SPEARFISH, S.D. - A big Black Hills State run early in the second half gave the Yellow Jackets some breathing room as they then held on for a 65-61 win over Colorado School of Mines.

The Orediggers (11-7, 7-4 RMAC) nearly erased the Yellow Jackets' 13-point lead in the closing minutes, but BHSU held on to win propelled by balanced scoring and timely outside buckets.

Mines was led by Ben Boone's game-high 17 points, while Kobi Betts scored 11 in the start at point guard and Paul O'Leary added 10 off the bench. Four players - Stefan Desnica (14), Joel Scott (13), Sava Dukic (13), and Tyler Oliver (12) - scored in double figures for BHSU.

After a close first half ended with the Yellow Jackets holding the largest lead of the game to that point at 35-31, Mines opened the second half on a 7-2 run to take a 38-37 lead on Titus Reed's free throws with 17:51 left. Mines would not score for more than seven minutes after that, however, as Scott's jumper sparked a 14-0 run that didn't end until Thurman Knowles' layup at the 10:33 mark. 

That flipped the Mines lead into a 51-40 BHSU advantage, but Mines slowly began to chip away, and back-to-back buckets by O'Leary and Knowles made it 57-52 with 5:44 left. Five straight points by Boone moments later cut it to a one-score game at 60-57, and after a Dukic free throws, Brendan Sullivan's layup made it 61-59.

Neither team would hit a field goal in the final minute as Oliver made two free throws for Black Hills, Betts answered at the other end, and Trey Whitley iced the game at the line with two seconds left after a Mines turnover on a potential tying or go-ahead possession.

Mines shot .462 for the game on half splits of .520/.407; BHSU was an even 50 percent. 

NOTABLES
- Betts earned his second start of the season.
- Boone tied his career high with 17 points, shooting 7-of-11 including a pair of three-pointers.
- Michael Glen had seven points, a team-high eight rebounds, and three blocks in the game.
- Thurman Knowles was a shot in the arm off the bench late for Mines, helping them with five points, a steal, and an assist in a career-high 11 minutes.
- BHSU held a 32-27 rebounding advantage.
- Black Hills State remained in at least a tie for first in the RMAC at 9-2 pending Dixie State's game with Regis later on Saturday.
- BHSU won consecutive games over Mines for the first time since 1977. Mines leads the all-time series 12-8.

NEXT UP
Mines returns home to host MSU Denver Friday at 6 p.m.