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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Skyhawks use RMAC record 64 free throw attempts to hand ASC first loss of 2010-11

DURANGO, Colo.- The Fort Lewis College Skyhawks went to the free throw line a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record 64 times and scored 38 points from the charity stripe to hand the visiting Adams State College Grizzlies their first defeat of the 2010-11 season by an 85-76 margin, Saturday night here in Whalen Gymnasium.

Matt Morris was one of five Skyhawks in double figures with 20 points, 14 of which came from the line.  He also had 12 rebounds to tally a double-double for the hosts, who improved to 6-1 overall and to 2-1 in RMAC play with their 25th home-court win in the last three seasons alone.

The Grizzlies, who fell to 5-1 overall and to 2-1 in conference play, also had a double-double effort from junior Marqus Richards (Los Angeles, Calif.), who finished the physical battle with 12 points and a game and season-high 14 rebounds.   Meanwhile, Seth Heinbaugh (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) recorded a team-high 14 points on a 6-for-8 shooting effort.  He also had seven rebounds.

Junior Robby Hanzlik (Denver, Colo.) and Davin Anderson (Louisville, Ky.) were also in double-figures scoring 13 and 11 points, respectively.  Both totals were season-highs.  Anderson was 5-for-6 from the field, a bright spot for the Grizzlies, who struggled from the floor overall.

The Grizzlies hit on just 36.8 percent (28-76) shots from the field.  They were also just 4-for-17 (23.5 percent) from 3-point land.

The Grizzlies were whistled for 41 total fouls and saw three men foul out.  Another five were guilty of four fouls each, partially because of the Grizzlies' game-extending strategy down the stretch after the Skyhawks claimed  14-point lead, their largest of the night, with 3:32 left.

The Skyhawks, who shot 12 in the final two minutes alone, broke the former RMAC record of 62 free throw attempts set by Regis on Jan. 13, 1998.

The Grizzlies went to the free throw line 40 fewer times throughout the night but were a respectable 16-for-24 (66.7 percent) from the stripe.

The Grizzlies never led and quickly gave up a 14-2 run to the Skyhawks after Rayland Robinson, Jr. (Bryan, Texas) tied the game at 2, just 1:10.  Trailing by a dozen (16-4) at that point and by as many as 13 moments later, the Grizzlies did not panic and went on a 19-4 run of their own to close within a single point (23-22) on a Richards jumper with just over six minutes left in the half.

Falling behind by six again, the Grizzlies later tied the game at 28 and 30 on Robinson, Jr. and Deray Wilson (Anchorage, Alaska) buckets but quickly went down 37-30 as Preseason RMAC Player of the Year DeAndre Lansdowne, who had a game-high 21, scored four straight points in a 7-0 Skyhawk run.

The Grizzlies then outscored the hosts 6-2 over the final 1:05 of the half trailed just 39-36 at the intermission.

Never able to get over the hump, the Skyhawks gradually extended that lead throughout much of the second half gaining their 14-point cushion on a Morris basket with 3:32 left.

The Grizzlies then scored the next five points and trailed just 76-67 on a Richards inside jumper with 2:33 left before the Skyhawks did enough from the line in the waning moments to close out the victory, their seventh straight home triumph over the Grizzlies, who have not claimed a road win over the Skyhawks since Feb. 3, 2004.

The Grizzlies finished the night with a 49-39 edge in total rebounds and played 12 players throughout the night, 10 of whom scored.

The Grizzlies, who have played three straight on the road, now return home to Plachy Hall to close out the 2010 portion of the season with Dec. 19 and 20 home games against Western State (1-7, 0-4 RMAC) and Mesa State (6-2, 2-2 RMAC), respectively.  Both games tip-off at 8 p.m. and can be heard live on KSPK-FM (104.1 in Alamosa) and via the internet at www.kspk.com.

Visit ascgrizzlies.com for the latest news and info on Adams State College Athletics.

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