by Alamosa, Colo. – The No. 3-seeded Adams State women’s basketball team punched its ticket to the next round of the RMAC Championship Tournament on Tuesday night, defeating No. 6 seed MSU Denver 71-63 in the quarterfinals at Plachy Hall.
With the win, the Grizzlies improve to 22-9 overall and advance to the RMAC semifinals in Grand Junction, where they will face UC-Colorado Springs on Friday. Tipoff time is still to be announced.
MSU Denver opened the game with early momentum, but Adams State quickly flipped the script. The Grizzlies heated up offensively and took an 18-10 lead after the first quarter. Ashiian Hunter led the charge early and finished with a team-high 18 points and four rebounds. The Roadrunners responded in the second quarter, trimming the deficit and taking a narrow 29-28 lead into halftime.
Coming out of the break, Adams State seized control. The Grizzlies erupted for 30 points in the third quarter, fueled by a balanced attack that featured four Adams State players scoring in double figures, swinging the game in their favor for good.
MSU Denver made one final push in the fourth quarter and cut the deficit to four midway through the period, but the Grizzlies responded with timely baskets and clutch free-throw shooting. Mia Ervin played a key role off the bench, going 6-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Adams State was led by Hunter, who knocked down four 3-pointers in her 18-point performance. Elaina Watson added 13 points and five steals, while Taejhuan Hill recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Ervin finished with 10 points off the bench, while Nakya Blakley and Kiiyani Anitielu each added eight as the Grizzlies relied on balanced scoring to secure the win.
Defensively, Adams State forced 26 MSU Denver turnovers and converted them into 26 points while holding the Roadrunners to just 37.9% shooting from the field.
