RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Basketbrawl was renewed on Tuesday evening as the South Dakota Mines men's basketball team welcomed rival Black Hills State.

However, it was far from welcoming for the Yellow Jackets as the Hardrockers defense suffocated Black Hills State and emerged victorious and 1-0 in RMAC play with a 58-50 victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Early in the first half, Black Hills State took a big lead, 17-3, and a 16-point lead at 28-12, but the last five minutes of the first half belonged to the Hardrockers.

Abel Hutchinson jumpstarted the team, hitting a jumper, then following with a steal and an assist on a Tre Dowdell three that cut the deficit to 28-17.

Defensively, South Dakota Mines allowed just two more points and cut the deficit to seven, 30-23, at the half.

In the second half, it was a different game. Hutchinson again started the half hot, scoring five in a row to cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 32-28.

The two teams traded back-and-forth for a while before a Jasper Reinalda dunk gave SDM a 39-38 advantage, their first lead of the contest.

For the remainder of the half, clutch shots made the difference, but none more significant than a dagger in the Yellow Jackets' wings when Keagen Smith drilled an NBA three-pointer with a second left on the shot clock, giving the Hardrockers a 54-50 lead with just under a minute to play.

Black Hills State would not score again as South Dakota Mines added four free throws, taking the victory 58-50.

NOTES
Abel Hutchinson scored 17, adding eight rebounds and three steals…Keagen Smith played all 40 minutes, scoring 12 points and contributing two blocks, two steals, and six rebounds…Jasper Reinalda continues to see more and more court time as he came close to a double-double with seven points and ten rebounds, adding two blocks…As a team, the Hardrockers outrebounded Black Hills State 36-25.

UP NEXT
South Dakota Mines looks to continue their strong play on Thursday, taking on Chadron State at 7:00 p.m.

You can find the latest on South Dakota Mines men's basketball all year long on X and Instagram (@hardrockermbb), and you can also follow on Facebook at Hardrocker Men's Basketball. The latest on South Dakota Mines athletics can be found by following us on X at @GoHardrockers.

About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.