The loss, ASC's second by one possession in five league games, drops the Grizzlies to 7-4 overall this season and 2-3 in the RMAC. With the win, Mesa State improves its record to 7-3 and 4-2 in conference.
After scoring a victory to even their league record on Sunday night, the Grizzlies came out on Monday looking to go over .500 against RMAC opponents, but struggled in the first half.
Adams State shot just 38.5 percent (10-26) to start the game and connected on just 1-of-6 (16.7 percent) attempts from 3-point range. That, in conjunction with 15 first half turnovers, left the Grizzlies lucky to trail by just six (30-24) at the break.
Junior Kelsie Kruger (Alamosa, Colo.), who scored 10 of her game high 15 points in the second half, started the scoring following intermission, hitting a jumper to bring the Grizzlies within 30-26, but the Mavericks answered back with a 13-6 to go up by 11 (43-32) with 13 minutes and 44 seconds to play.
But Adams State went a 10-0 run, scoring on each of its next four possessions.
Sophomore Deanna Reich (Mesa, Ariz.), who scored a career-high 10 points while hitting all five of her shots from the field, and scored six in the second half, cut the deficit to nine with a layup.
Back-to-back triples from senior Crystal Loch (Alamosa, Colo.) and sophomore Jamonica Hudgins (Las Cruces, N.M.) made it a one possession game (43-40).
Following a Maverick timeout, senior Kendra Coveal (Albuquerque, N.M.) who recorded a career best seven assists on Sunday and recorded six more helpers on Monday night, found an open Reich who hit a jumper to bring the Grizzlies back within one point with 11:17 on the clock.
Kelsey Sigl, Mesa State's leading scorer in the game with 14 points, then hit a jumper to end the Mavericks scoring drought, but senior Vera Jo Bustos (Las Vegas, N.M.), who struggled in the game and hit just 3-of-16 from the field, hit one of her two triples to tie the score at 47-47.
Coveal and senior Ruchelle McCracken (Frankston, Victoria, Australia) hit two free throws apiece on ASC's next two possessions to give the Grizzlies their largest lead of the night, 51-47, with 8:58 to play.
A 9-0 Mesa State run, capped by a Hanna Bowden jumper, put the visitors back on top with a 56-51 lead with the clock reading 6:24. Bowden scored 12 points for the Mavericks, and joined Sigl and sisters Katrina and Sharaya Selsor in double-digits for the visitors. Katrina and Sharaya scored 12 and 11 points respectively.
With just under two minutes to play, the Grizzlies once again pulled even on a layup from Kruger, and regained the lead with 1:13 to go as Loch answered a Sharaya Selsor layup with her second triple of the night, and ASC led 63-62.
A Bowden layup and a pair of free throws from Katrina Selsor put the Mavericks up by three and gave the Grizzlies the ball with 14 seconds left.
The Grizzlies got the ball in Bustos' hands twice in the final 10 seconds, but she was unable to connect on either, including a buzzer-beating attempt as ASC fell 66-63.
Mesa State shot 58.3 percent (14-24) in the second half while the Grizzlies continued their first half struggles from the field, with a 41.9 percent (13-31) effort in the second half, but did manage to hit 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) from 3-point range over the final 20 minutes.
Mesa State dominated in the paint, outscoring Adams State 36-24 on the inside, and managed to turn the Grizzlies 20 turnovers into 24 points while. Though Adams State took care of the ball better in the second half, only committing five giveaways, they were unable to capitalize as well as the Mavericks on their opponents mistakes, turning 20 Mesa State turnovers into just 17 points.
Led by Coveal's seven offensive rebounds which equaled her season best, the Grizzlies held a 14-8 advantage in offensive rebounds, and scored 11 second chance points.
With the loss, the Grizzlies have concluded the 2010 portion of their season, and will next be in action in Nebraska against RMAC foes Chadron State and Nebraska-Kearney on January 2 & 3.
The Lopers earned a split over the weekend, topping Colorado Mines, 75-67, but falling by an 87-77 tally against Colorado Christian, and now stand at 4-6 overall and 3-3 in RMAC play.
Chadron State fell in both of its weekend games, as the Eagles fell to Colorado Christian and Colorado Mines by 66-38 and 82-72 scores, respectively. The Eagles will be in action against Montana State-Billings on Dec. 29, but currently hold 1-8 overall and 0-6 league records.
Both games will be available to Grizzly fans unable to make the trip to Nebraska via a live video broadcast online via AmericaOne (formerly B2 TV). For more information regarding ordering single-game and season viewing passes click here. Sunday's games on Jan. 2, which are scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m. MST, can be heard in their entirety on www.kspk.com following the conclusion of the Denver Broncos season finale. Monday's games will air live.
Visit ascgrizzlies.com for the latest news and info on Adams State College Athletics.
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