Scott Kretzmann
ASC Sports Information
A streaking Western New Mexico squad won their fourth straight as the Grizzlies suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season, falling 85-76 to the Mustangs in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action on Saturday night on Drag’s Court.
Adams State, which entered the weekend fourth in the RMAC standings at seventh in the NCAA Central Region rankings, has dropped to 14-6 overall and 10-6 in the conference, in which ASC now occupies the No. 6 spot after being leap-frogged by both New Mexico Highlands and Western New Mexico.
The Mustangs are now the RMAC’s fifth-place squad after earning wins against both ASC and the region’s top-ranked Skyhawks, while NMHU has vaulted into third in the league after completing a weekend sweep of its own with a 82-64 victory over Fort Lewis Saturday.
The Grizzlies remain ½ game up on seventh-place Mesa State, which owns a 10-7 conference mark, and a large gap exists between the Mavericks and Colorado St.-Pueblo at 6-10 in league play.
Adams State shot lights out in the first half, hitting 17-of-26 (65.4 percent) field goals. Senior Seth Heinbaugh was 6-of-7 from the field in the first 20 and was joined by junior Marqus Richards with 12 points to pace the Grizzlies.
But despite shooting just 43.3 percent (13-30) from the field in the first, the Mustangs used a trio of 3-pointers and a 7-of-8 effort from the free throw line to remain well within striking distance of the Grizzlies at the break, trailing by just two (38-36).
After the lead exchanged hands six times in the first half, it was more of the same to begin the second stanza.
Neither squad could establish itself ahead of the other, and the lead would go back-and-forth five more times before WNMU pulled ahead for good with 8 minutes, 38 seconds to play on a 3-pointer from Andy Sohlich. Sohlich hit 5-of-8 triples in the game and scored a game-high 27 points in just 26 minutes of action.
Down two (63-61) following Sohlich’s three, junior Shayar Lee tried to give the Grizzlies the lead back right away, but missed on a triple attempt of his own.
The Mustangs’ Jeron McIntosh, who was good for 17 points on Saturday, then upped the WNMU advantage to four by converting a pair of free throws, and an ASC turnover allowed Sohlich to drain another 3-pointer and give WNMU a 7-point lead, its largest of the night to that point.
Adams State held the advantage on the glass, outrebounding the Mustangs 39-27 and held a 20-point (46-26) advantage in the paint, but WNMU hit 29-of-35 (82.9 percent) free throws while the Grizzlies managed to hit just 10-of-21 (47.6 percent).
Richards would finish with an Adams State best 23 points in the game, but the Mustangs would shut Heinbaugh down in the second half, holding him to just three points after the break before fouling out.
Sophomore Jack Osborn came alive in the second half, scoring 13 of his 14 after the break and grabbing eight rebounds in the game.
Junior Robby Hanzlik also chipped in with 10 points, scoring on a pair of made 3-pointers in the second half.
The Grizzlies return to Plachy Hall next weekend to kick-off their final home stand of the season, which will see ASC playing in front of a home crowd for four out of its final six.
Next weekend will kick off on Friday night, Feb. 11 as the Grizzlies host UC-Colorado Springs before facing Colorado St.-Pueblo on Saturday, Feb. 12.
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