ALAMOSA – The Adams State University women’s basketball team built a sizeable lead in the first half of its game against Fort Lewis Thursday at Plachy Hall gym, only to see it evaporate in the third quarter.

But the Lady Grizzlies recovered in the fourth and pulled away from the Lady Skyhawks 79-60.

Deniece Ryan gave Fort Lewis the early lead, but Brooke Rodgers tied the score. Ryan scored again, but Angeline Nageak hit a 3-point basket for a 5-4 ASU lead.

That sparked a 24-11 run which spanned the remainder of the first quarter. Christabel Longe made two 3-pointers in the run while Mykaila Pickard made one and the Lady Grizzlies led 26-15.

Ryan scored the first points of the second quarter, but Teajhaun Hill scored back-to-back layups. Nageak made two free throws and Maile Wilcox made a layup to extend the lead to 34-17.

Natalie Guanella ended the run with a pair of free throws. The teams then exchanged points, and ASU led at the half 46-38.

Hill scored four points, and Kiiyani Anitielu and Rodgers both scored to give the Lady Grizzlies their largest lead at 54-32.

Katie Lamb sparked the Fort Lewis run with a pair of threes and Livia Knapp made another. The ASU lead shrunk to 54-45 before Anitielu made two free throws.

Knapp scored five points and Ryan two as the Lady Skyhawks whittled the lead to 58-53 at the end of the third quarter.

Hill scored the first basket of the fourth quarter, but Ryan scored five points to reduce the Adams State lead to 60-58.

That would be as close as the Lady Skyhawks would get. Anitielu, Nageak and Rodgers all scored to push the lead to 66-58.

Knapp scored for Fort Lewis, but that would be the final time it would score. ASU scored the final 13 points of the game with Nageak accounting for six of them.

Nageak led the Lady Grizzlies in scoring with 22 points, followed by Hill with 15, and Anitielu and Longe both with 10.

Knapp was the Lady Skyhawks’ top scorer with 18 points, followed by Ryan with 15 and Lamb with 14.

Adams State (7-5, 2-1 RMAC) will travel to New Mexico Highlands on Saturday. It will be the final game of the 2024 calendar year and it will begin at 1 p.m.

Adams State 79, Fort Lewis 60

Fort Lewis – Knapp 7-15 2-2 18, Ryan 6-13 2-2 15, Hoobler 2-5 2-2 6, Hernandez 1-10 0-0 2, Palacio-Gamez 1-6 0-0 2, Lamb 4-11 2-2 14, Guanella 0-1 3-4 3, Kingston 0-0 0-0 0, Armendariz 0 0-0 0. Total 21-61 11-12 60.

3-point goals – Knapp 2-7, Ryan 1-1, Hoobler 0-2, Lamb 4-10, Guanella 0-1. Total 7-21.

Adams State – Nageak 7-14 6-6 22, Hill 5-10 5-5 15, Anitielu 4-7 2-2 10, Rodgers 4-7 0-2 8, Davis 1-3 0-0 2, Longe 4-8 0-0 10, Pickard 1-4 1-2 4, Watson 2-2 0-0 4, Price 1-1 0-0 2, Wilcox 1-1 0-0 2. Total 30-57 14-17 79.

3-point goals – Nageak 2-5, Rodgers 0-1, Davis 0-2, Longe 2-3, Pickard 1-4. Total 5-15.

Fort Lewis 15 13 25 7 – 60

Adams State 26 20 12 21 – 79

Rebounds – Fort Lewis 26 (Lamb 9), Adams State 36 (Hill 8). Assists – Fort Lewis 10 (Ryan, Lamb 3), Adams State 18 (Nageak, Rodgers 5). Steals – Fort Lewis 12 (Lamb 4), Adams State 11 (Nageak 6). Fouls – Fort Lewis 19, Adams State 13. Fouled out – Hoobler. Turnovers – Fort Lewis 22, Adams State 19.