SPEARFISH, S.D. – Despite a hot-shooting first quarter by the Roadrunners, they couldn't keep it rolling in the final three, as Black Hills State defeats MSU Denver 63-49.
 
The loss puts MSU Denver at 3-11 overall and 2-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Yellow Jackets, who came in tied for first in the RMAC, improves to 10-3 overall and 6-0 in conference play. 
 
The Roadrunners started this game shooting lights out from the floor hitting on 9-of-13 shots and 2-of-4 from the perimeter in the first quarter. Freshman guard Nevaeh Millard led the way with seven points. 
 
Black Hills State also shot well in the first frame hitting on 53 percent of their shots and took a 22-20 point lead into the second quarter. Bradie Schlabs scored nine points in that first frame for BHSU. 
 
But an abysmal second quarter for the Roadrunners allowed the Yellow Jackets to expand on their lead, one they would never give up. MSU Denver shot 1-for-11, scoring just seven points and the home team would head into halftime with a 41-27 lead. 
 
Black Hills State scored the first nine points of the second half and the Roadrunners' all-conference guard Mikylah Espinosa would have to sit on the bench picking up her fourth foul early in the third quarter. The junior would finish with just seven points on 3-of-8 shooting. 
 
The Roadrunners were outclassed on the glass, as Black Hills State outrebounded them 40-25, which included 13 offensive rebounds that led to 16 second chance points.
 
Millard led the Red and Blue with 15 points, while Brianna Sealy was the only other Roadrunners to reach double figures scoring 10 points, while grabbing six rebounds. 
 
After a 1-1 weekend, the women's basketball team will head back to downtown Denver to play in their first home games of 2025. They'll next take on Colorado Christian on Thursday at the Auraria Event Center with a 6:00 p.m. tipoff time.