ALAMOSA, Colo. – Black Hills State women's basketball (9-3, 4-2 RMAC) traveled to compete against Adams State on Friday night and fell to the Grizzlies, 82-52.
 
The ASU Grizzlies' defense forced 24 Yellow Jacket turnovers and held the team to a 30.2 percent mark from the floor and a 31.6 percent clip from beyond the arc.
 
Despite the tough defense, Megan Engesser led the Yellow Jackets with 18 points on the night, with all six shots made from three-point range. She went 6-of-14 overall and 6-of-12 from three.
 
Kalla Bertram was the next highest on the roster, making 1-of-4 from the floor but making up for it with a 7-of-8 mark from the charity stripe. On the defensive side of the floor, BHSU racked up four blocks with Ellie Moore leading the charge with two.
 
BHSU also outrebounded the Grizzlies, grabbing 35 total boards throughout the game. Bertram led the team with two offensive and five defensive boards.
 
Off the controlled tip, ASU was able to get down the floor for a quick layup to draw the first points, but an Engesser three-pointer gave BHSU their first lead of the night. A quick 7-0 run from the Grizzlies gave them a 9-3 lead with 6:56 to go in the first quarter.
 
A layup from Capley and another long-range shot from Engesser pulled BHSU back to a four-point deficit. Both teams traded buckets with Adams State not giving up their lead. A three-point shot from the Grizzlies ended the quarter with a 16-14 ASU lead.
 
Heading into the second, a layup from Haylee Weathersby brought BHSU within one, but turnovers would allow for a 10-2 run from the Grizzlies, which helped them re-expand their lead to 26-17 with 7:36 to go in the half. ASU continued to play tough defense down the stretch, allowing for them to take a 32-21 lead with four minutes to go.
 
Another layup courtesy of Hammerbeck and another three-point dime from Engesser brought the game back to an eight-point Yellow Jacket deficit, but a Kalla Bertram foul led to two charity stripe points for the Grizzlies, bringing it back to a double-digit lead for ASU. Another 7-2 run from the hosts ended the half with the Grizzlies on top, 39-26.
 
The second half opened with a 5-4 run highlighted by a Bertram layup and another long-range shot from Engesser, but solid shooting from ASU kept them ahead with a sizeable 15-point lead. ASU later expanded their lead with a 9-2 series that, after an Engesser three, gave them a 55-37 lead with 2:52 left in the quarter. Both teams shared a trip to the free throw line to cap off the quarter, with ASU leading by 24 heading into the final frame.
 
Despite multiple mid-range shots and free throws made by BHSU, ASU had answers for it all in the fourth, maintaining a 73-49 scoreboard halfway through quarter number four. The Grizzlies kept their foot down and finished the game with a three-point shot to put away BHSU, 82-52.  
 
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets head west to Golden, Colorado for their second matchup of the weekend, taking on Fort Lewis for a New Year's Eve showdown at 3:30 p.m.