SPEARFISH, S.D. – Hovering around a 10-point deficit for most of the second half, the Black Hills State University men's basketball team could not build enough momentum for a comeback in a 68-58 setback to Adams State University Friday night in the Young Center.

The Yellow Jackets (4-9, 2-5 RMAC) posted four players in double figures led by Riley Ryan with 14 points but never led after hitting the opening basket of the game.

Winning the opening tipoff, Wyatt Krogrman found Myles Henry cutting into the lane for the easy layup. The Grizzlies (5-4, 2-4 RMAC) answered back with an old-fashioned three-point play from Juwan Buchanan.

Adams State quickly built a six-point lead at 8-2 and stretched it to 11 points at 23-12 with 9:06 remaining in the first half. The Yellow Jackets twice cut the lead to three points, first on a three-point play, the hard way, and again on a layup with 4:05 remaining in the half and both coming from Ryan.

Adams State entered the intermission with a 35-27 lead.

The second half saw Black Hills State fall behind by as many as 16 points but slowly chipped away at that lead. However, they couldn't get over the final hump before falling 68-58.

After Ryan's team-high 14 points, Henry and Yoshio Allen each scored 11 points while Nick Ongarato added 10. Allen was 5-of-6 from the field and grabbed five rebounds.

Michael Middlebrooks was the lone scorer in double figures for Adams State with 20 points on 10-of-13 shooting. The Grizzlies shot 54.9 percent from the field while the Yellow Jackets were 44.7 percent. Adams State also held a slight edge in the rebound game, 31-25 led by Middlebrooks' seven. Ongarato grabbed six rebounds from the Yellow Jackets.

Black Hills State will look to seize a victory Saturday night against Fort Lewis College. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Young Center.