No. 17 Yellow Jackets Venture East To Battle Dragons And Vikings In East/West Challenge

After a pair of 32-point victories last weekend in Denver, the No. 17 Black Hills State University men’s basketball team travels to the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes as they seek to avenge losses to (RV) MSU Moorhead and Augustana from a year ago. The East/West Challenge enters its seventh season matching teams from the RMAC and NSIC, as the Yellow Jackets look to snap a 4-game losing streak against the Dragons and Vikings and end a 5-game MSUM win streak and 4-game Augie win streak in the challenge.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO VS. MSU MOORHEAD

Date/Time/Location: Friday, November 21 / 6:30 p.m. MT / 7:30 p.m. CT / Moorhead, Minn.  / Nemzek Fieldhouse

NSIC Network: Fans can watch the action live on the NSIC Network for free.

KDSJ Radio: Black Hills State men’s basketball continues to air live on KDSJ Radio with the voice of the Yellow Jackets, Steve Ammerman, giving the play-by-play for all the action.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO VS. AUGUSTANA

Date/Time/Location: Saturday, November 22 / 2:30 p.m. MT / 3:30 p.m. CT / Moorhead, Minn.  / Nemzek Fieldhouse

NSIC Network: Fans can watch the action live on the NSIC Network for free.

KDSJ Radio: Black Hills State men’s basketball continues to air live on KDSJ Radio with the voice of the Yellow Jackets, Steve Ammerman, giving the play-by-play for all the action.

#17 BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters game number three of the season with a record of 2-0 (0-0 RMAC) after a second straight 32-point victory as they downed Texas A&M International 89-57 in Denver. It is the second consecutive year BHSU has started 2-0 and the fourth time in the last five seasons.
• BHSU improved to 13-1 in their last 13 games against the Lone Star Conference (LSC). Meanwhile, they look to bounce back from a 2-5 mark against the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) the last two years, and they are 6-10 since 2018-19.
• Black Hills State looks to snap a 4-game losing streak in the East/West Challenge and is 3-7 all-time in the six years of participation.
• They Yellow Jackets recorded back-to-back wins of 30 or more points for the first time since their 2022-23 Final Four run, as they defeated MSU Denver by 32 points (89-57) on February 4, 2023, and UCCS by 31 points (100-69) on February 10, 2023.
• The Green & Gold have shot the ball better than 50 percent in each of their first two contests, improving to 12-1 in such games since the beginning of 2024-25. In his first games back since 2023-24, Myles Johnson has been lights out with 13-of-16 shooting from the field at an 81.3 percent clip. Additionally, Willie Patterson III and Jaeton Hackley are each 7-of-10 from the field for 70.0 percent shooting on the year.
• The Yellow Jackets enter the 2025-26 season off an 18-12 (13-7 RMAC) record in 2024-25 where they finished in a tie for third in the league standings, their seventh consecutive top-4 finish in the conference.
• BHSU joins only Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa as the only three schools to win 13 or more conference games in each of the last four seasons.
• In the 2025 RMAC Tournament the Yellow Jackets advanced to the semifinals for the fifth consecutive season where they ultimately fell to No. 9/9 Colorado School of Mines 77-64.
• Dating back to last season the Green & Gold are 10-3 in their last 13 games overall, with a pair of those loses coming to a top-10 nationally ranked Colorado School of Mines squad.
• The Yellow Jackets enter the 2025-26 season as the preseason favorites in the RMAC and are ranked No. 17 in the NABC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
• Black Hills State returns three all-conference players from a year ago, as Cam Lowe was named First Team All-RMAC and RMAC Freshman of the Year, while Jaeton Hackley and Tristan Hurdle were named Honorable Mention All-RMAC. All three of those student-athletes were named to the 2025-26 Preseason All-RMAC team.
• The Yellow Jackets return seven players who started a game last season, and they return ten players in total from last season.
• The Green & Gold bring back a wealth of talent as they return their leading scorer (Lowe) and four of their top-5 scorers, they return their leading rebounder (Lowe) and four of their top-5 rebounders, they return their leading assister (Hackley) and four of their top-5 assist leaders, they return their leader in steals (Hackley) and four of their top-5 steals leaders, and lastly they return four of their top-6 block leaders from last season.
• After connecting on ten or more 3-pointers as a team 17 times in 2024-25, they have knocked down double digits shot from beyond the arc in back-to-back games to begin the season as they hit 11 against SRSU and 13 against TAMIU. The Yellow Jackets are 14-5 in those games since the beginning of last season.
• Black Hills State went 13-of-13 from the charity stripe against Sul Ross State, the most made free throws in a game without a miss in the DII era for the Yellow Jackets. They then followed it up by going 10-of-14 from the line against Texas A&M Internation. They are shooting 23-of-27 from the free throw line on the year for a 85.2 percent clip.
• The Yellow Jackets are among the top teams in the nation in several stat categories, including leading the country in field goal percentage defense (30.8%), are second in rebound margin (+22.0), defensive rebounds per game (36.50), scoring margin (+32.0), are third in scoring defense (55.5), are fourth in assists per game (22.5), rebounds per game (48.50), sixth in free throw percentage (85.2%), and are ninth in 3-pointers per game (12.0).
• Johnson has reached double digits in both of his first two games back to the court, averaging 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 assists per game. In the season opener against the Lobos, he poured in a career-high 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor. He missed all of 2024-25 due to injury but averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 2023-24.
• Jack Haggett has made his presence known in the post with a strong start to his sophomore campaign, averaging 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game this season. He scored in double figures in the season opener against the Logos, pouring in 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe, as he added five rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. A year ago he averaged just 5.1 points and 2.4 rebounds with seven games in double figures.
• Making their Yellow Jacket debuts, transfers Jackson Seale and Patterson have provided added production to an already talented group of returners. Seale scored a career-high 12 points in the win over the Dustdevils and added four rebounds as he is now averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on the young season. Patterson on the other hand is now averaging 9.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assist after he recorded a double-double in his first game with the program with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
• Through two games the reigning RMAC Freshman of the Year, Lowe, averages 9.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. While looking to get his shot to fall this year yet, only shooting 29.2 percent from the field on 7-of-24 shooting, and 21.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc he is 3-of-14 from 3-point range. He recorded his 25th career double digit game of his career as he scored ten points and added eight rebounds and four assists in the season opener against SRSU and then notched nine points and eight rebounds against TAIMU. The First Team All-RMAC and Second Team All-South Central Region selection averaged 15.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season, posting eight double-doubles on the year. He scored in double figures 24 times and reached the 20-point mark ten times. He poured in a career-best 28 points in an overtime comeback win at UCCS, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from 3-point range. He also posted one of the best 3-point shooting performances in school history against Adams State, going a perfect 7-of-7 from beyond the arc. He enters the season as the active leading career scorer in the RMAC, tied for active lead in career rebounds, and is the leagues’ top free throw shooter as he is 83.7 percent from the charity stripe in his career.
• The floor general, Hackley, is averaging 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, as he has dished out four and five assists respectively in the first two games of the year. He returns as the team leader in assists with 3.7 per game a year ago, while defensively he also led the team with 1.3 steals per game. He added 11.8 points per game as he scored in double figures 20 times in 2024-25, notching a career-best 24 points in a regular season conference game at Colorado School of Mines as he went 7-of-13 from the floor, 3-of-3 from deep, and 7-of-7 at the charity stripe. He dished out five or more assists on 11 occasions. He enters the 2025-26 season in the top-10 of both the BHSU career assists and steals per game lists.
• Regrouping after an 0-of-5 performance from deep in the season opener against Sul Ross State, Hurdle, bounced back and went 4-of-4 from distance against Texas A&M International. The Preseason All-RMAC selection and the 2024-25 NCAA Division II leader in 3-point percentage is averaging 6.0 points and 1.0 rebounds while shooting 44.4 percent from deep. The SRSU contest marked the ninth time he connected on four or more 3-pointers in his Yellow Jacket career. He has scored in double figures in 14 games, including a career-best 27 points on 8-of-12 shooting from deep against Regis at home last season.
• Ryan Thompson is in his eighth season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 141-66 during his career.

(RV) MSU MOORHEAD STORYLINES

• MSU Moorhead enters their first two home games of the season with a record of 0-2 (0-0 NSIC) following losses to No. 2 Washburn (95-63) and Pittsburg State (94-74). It is the first 0-2 start to a year for MSUM since 2021-22, a year they finished 19-12 (11-7 NSIC).
• In 2024-25, the final season under head coach Tim Bergstraser, the Dragons went 25-9 (15-7) and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
• The Dragons enter the year needing to replace their top-6 scorers from last season, including 2024-25 First Team All-NSIC members Carson Johnson and Logan Kinsey who joined Bergstraser at the University of Denver, and 2023-24 First Team All-NSIC member Jacob Beeninga who graduated with 1,693 career points.
• MSUM is picked to finish seventh overall and second in the north division in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
• In three seasons participating in the East/West Challenge, the Dragons are 5-1 and enter with a 5-game win streak.
• Sam Hastreiter is the leading returning scorer and the Dragons’ NSIC Player to Watch after he averaged 7.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game in 2024-25. Through two games this season he is averaging 12.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting the ball 58.3 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from 3-point range, and 88.9 percent from the free throw line. In his last outing against the Gorillas, he scored a Dragon career-high 20 points on 6-of-9 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
• Newcomers Dominic Gooden and Isa El-Amin have led the way this year for the new look MSU Moorhead program. Gooden, a transfer from Northern Illinois, is averaging 13.0 points and 1.5 steals per game as he recorded back-to-back double digit performances to begin the season. He scored a career-high 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, 2-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe against the Ichabods. El-Amin, a freshman guard, has also posted back-to-back double digit scoring games as he is averaging 12.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Also, against the Ichabods, he added 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, 3-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, and 1-of-2 shooting from the free throw line.
• Jason Kemp is in his first season as the head coach at MSU Moorhead, guiding the Dragons to a record of 0-2 thus far in his career.

SERIES HISTORY

• Since the 2014-15 season, Black Hills State and MSU Moorhead have played four games, with the Dragons holding a 3-1 advantage in the series.
• In last year’s match-up on November 15, 2024, the then No. 4/3 Dragons came away from A2 Arena with 69-57 victory. Current Yellow Jacket Joel Speckman scored nine points and grabbed ten boards in the contests, while Lowe added eight points and five rebounds.
• The last time the team’s played in Moorhead, Minnesota, was November 21, 2014, as the Dragons defeated the Yellow Jackets 80-61.

AUGUSTANA STORYLINES

• Augustana enters the weekend with an 0-2 (0-0 NSIC) record on the season following losses to Missouri Western (69-68) and Northwest Missouri State (85-72). It is the first time in more than a decade the Vikings sit 0-2 to begin a year, last occurring in 201314.
• The Vikings saw their first losing season in nearly two decades a year ago, posting a 12-18 (8-14 NSIC) mark in 2024-25. Their most recent sub .500 record previously was a 12-16 (9-5 NCC) record in 2005-06.
• Augustana has been picked to finish in a tie for fifth place overall and a tie for third in the south division of the NSIC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
• In six years participating in the East/West Challenge, the Vikings are 9-3 with a 4-game win streak.
• Despite losing leading scorer Akoi Akoi to graduation, Augie returns three of their top-4 leading scorers from last season, including Tanner Te Slaa, Sam Rensch, and Tameron Ferguson.
• Ferguson, who averaged 10.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game as a freshman, has had a strong start to his sophomore campaign. He has posted back-to-back double digit scoring games to begin the year. He started with 16 points against Missouri Western, then scored a career-best 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc, and 1-of-2 at the charity stripe against Northwest Missouri State. He added four assists against the Griffins and four rebounds against the Bearcats.
• Rensch averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game last season, and is now averaging 14.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals thus far in his senior season. He scored in double figures in both of the first two games of the year, pouring in 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field against MWU, and then added 13 points against NWSU. He also added three rebounds and three assists in each game.
• After sitting out last season due to injury, Caden Hinker, is the third of three Vikings to average double figures with 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this year. He is coming off his first double-double of the season and third of his career with a 15-point and 12-rebound performance against Northwest Missouri State.
• A 2012 Augustana alum, Cody Schilling is in his second season as the head coach at his alma mater, guiding the Vikings to a record of 12-20 during his tenure. Overall, he is in his fourth season as a collegiate head coach, leading his teams to a record of 22-68 in his career after two prior seasons at Mount Marty.

SERIES HISTORY

• Since the 2012-13 season, Black Hills State and Augustana have played eight games, with the Vikings holding a 5-3 edge in the series.
• The Vikings stunned the Yellow Jackets in A2 Arena last season on November 16, 2024, as Akoi Akoi drained a game-winning 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds remaining to lift Augie to the 72-71 victory.