They led for most of Saturday night's game in Spearfish, SD, but CCU Basketball couldn't hold on in the game's most critical moments. After playing two extra periods, the Cougars lost their third straight – a disappointing 86-79 setback to the Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State.
 
Thanks to a hot first-half that included a 63% clip from the field and a 50% showing from deep, CCU took a 35-31 lead into the locker room at the break. Unfortunately, the best was behind them from that point on. As the second period progressed, Christian's misses began to pile up. The blue and gold managed just seven buckets in the half, assuring their lead – once as big as nine – would evaporate by the end of regulation.
 
Though the squads traded makes in the first overtime, the Jackets looked on the verge of the win with less than a minute remaining. Down three with mere moments left to play, Christian scrambled to keep their hopes alive. Zack McLemore missed a tying trey with :20 on the clock, but Michael Brown's offensive board meant another chance for the Cougars. His three-point make seven seconds later tied the score at 73s, and forced yet another extra period.
 
Unfortunately, CCU's fortunes ended there. The home Jackets hit twice from downtown in the second OT, and produced when they needed to at the line. The result was a 13-6 BHSU run, and a disappointing result for a Christian squad battling for post-season positioning.
 
Five players scored in the double digits for CCU, with Zach McLemore (17 points) pacing the group off the bench. Joey Trinkle and Michael Brown added 16 apiece, with Trinkle notching a season-best three blocks and Brown leading the Cougars with seven rebounds.
 
Though still secure in eighth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, Colorado Christian will need to take care of business in the coming weeks. Just three games remain on the 2015 regular-season schedule, two of them coming this week in Lakewood. The Cougars host Western New Mexico Friday night, before closing out their home season Saturday against NMHU.