from Eastern Washington and averaging 7.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.8 blocked shots per game. He is shooting the ball 42.1 percent from the field in 2025-26. He posted his fourth game in double figures this season with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field and matched a career-best three 3-pointers on eight attempts in the New Year’s Day win over Northern State. Against the Wolves he also collected a career-best two steals. He previously knocked down 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the RMAC opener against South Dakota Mines in December. On six occasions this season he has stepped outside and made multiple shots from distance in a game. He has scored a career-best of 15 points on two occasions this season, first against UMary as he shot 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and then against UCCS as he went 7-of-13 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. Against Minot State he dished out a career-best seven assists while sending back a career-best four blocked shots. He has dished out four or more assists in four games this season and has recorded multiple blocked shots three times. In ten games this year he has secured four or more rebounds.
• BJ Woodruff recorded nine or more points for the fourth time this season last week against Regis, knocking down 3-of-5 shots from beyond the arc. It was his third performance of the season with multiple made shots from deep. Against Dickinson State last month, he added to his nine points as he matched a season-best four assists, grabbed a season-high of four rebounds, and posted a career-best two blocked shots to wrap up the 2025 calendar year. He scored a season-best 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range in the season opening win over Sul Ross State. The sophomore guard enters Saturday’s match-up averaging 5.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
• Blake Volmer received just his third career start and second of the season against Regis last week. The junior guard posted his first two career double digit scoring games in the 2025-26 season, first pouring in ten points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field, 2-of-2 shooting from distance, and 2-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe against Texas A&M International during the first weekend of the season. Then last month against UCCS he scored a career-high 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting from 3-point range and 1-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe. He has provided efficient shooting from the bench, knocking down 54.1 percent (20-37) of his shots from the field and 52.0 percent (13-25) of his shots from beyond the arc. On three occasions this season he has made multiple 3-pointers. In the Yellow Jackets New Year’s Day win over Northern State, he pulled down a career-best eight rebounds, marking one of five games this season he has grabbed five or more boards. He averages 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
• Also, in the rotation in the post, Joel Speckman matched his season-high of 11 points last Thursday night at Regis, shooting the ball 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from the charity stripe. Then two days later on Saturday against MSU Denver, he grabbed a season-best six rebounds and matched a season-high of four assists. Earlier this year the junior scored 11 points at MSU Moorhead on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor and 1-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe. In the last three games the junior forward is averaging 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He averages 3.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He is shooting the ball 15-of-25 (60.0%) from the field in 2025-26.
• Ryan Thompson is in his eighth season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 152-68 during his career. The win at Northern State on New Year’s Day secured his 150th career victory, making him just the second coach in program history to reach 150 in their Yellow Jacket career, joining all-time win’s leader Mike Olson (179).

• Fort Lewis enters Saturday’s game with a record of 9-5 (7-0 RMAC) on the season following an 86-81 victory at South Dakota Mines on Thursday.
• The Skyhawks had to overcome an eight point deficit to defeat the Hardrockers and remain unbeaten in league play. FLC holds sole possession of first place as the lone undefeated team left in conference play.
• Fort Lewis is coming off a 19-12 (12-8 RMAC) season in 2024-25, finishing sixth in the conference standings. Seeking their fifth consecutive winning season, they were picked to finish fifth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
• The Skyhawks currently ranks seventh nationally in free throw attempts per game (27.1), 12th in free throws made per game (19.6), 17th in steals per game (10.4), and 23rd in turnovers forced per game.
• The Skyhawks have recorded ten or more steals in seven games this season, including a season-high of 17 against Westminster. In all but one of their 14 games they have forced ten or more turnovers by their opponents, including 20 or more six times.
• The reigning RMAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week leads the Skyhawks by averaging 17.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 3.5 steals per game while shooting the ball 46.6 percent from the field, 48.4 percent from 3-point range, and 81.4 percent from the free throw line. He has posted back-to-back 20-point games with 27 against Westminster and 24 against South Dakota Mines. He has tallied ten total double digit scoring games, all consecutive entering Saturday. Leading the defense he has recorded a season-high seven steals on three occasions this year, including twice in the last three games. He has grabbed five or more steals in seven games and has dished out four or more assists in five games. He currently leads the nation with 3.50 steals per game and is seventh in the conference in scoring average.
• Jaxon Smith is second on the team with a 15.4 scoring average this season, while also adding 1.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He is shooting the ball 40.4 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from 3-point range, and 92.9 percent from the free throw line. He has recorded ten double figure scoring games this season, including four straight entering Saturday. On six occasions this season he has knocked down three or more 3-pointers, highlighted by a season-best 7-of-11 from beyond the arc against Eastern New Mexico. He currently ranks second in the RMAC and is 27th in the nation with an average of 2.93 3-pointers per game and is fourth in the conference and 54th nationally with a 39.8 3-point percentage this season.
• Chuol Deng rounds out the three Skyhawks currently averaging double figures in scoring with 14.2 points per game while also adding 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He has posted 12 games in double figures scoring this season and has four double digit rebounding performances, resulting in four double-doubles this year. He poured in a season-high 24 points against Western New Mexico, and he secured a season-high of 12 steals against West Texas A&M. Defensively he has collected three or more steals three times, including a season-best of seven against MSU Denver.
• Jordan Mast is in his second season as the head coach at Fort Lewis, guiding the Skyhawks to a record of 28-17 during his tenure. As a collegiate head coach, he is 127-43 overall after spending five previous seasons at Antelope Valley.

SERIES HISTORY

• Black Hills State and Fort Lewis are set to meet on the hardwood for the 18th time in series history as the Skyhawks hold the 11-6 advantage all-time.
• The Skyhawks earned their third straight win in the series with an 82-73 victory on January 18, 2025, in Durango, Colorado.
• The Yellow Jackets look to snap a 2-game losing streak against FLC in Spearfish, having not won at home in the series since December 4, 2021, with an 83-831 victory.