SPEARFISH, S.D. – In the team’s final tune-up before conference play, Matthew Ragsdale poured in a game-high 23 points, surpassing 20 points for the fifth consecutive game, his longest streak since he was at Western Colorado. However, it was not enough as the Black Hills State University Men’s Basketball team fell to South Dakota Mines, 77-69 on Monday night at the Donald E. Young Center.
With the loss, BHSU falls to 2-4 entering RMAC play, while the Hardrockers improve to the same mark ahead of conference competition.
Ragsdale went 10-of-18 from the field on his way to his 23 tallies, while securing a team-best seven rebounds, good for a season-high. He also dished a pair of assists and secured a steal.
Caelin Hearne added 17 points for the Yellow Jackets on 7-for-15 with five caroms.
Hoku Fisher scored nine for BHSU while snatching three steals and distributing three helpers, tied for a team high. John Shanklin pitched in six and six for scoring and rebounding, plus two blocks in the loss.
Alejandro Rama led Mines with 22 points although he needed 23 shots to get there finishing 10-23 from the field and 1-6 from three. He just missed a double-double, grabbing nine boards and adding six assists, both of which led all players.
Cameron Cohn added 19 for the Hardrockers, including a dozen in the second half, many of which were timely buckets down the stretch. He also grabbed seven rebounds.
Meanwhile,
The Yellow Jackets (3-1, 0-0 RMAC) posted season-high shooting numbers across the board, tapping out with 45.5 percent shooting from the field, a season-high 11-of-24 from beyond the arc (45.8 percent), and 76.5 percent from the charity stripe. BHSU opened the game with 3-of-8 from range and closed out the final quarter with a near-perfect 4-of-5 look from downtown.
Kalla Bertram and Gracie Haneborg finished with near-identical stat lines against the Hardrockers: Bertram landed 5-of-6 total shots in the game, which included a perfect 3-of-3 from range, for 13 points. Haneborg made it rain from three as the junior shot all five of her shots from distance, making four of them for 12 points on the night. Ellie Moore, Haylee Weathersby, and Morgan Hammerbeck were all perfect from the foul line as they combined for 13-of-13 on freebies, with Weathersby leading the team with seven made on seven trips.
