RAPID CITY, S.D. --- After a terrific back-and-forth first half of play, it looked like the South Dakota women's basketball team and Black Hills State Lady Yellow Jackets were going to have an old fashion slugfest to open Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play Saturday night at the King Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.

But some solid defense from the Yellow Jackets, and a scoring drought that spanned from third quarter into the final period in which the visitors went on a 16-0 run, the Hardrockers fell to their biggest rivals, 70-43.

It was a battle in the first half as the Hardrockers led after the first quarter, 14-13, but then BHSU charged back, outscoring the home team, 14-11, and went into halftime with a 27-25 advantage.
The Jackets turned up the heat in the third period outscoring the 'Rockers, 18-9 and then suffered a 25-9 run in the final frame which led to the Hardrockers first loss of the RMAC season.

SD Mines finished the game shooting just 26.4 percent from the field making good on 14-53 attempts and was 4-23 from the three-point line. The 'Rockers made good on 11-18 from the free throw line, grabbed 22 rebounds, had 12 assists nine and nine steals.

The Yellow Jackets converted 28-57 from the field to shoot 49.1 percent, including 8-24 from three-point range, had 34 rebounds, 14 assists, 11 steals and one block.

Individually for the 'Rockers, Sami Steffeck led her team with 10 points, two rebounds and two assists; Taylor Molstad tacked on eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Anna Haugen added seven points and Molly McCabe added six points.