Yellow Jackets Head To Chadron For Second Matchup Versus Eagles

The Black Hills State Yellow Jackets (10-7 (7-3 RMAC)) have now lost back-to-back games after falling to #9 Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado in back-to-back games. Despite nearly coming back from 16 points down to Western with five minutes to play, the Yellow Jackets lost their second straight and now head to face the Chadron State Eagles (1-14 (1-9 RMAC)) for the second time this season.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Date/Time/Location: Tuesday, January 27 / 5 p.m. / Chadron, Neb. / Chicoine Center
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online at the link above.
RMAC Network: Beginning in the 2025-26 season the RMAC Network will now move to Pay-Per-View. Fans can purchase a single game pass ($10), monthly ($25) or annual subscription ($130). Individuals with bhsu.edu or yellowjackets.bhsu.edu email address can still take advantage of the Peak Pricing Promotion by using the code Y26-RMACEDU.
KDSJ Radio: Black Hills State women’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.

BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• The Yellow Jackets are 10-7 and 7-3 in the RMAC and started their 2026 4-2 with wins over Regis, MSU Denver, New Mexico Highlands, and Fort Lewis. The Yellow Jackets just lost their second straight to Western Colorado in a 75-74 loss that included BHSU coming back from 16 down to with 5 minutes to play and nearly winning the game. Unfortunately, WCU shot 50 percent from three in that game and shot over 50 percent from the field. It was the first time this season that BHSU had three players score over 15 points in a game. Bradie Schlabs had 18, Brinlee McRae had 16, and Audrey Norville had 15.
• Through the first 17 games of the season BHSU is averaging 69.5 points, 44.2 rebounds, 15.6 assists, 9.4 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 40.8 percent from the field, 27.8 percent from 3-point range, and 67.6 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 53.9 points, 30.1 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 6.9 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 36.9 percent from the field, 26.6 percent from 3-point range, and 68.5 percent from the free throw line.
• BHSU is ranked in the top 20 in the country in five different stats so far this year. They are fourth in rebound margin (14.1), fifth in rebounds per game (44.24), 13th in offensive rebounds per game (16.4), 14th in scoring defense (53.9), and 18th in scoring margin (15.6).
• The Yellow Jackets are a brand-new team. They only have seven returning players and only two saw meaningful minutes last year with only one starter returning in Bradie Schlabs. Last year the Yellow Jackets went 18-11 (13-7 RMAC) and finished fourth in the conference and won a game in the RMAC Tournament. They bring in three transfers and six freshmen, while getting two girls back from injury.
• The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish sixth in the conference in the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 127 points and one third place vote. They are currently 7-3 in the RMAC and in a tie for third in the conference with Colorado School of Mines, Western Colorado, and UCCS.
• The Yellow Jackets have not lost the rebounding battle in each of their first 17 games to begin the season. It is the longest streak in BHSU’s RMAC history that they’ve won the rebounding battle and the first time that they’ve not lost it in 17 straight to begin the season.
• The Yellow Jackets are averaging 16.4 offensive rebounds per game and for the first time in BHSU’s RMAC history have won the offensive rebounding battle in all 17 games this season, which is the first time to begin a season and the longest streak in program’s D2 history.
• The nine game win streak that just ended in a loss to Colorado Mesa is the longest streak in Yellow Jacket’s D2 history. It just past an eight-game win streak in 2017-18, when BHSU started the season 8-0 before losing to Colorado School of Mines.
• The Yellow Jackets have six wins this year by 20 points or more. They only did so five times in all of the 2024-25 season.
• .The Yellow Jackets were in a defensive battle with FLC with BHSU winning 59-52 in what has been their lowest scoring win of the year. Both teams shot less than 38 percent from the field during the game with BHSU barely edging out FLC with 37.5 percent from the field and FLC shooting 37.3 percent. The two teams also combined for 4-31 (.129) from three-point range, which was the first time since BHSU’s opening D2 game that the two teams have combined for less than four threes on more than 30 attempts
• Against PUCPR, The Green and Gold set the record for most rebounds in a single game in BHSU’s RMAC history (61), most offensive rebounds in a single game in BHSU’s RMAC history (29), least fouls in a single game in BHSU’s RMAC history (4), and it was the first time since 2019 that the Yellow Jackets scored 90 points in a game (91), and the most assists in a game since 2017 (26). The Yellow Jackets used all of this to set the biggest win margin of the season and the biggest since 2017 (58).
• They won three games in a row by 50 or more points, which is the first time in program history. They beat PUCPR by 58 and then beat UPR Mayaguez by 51. Just last night they beat Regis by 53 to keep the 50-point streak alive.
• They defeated the Chadron State Eagles by 49 in what is now the second largest RMAC margin of victory in program history. The Yellow Jackets held a 51-10 lead at halftime. This held the record for largest RMAC margin of victory for just over a month before the Yellow Jackets broke it with a  53-point win over the Regis Rangers.
• The Yellow Jackets shot 25-31 from the free throw line in the win versus UCCS. It was only the second time since 2021 that BHSU made 25 free throws in a game. It was also only the fourth time in the program’s D2 era that they made 25 or more free throws in a game and shot over 80 percent from the line.
• On the other hand, the 38.9 percent from the charity stripe (7-18) that UCCS shot was the lowest free-throw percentage by an opponent who shot over 15 free throws in BHSU’s D2 history.
• In the matchup versus Regis, the Yellow Jackets set the season record for steals in a game with 21. They outrebounded the Rangers 50-22 and outrebounded them offensively 20-2. They shot 47.2 percent from the field on 35-74 and held Regis to 31.0 percent from the field and .67 percent from the three-point line. The Yellow Jackets held opponents to 2-30 from three in their matchups versus Regis and UPR Mayaguez combined.
• Reigning All-RMAC Second Team Bradie Schlabs is the only starter returning this year. She was named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. She has started the year averaging 10.2 points per game, which leads the team, 3.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists. After becoming the first player in BHSU history to have 300 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a season last year, the sophomore has reached ten points in ten of the 17 games this season. Schlabs is now ranked fourth in the RMAC in assists/turnover ratio (1.38), 24th in the country and first in the RMAC in total assists (84), and is 17th in the country and is leading the conference in assists per game (4.9). She has had two assists in every game this year and has had four in 14 of 17. She also has two steals in nine of the last 13 games. She had a career-high nine assists in the win versus PUCPR and added seven more versus UPRM. In the matchup versus Regis, she had 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in one of her better all-around games of the season. In the win over Highlands, she had a team-high 14 points and then put up ten points in the win versus Fort Lewis. She was the only player in double-digits against Mesa with 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Against Western she had 18 points and 6 assists which led the team in both categories
• Sawyer Stoebner is second on the team in scoring with 9.2 points per game and had three ten plus point outing in a row against CSC, UCCS, and CCU. She is also leading the team with 6.5 rebounds. Stoebner is second in the RMAC in offensive rebounds per game (3.2). She went out and put 15 points on the Cougars and shot 7-7 from the free throw line. This was just after she had her first 20-point game of her career versus Minnesota Crookston. She also had 14 rebounds during the East/West Challenge with a career-high eight versus Sioux Falls. Stoebner had 11 points, five rebounds, and six steals in the dominant win over the Eagles. Then turned it around and had 10 points and 5 rebounds versus the Mountain Lions. Finally, she finished 2025 RMAC play by scoring 11 points and grabbing eight rebounds against the Cougars. Stoebner has now reached ten points in three straight games and had her first double-double of her career against MSU Denver when she put up 11 points and 13 rebounds, which was a career high. She followed that performance with another near double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds against NMHU.
• Taylin Serlen has made a massive impact as of late for the Yellow Jackets. The Regis transfer, after only playing a combined 40 minutes in the first six games of the season has averaged 21.4 minutes over the last ten games. She is averaging 8.4 points per game and is shooting a team-high 53.4 percent from the field on 55-103 shooting. She has entered the starting lineup and made her presence known. Against UCCS, she was tasked with guarding one of the RMAC’s top scorers the entire game and held her to eight points. She also shot 6-8 from the free throw line in that game en route to eight points, four rebounds, and a block. Against CCU, she had her best RMAC game of her career on Saturday. She had an RMAC career-high 17 points on 7-12 (.583) from the field and 3-4 (.750) from the line, she also had five rebounds and a block. In the two games in Puerto Rico, she averaged 15 points per game reaching 16 versus PUCPR with 7 rebounds and then 14 versus UPR Mayaguez with four rebounds. Serlen went 12-17 (.705) from the field in the two games. She had 14 points and eight rebounds versus MSUD including eight points in the first quarter. Serlen led BHSU in scoring against FLC with 12 points to go along with four rebounds and two blocks.
• Brinlee McRae has been on a tear recently. She is averaging 7.9 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per game, but she averaged 17.0 points per game in Puerto Rico scoring 19 and 15 in the two games there, while coming back and scoring eight points with four assists against Regis. She has nine of her 20 assists in the last three games. She had the best game of her career against MSU Denver, where she dropped a career-high 27 points and six rebounds. She shot 11-17 (.647) from the field and 5-8 (.625) from three. It was the most points, field goals made, and threes made by any Yellow Jacket this season. After a few rough games, McRae bounced back against Western putting up 16 points and three steals while shooting 6-13 (.461) and 2-5 (.400) from three in the comeback attempt.
• Alli Glasscock is making a massive impact as a freshman. She has only been averaging 16.5 minutes per game but has averaged 7.1 points and 4.6 rebounds. She is shooting 43.3 percent from the file don 39-90 shooting. She nearly had a double-double versus Northern State, where she had 12 points and nine rebounds which were both career-highs. Against CSC, she had eight points, six rebounds and four steals. Coming back to the lineup against Regis, she had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and three steals in 15 minutes of action. 12 of those 14 points came in the fourth quarter and she shot 6-10 (.600) from the field. She had eight points and six rebounds versus the Roadrunners. She had her third ten-point game of the season against the Cowgirls. She also had six rebounds, which she has reached seven times in her last ten games that she has had at least five rebounds.
• Emily Cooper is in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native is averaging 6.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this year. She is ranked 17th in the country and second in the RMAC in assists/turnover ratio (2.07). She is also ranked sixth in the RMAC in assists per game (3.4). Cooper had a great game earlier in the season where she had 14 points versus Sioux Falls. She shot 5-12 from the field and 3-10 from the three-point line. While also adding three rebounds and three assists. Cooper beat that with a career-night versus UCCS, where she had a career-high 19 points, with 12 of them coming in the fourth quarter. She shot 4-8 from the field, 4-8 from three, and 7-8 from the charity stripe including making three of four in the final 18 seconds. She had nine points, four rebounds, and three assists versus the Roadrunners and went 3-5 (.600) from three-point range.
• Audrey Norville has turned into a solid player for BHSU. She played a lot of minutes last year and has now been thrown into the starting lineup. She is second on the team in rebounds with 5.9, while averaging 6.1 points per game. After not scoring in the first game versus SEU, Norville had a stellar second start, where she had her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Each of those were career highs. She had the best game of her career offensively against Western Colorado, where she put up career-high 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists. She went 4-6 from the free throw line in that game. Norville has had five or more rebounds in 12 of 17 games this year. She had six points to go along with the eight rebounds versus CCU and shot 2-2 from behind the arc. She had 17 combined points in P.R. and then had ten rebounds versus UPR Mayaguez. In the game against MSUD, she had a career-high six assists beating her previous career-high of two. She had six points and six rebounds versus NMHU. She then matched that with six points and seven rebounds versus the Skyhawks. She had one of her better games this season against Mesa with nine points, eight rebounds, and two assists. She then put up 15 points and five rebounds versus Western.
• Maureen Ulrich has started 11 of 17 games this season and is starting to come on as of late this season. She is averaging 6.3 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 43-90 (.478) from the field. She has scored double digits four times this year including 12 in the win versus Chadron State and a season-high 13 points in the win versus Regis on January 8. She shot 6-8 (.750) from the field in the game. She had eight points and an RMAC-game high of eight rebounds versus Fort Lewis, which she matched with eight rebounds in the loss to the Mavericks.
• Head coach Kelly Kruger is in the midst of his first season as Interim Head Coach of the BHSU Yellow Jackets. He is 10-7 in his time with the Green and Gold. He is in his 35th season as a head coach, however, and has a record of 544-451 with programs across all levels of college basketball including Northwestern College, Southwest Minnesota State, Adams State, Ashford University, and Iowa Central Community College.

CHADRON STATE STORYLINES

• Chadron State is sitting at 1-14 overall and 1-9 in conference play after losing their last four in a row and 14 of 15. It has been a struggle for Chadron State who has only had one game this year where the scoring margin has been higher than -10 and their best loss was a ten point loss to Adams State. 11 of their losses have come by more 20 or more points including their last matchup versus BHSU where the Yellow Jackets won by 49.
• This past weekend, CSC went 0-2 with two losses by an average of 30 points. They lost to Wesminster 52-83 and then lost to #9 Colorado Mesa 41-70. They have had 20 turnovers in every game but two, but one of those they finished with less than 20 was against Mesa, where they only had 19 turnovers. They even won the three point shooting battle versus CMU .261 to .259.
• Through the first 17 games of the season CSC is averaging 52.0 points, 32.9 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 7.8 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 35.4 percent from the field, 26.9 percent from 3-point range, and 69.5 percent from the free throw line. Their opponents are averaging 76.6 points, 37.3 rebounds, 15.7 assists, 12.5 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 45.6 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point range, and 72.0 percent from the free throw line.
• Chadron is ranked top 10 in the RMAC in six categories. They are ranked sixth in bench points per game (22.1), sixth in three point attempts per game (21.3), eighth in free throw percentage (69.5), ninth in blocks per game (2.3), ninth in three pointers per game (5.3), and ninth in turnovers forced per game (16.53).
• The Eagles only have one returning player who played for any minutes for the Eagles last year. They have nine junior college transfers, one D2 transfer, one redshirt, and five freshmen.
• Chadron State was picked to finish 14th in the RMAC preseason coaches’ poll. They received 46 votes just one behind Westminster for 13th. They have not played an RMAC game yet.
• Chadron State’s scoring leader is McKenzi Peterson. Peterson is leading the team with 9.7 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. She is also shooting 52.1 percent from the field on 62-119 shooting. She had 12 points in the loss to BHSU, which led to her going on a mini run, where she had ten points in three straight games. After falling back into a cold spell, she got hot again putting up three straight double-digit games including a season-high 20-point performance versus Adams State. However, this past weekend she only combined for six points in two games.
• Audrey Quintana is the other top scorer for Chadron as she is one of two players averaging more than nine points per game. Quintana is averaging 9.2 points per game. She only had one ten-point game in her first six games of the season, since then, she has had five. This includes a stretch from mid-December to early January, where she had four out of five games with double figures. This past weekend she reached that mark again scoring a season-high 22 versus the Westminster Griffins.
• Ella Moser is the only other player averaging more than seven points per game for CSC. She is averaging 8.6 points per game and has had only four games in double digits, but she has reached eight points out of seven of the last ten. Moser is ranked third in the RMAC in three point percentage (35.9) and is shooting 33-92 from deep. She is also fourth in three pointers per game (2.2). She had a season-high 17 versus CSU Pueblo and put up 15 this past weekend in the loss to Colorado Mesa.
• Head Coach Jalen Little is in his first season as head coach of the Eagles. He is currently 1-14 in his first season as a head coach. Little comes to Chadron after spending the past five years as an assistant at CSU Pueblo and was also a men’s assistant at Chadron for four years before that.

SERIES HISTORY

• BHSU is dominating the all-time series versus the Eagles. They currently lead the series 28-10 with all eight of those losses coming before the D2 era. BHSU has only lost twice in the past 14 years to Chadron, however, one of those losses was last year in Chadron.
• Earlier this season, BHSU broke their D2 era RMAC record for largest margin of victory in a conference game versus Chadron in A2 Arena. The Yellow Jackets beat Chadron by 49 points in a game the Green and Gold led 51-10 at halftime. In that game four Jackets made it to double figures including Ulrich, Stoebner, and Serlen.
• BHSU went 1-1 versus the Eagles last year. They had their 13-game winning streak versus CSC snapped in Chadron when they lost 60-50 in late January. They did beat Chadron 60-52 in A2 Arena last year.