GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado worked its way back from an 11-point deficit to start the fourth quarter, pulling even and inching ahead by a point on consecutive free throws by Natalie Jojola and Rachel Cockman. But visiting Adams State dropped in a 3-pointer for the final bucket of the game in the Grizzlies' 71-69 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's basketball match-up Friday evening.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Adams State def. Western, 71-69
Records: Western 1-4 (0-1 RMAC), Adams State 6-3 (1-0)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western finished each of the first three quarters trailing by 10, 9, and 11 points, respectively, then caught fire in the final 10 minutes.
• Each of those deficits were 'aided' by turnovers that at the end of the game totaled 26 by the Mountaineers, from which Adams State converted into 27 points.
• But what started as a chilly night shooting – just 31 percent in the first frame – continued to warm up each quarter, with Western closing out the game at 50% in the fourth quarter.
• The Mountaineers began their climb back into the game with a Jayda Maves trey to open the final period. A defensive rebound by Alyssa Eckroth on Adams' next possession turned into a Zoe Kennedy 3-pointer that trimmed the Grizzlies lead to five.
• Ivey Schmidt came down with a defensive rebound on Adams' next shot and finished the play off at the other end with a layup that pulled Western to within three, 59-56.
• Eckroth ripped down another defensive board on another Grizzlies miss and Kennedy drained her second trey to finish off a spurt that completely erased a deficit that had lingered around double digits through the first 30 minutes of action.
• Adams had a response, though, and pushed back in front to lead by seven, 68-61, with six minutes remaining.
• After a lengthy scoring drought by both teams, Jojola dropped in a pair of free throws to initiate another Western rally.
• A Cockman rebound on Adams' next miss turned into a Jojola 3-pointer at the other end, and then a bit of chaos ensued.
• Jojola drew a foul on Adams' Riahana Davis, her fourth, and Davis' reaction drew a technical foul that became her fifth. Jojola sank the second of her two free throws from the initial foul, and Cockman hit both of her tosses from the technical, putting Western in front 69-68.
• Adams pulled the win out, however, with a trey from Harmanie Dominguez – three of her game-high 21 points – but only after two Western 3-point attempts in the final seconds couldn't find the bottom of the basket.

COURT NOTES

• Maves and Dominguez battled for points supremacy all night. Dominguez won the battle, but only by a basket as Maves finished with a season high 19 points. Both dropped in five 3-pointers and Maves was 2-for-2 from the foul line.
• Cockman finished the game with 15 points, and 7 rebounds, while Jojola cracked double figures with an 11-point night.
• Western controlled the boards, coming down with 43 rebounds while Adams State finished with just 29.
• The Mountaineers were also not only good at getting to the foul line, but they were near perfect from the stripe, hitting 16 out of 17 free throw attempts. The Grizzlies only visited the line six times and hit three of those opportunities.
• Despite the rebounding disadvantage, Adams State had a good night from in close, forging a 28-16 edge in points scored from the paint.
• The Mountaineers would finish the night shooting 41% percent from the floor and 39% from long range. The Grizzlies closed at 42% from the floor and 44% from behind the arc.

UP NEXT
Western continues RMAC play on home on Saturday, entertaining Fort Lewis College in a 3 p.m. contest in Paul Wright Gym.