SAN ANGELO, Texas – The sixth-seeded Black Hills State women’s basketball kicked off the South Central Regional tournament on Friday afternoon against the third-seeded Regis University. Both teams battled throughout, but it would be BHSU moving on with a 61-57 victory in overtime.
Although Regis held a better first half with 36.4 percent shooting from the floor and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc, the Yellow Jackets went on to hold the Rangers to just 26.7 percent from the field and 17.6 percent from three-point range. BHSU finished the game with 21-of-58 (36.2 percent) overall, 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) from three, and 13-of-21 (61.9 percent) from the charity stripe.
A defensive game from the beginning, BHSU capitalized on 18 points created by 14 Ranger turnovers and 26 points from the paint. BHSU’s defense remained a strong point in this matchup as they tallied three blocks and five steals versus one and four in each category by Regis. The Yellow Jackets also out-rebounded Regis 45-42, with most rebounds in the game coming from defensive boards.
Leading the Yellow Jacket scoring was senior guard Niki Van Wyk, who played all 45 minutes and tallied 17 points. The All-RMAC player finished 5-of-10 from the field and led BHSU with a 3-of-6 mark from downtown. The senior also nabbed five boards and dished five assists.
Danica Kocer was the other double-digit scorer against Regis, with the RMAC Academic Player of the Year finishing 4-of-16 from the floor and 2-of-4 from the free throw line. Kocer co-led the team with six rebounds and had a recorded block.
Both teams started on a 5-5 scoreboard through the first couple of minutes until a quick five-point burst from Regis put the Rangers up 10-5 over the Yellow Jackets. BHSU continued to attack, however, as a trey from Niki Van Wyk paired with a single freebie from Alessia Capley and a Haylee Weathersby layup tied the game back up at 13-all.
What turned into a 9-0 run was capped off by a Van Wyk jumper in the final seconds of the first frame, giving the Yellow Jackets a 16-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Rangers’ Erin Fry was quick to tie the game back up as she hit a triple upon first possession to tie the game once again. After a pair of free throws from the RMAC Player of the Year, Regis regained the lead with both teams going toe to toe from this point.
Following a tying two-point bucket from Kocer, both teams cooled off for nearly four minutes until Summer Fox and Kyla Frenchers exchanged treys at the 2:15 mark, setting the score to 23-23. Another three from Frenchers and a layup from Kocer down the stretch sent the game into the intermission with BHSU down 26-25.
Traded two-point buckets from both squads started the second half as Regis tacked on six consecutive points to expand their lead to 32-27 before a Van Wyk layup broke the streak. Another trey from Van Wyk brought them back to a four-point, 36-32 deficit with 5:19 to go in the third.
Another eight-point series from the Yellow Jackets saw the ladies take their first lead since the second quarter, 40-37, but Regis did not quit and put up a seven-point run by the end of the third to take a 44-40 lead heading into the final frame.
Regis led by as much as 47-41 at the beginning of the fourth, but layups from Ellie Moore and Kocer led to Van Wyk’s third triple of the game to bring BHSU back to a one-point deficit with 4:15 to go in the game.
Both teams remained tight down to the final minute where a Kalla Bertram layup tallied another tying score, knotting it up 52-52. The Rangers were able to get a three-point shot off before time expired but were unable to sink it, sending game number one of the South Central Regionals into overtime.
Two buckets from Ellie Moore opened the extra frame in favor of the Yellow Jackets, with a three-point dime from Regis bringing the Rangers within one at a 56-55 scoreboard. Foul trouble, however, gave BHSU four points via the charity stripe, allowing the Yellow Jackets to climb to a 60-55 lead with 36 seconds left in the extra quarter.
Regis made two freebies down the wire to pull within three of the Yellow Jackets, but a BHSU defensive board drew a Regis foul with 11 seconds left in the game, giving Van Wyk the last point of the game on a freebie and completing the upset in a 61-57 final score for BHSU.
Up Next
BHSU moves on to tomorrow’s semi-final round of the Regional Tournament, which will see them play at 4 p.m. against No. 7 Lubbock Christian.
