SPEARFISH, S.D. – For the second time in program history, the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets are the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball champions. The Yellow Jackets claimed the RMAC title after defeating second-seeded Colorado Mesa University, 89-77, in the championship game of the 2026 RMAC Men’s Basketball Championship.

With the win, the Yellow Jackets now await the announcement of their opponent for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship. They will find out who they face on Sunday, March 8 at 9 p.m. MT on NCAA.com. The 64-team field will eventually be narrowed to eight regional champions who will advance to Indianapolis. 

Colorado Mesa jumped out to an early lead, taking a 7–0 advantage right from the opening tip. The Mavericks kept their foot on the gas throughout much of the first half, holding the lead until the 6:38 mark. However, the Yellow Jackets didn’t let the Mavericks roll on their home court without a fight, as Black Hills State stayed within striking distance and eventually took a 39–35 lead into halftime. It was a tightly contested first half, with the Mavericks shooting 50% from the field while the Yellow Jackets shot 52%.

Coming out of the break, Black Hills State kept the momentum going, scoring four quick points to force an early Colorado Mesa timeout. However, even with BHSU rolling, Colorado Mesa stayed within reach and didn’t allow the lead to reach double digits. The Mavericks seized momentum at the 7:53 mark when Clayton Jewell knocked down a fast-break three-pointer to spark a 7-0 Colorado Mesa run. However, BHSU answered with a 7–0 run of its own, pushing the lead to 75-63.

The Yellow Jackets were led by Jackson Seale and Myles Johnson, who each scored 18 points in the championship matchup, with Seale knocking down four three-pointers. Cam Lowe (15), Jack Haggett (13), Tristan Hurdle (12), and Jaeton Hackley (12) also reached double figures, with Lowe surpassing the 1,000-point mark in his BHSU career on a three-point basket. On the other side, Colorado Mesa was led by Wes Ball, who scored 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Teammates Ben Henderson (17), Ty Allred (11), and Clayton Jewell (10) also contributed in double figures for the Mavericks.

The 2026 RMAC Men’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
MVP – Jackson Seale, Black Hills State
Cam Lowe, Black Hills State
Tristan Hurdle, Black Hills State
Myles Johnson, Black Hills State
Clayton Jewell, Colorado Mesa
Wes Ball, Colorado Mesa
Stewart Erhart, Fort Lewis
Mac Terry, CSU Pueblo