ALAMOSA, Colo. – Despite 20 points from Morgan Hammerbeck, the Black Hills State University women's basketball team (17-10, 14-8 RMAC) bowed out of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) tournament with a 83-63 loss to No. 3-seeded Adams State (24-7, 18-4 RMAC) in a white out crowd inside a full Plachy Arena.
 
It was a back and forth first quarter on the campus of Adams State University on the first night of the RMAC tournament. Neither side would lead by more than three points in the first 10 minutes, as a lay-up from Alessia Capley (Gr., Arvada, Colo.) would give BHSU their first lead of the night at 11-9 with less than a minute left in the frame. Adams State would draw even before the end of the quarter, as it would be knotted up at 11-11 heading into the second quarter.
 
Back-to-back deep balls for the Grizzlies to open the second quarter saw them jump out to a 17-11 advantage in front of the home crowd. Black Hills State would cut that lead down to one-point at 20-19 with a Haylee Weathersby (Jr., Glendale, Ariz.) lay-up. Adams State would go on a 10-0 run over the next two minutes or so, pulling out to a 30-19 lead with three minutes to play in the half. The Yellow Jackets would respond to that with seven-straight points of their own with five of those points coming from Hammerbeck (Sr., Hamill, S.D.). The Grizzlies would build their lead back up to nine points by the halftime break, leading 35-26.
 
The third quarter would be won by the home squad with the Grizzlies outscoring BHSU 26-17 in the frame to lead by 18 heading into the final 10 minutes. Adams State would push their lead up to as many as 18 points in the third, leading 61-43 after three full quarters.
 
The Grizzlies would keep the pressure on in the fourth quarter, going on to take the Quarterfinal win, 83-63.
 
GAME NOTES

• Morgan Hammerbeck posted her third 20-point game of the season in tonight's Quarterfinals contest.  
• She also grabbed a team-bests seven rebounds and two steals, while shooting 8-for-10 from the floor.
• Ellie Moore added eight points, while both Jaylen Ostenson and Alessia Capley both had seven points.
• BHSU held a +9-rebounding advantage over the Grizzlies (36-29).
• The Yellow Jackets fall to 10-5 all-time against Adams State with the Grizzlies taking all three meetings this season.

The season comes to a close for the Black Hills State women's squad, finishing with a 17-10 record overall and a 14-8 mark in RMAC play. The Yellow Jackets earned the No. 6-seed in the RMAC tournament this season.