by SPEARFISH, S.D. – Behind 18 points from Chelsey Biegler (Cheyenne River Sioux), the Black Hills State University women’s basketball team won its opening game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season with a 61-49 victory over Western State in the Young Center.
Biegler was 3-of-5 from the field, all 3-point baskets, and 9-of-13 from the free throw line for 18 points while the Yellow Jackets also benefited from forcing 27 Mountaineer turnovers.
After Maricel Medina hit the opening basket of the game for Western Colorado State University (1-4, 0-1 RMAC), it was all Yellow Jackets beginning with a trey from Biegler.
Black Hills State (2-2, 1-0 RMAC) opened a 17-point lead with 5:24 remaining in the first half at 26-11 and would enter the intermission with a 29-18 lead.
The Green and Gold continued to cruise and pushed the largest lead of the game, 19 points, behind a pair of Courtney Patterson free throws with 13:24 remaining at 44-25.
The Mountaineers chipped away at the lead and pulled within eight points at 46-38 with 6:22 remaining on a Stephanie Williams jump shot.
But a quick 6-0 run ended any hope of a Western State comeback and Rachel Erickson sank a long-range basket followed by a free throw. Taylor Trohkimoinen followed suit and sank a pair of free throws to give the Yellow Jackets a 52-38 lead with 3:41 remaining in the game.
After Biegler’s 18 points, Dakota Barrie and Erickson each had nine points. The stifling Yellow Jacket defense that forced 27 turnovers did not allow a Mountaineer to score more than seven points. Jade McIntosh and Taylor Long each had seven.
The rebounds were tied at 41 apiece as Courtney Patterson led the Green and Gold with seven.
The Yellow Jackets, who entered the weekend third in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense, held the Mountaineers to just one made trey.
The Yellow Jackets face preseason favorite and No. 14 ranked Colorado Mesa University at 4 p.m. Saturday in Spearfish.
