ALAMOSA, Colo. (January 7, 2016) — This weekend the Adams State University Grizzlies return to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action for a two-game away stand. On Friday, the Grizzlies will pay a visit to the Colorado School of Mines followed by a bout against Colorado Christian University on Saturday.  

Last Time Out
The Grizzlies opened up the New Year in the opposite direction of what they were hoping for. The Grizzlies played host to Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. ASU fell to the Roadrunners by a 71-45 score and lost to the Mountain Lions by a 72-58 score. After those results, Adams State found itself in the midst of a three-game losing streak. However a a strong offensive performance to end the game against the Mountain Lions gives hope for a mid-season turnaround for the Grizzlies. Against UCCS, the Grizzlies had three double-digit offensive performers as DeShea Wilkes, Cydney McHenry, and Lena Jaycox as each scored 14 points, respectively.

About Colorado School of Mines (9-2, 7-0 RMAC) 
This will be the second time the Grizzlies have played against the Orediggers. The last time we met on December 12, Adams State lost to Mines by a 78-62 score. The Orediggers have won nine consecutive games this season-an--RMAC best. After starting the season 0-2, Mines finds itself as one of the hottest teams in the nation and garnering national media attention. Just this week, the Colorado School of Mines women's basketball program moved up to the #4 spot in the latest D2SIDA Women's Basketball Regional Rankings. Currently the Orediggers hold the RMAC's best record and sit atop both the RMAC Mountain Division and overall RMAC Standings.

Offensively Mines is led by senior forward Courtney Martin. She leads the team with 11.9 points scored per game and converts nearly 45 percent of all the shots she takes. She also is a dominant force on the glass, leading the team in rebounds with an average of about seven per game. While Martin is a solid contributor and an important piece to the team, the Oredigger offensive system is a spearheaded attack. Martin stands as the focal point of Head Coach Brittney Simpson's offensive philosophy, but junior guard Laura Tyree is just as vital to the team's success. Tyree is the perfect complement to Martin and is very effective at shooting the ball from beyond the three-point line. So far throughout the season she contributes an average of 11.5 ppg and scored a season-best 24 points in the comeback win over Mesa State. The Grizzlies will need to find a defensive answer to both Martin and Tyree in order to challenge the Oredigger's offensive mojo.

About Colorado Christian University (8-3, 5-2 RMAC)
The Grizzlies and Cougars have squared off against each other already this season. The last time the two teams met, Adams hosted CCU on December 11 and lost by a 73-41 score. The Cougars have only lost to Mines and Fort Lewis College all year and are currently riding a four-game winning streak. During that span, CCU has notched wins against  Westminster University, Colorado Mesa, New Mexico Highlands, and Western New Mexico. In all four games, the Cougars offense amassed at least 70 points or more and won by double-digit margins.

CCU is both a strong offensive and defensive team under the guidance of Head Coach of Tim Hayes. So far this season his team has limited their opponents to score an average of 55.2 ppg. On the season, the Grizzlies manage to score an average of 55.5 ppg. The one flaw in CCU's game is on average, the team commits about 19 turnovers per game. Look for the Grizzlies to expose this in order to achieve victory against another team rich with momentum.

Offensively the Cougars are led by senior forward Kate Louthan. For the season she averages 12.8 ppg and averages seven rebounds per contest.

Stay Connected
For any updates regarding Adams State athletics stay connected with www.asugrizzlies.com! Updates are also available through the Grizzlies official Twitter (@ASUGrizzlies) and Facebook (/TheAsuGrizzlies) accounts.The Adams State University Grizzlies will return to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action this weekend, begging a four game stretch away from Plachy Hall over the next two week period. This weekend the Grizzlies will square off against both the Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Christian University. Both games are scheduled for 5:30 pm tip-offs.