ALAMOSA, Colo. - The Adams State Men's Basketball team gets the 2019 calendar started against a pair of RMAC opponents. After a near three week break, the Grizzlies are back in action this weekend.

OPPONENTS
Chadron State College Eagles (5-6, 3-2 RMAC)
MSU Denver Roadrunners (5-4, 3-2 RMAC)

WHEN
Friday, Jan. 4 - 7:30 p.m. vs. CSC
Saturday, Jan. 5 - 7 p.m. vs. MSU Denver

WHERE
Chadron, Neb. - Chicoine Center
Denver, Colo. - Auraria Event Center

Tip-Off
• The Grizzlies come into this weekend with a 3-7 record overall and in RMAC play they are 3-2 this season.
• Adams State last stepped onto the hardwood back on Dec. 16, 2018 against South Dakota School of Mines and walked away with a 75-61 victory going into winter break. The win ended a two game skid for Adams State.
• Following the quick two-game road trip, the Grizzlies will return home to Alamosa where they will begin a four-game home stint before hitting the road again.

Adams State Breakdown
• Offensively, the Grizzlies are one of the highest scoring teams in the conference averaging 83.1 points per game. They sit third in scoring and shoot 46% on average from the floor.
• On the defensive end, Adams State is last (16th) in the RMAC in scoring defense allowing 86.7 points per game on 49.7% shooting.
• Still leading the way on offense is guard Stephanie Ruiz who averages 15.7 points per game.
• Four players are averaging double-digit points entering this weekend. John Dewey leads with 18.0 points per game which is fourth in the RMAC. Dewey's 43.5 shooting percentage is also 15th in the conference.
• Davere Creighton is the second leading scorer at 15.6 points per contest and his average ranks 12th in the conference. Rounding out the scoring in Rickey Norris and Shemar Johnson at 12.5 and 12.1 points per game, respectively.
• Creighton is the Grizzlies top rebounder pulling down 7.0 boards per game. His average and total of 70 are both seventh best in the RMAC. Norris is the second leading rebounder at 6.4 which is tied for 11th in the conference.
• Dewey is the team leader in assists by a large margin. He as 49 in 10 games played, nearly double of second place in Norris who has 25. Dewey's averages 4.9 assists per game to sit second in the RMAC. His 1.3 assist-turnover ratio is seventh best in the RMAC as well.
• Norris has the most blocks with seven total, while Johnson is right behind him at six total. Norris also leads the team in steals with 15. His 1.5 average is tied for 11th in the RMAC.
• Dewey is second on the team in steals with 11, while Creighton and Johnson are tied for third with 10 each.
• Dewey is also one of the RMAC's top free throw shooters with an average of 91.4%. His average is tied for the conference lead on 53-58 made shots at the line. His make total is the most in the RMAC.

Scouting Chadron State
• Chadron State is 5-6 overall entering the New Year and is 3-2 against RMAC opponents. Like Adams State, this the first set of games for CSC in nearly three weeks.
• The Eagles are second to last in the RMAC in scoring offense with an average of 69.2 points per game and average 42.8% from the field. They shoot the three-ball well though averaging 39.6%, which is third highest in the RMAC.
• Defensively, CSC is one of the best teams in the conference holding opponents to just 70.1 points per game. The average is third best and they hold opponents to 42.7% shooting.
• Leading the way in scoring for the Eagles is Michael Sparks who averages 14.2 points per game. He is one of three players who is averaging double figure points but is the only one of the three who has played in every game this season. He is third in the RMAC in three-point percentage at 42.6%.
• Colby Jackson and Diontae Champion are averaging 10.8 points and 10.1 points per game. Jackson has played in just five games this year, while Champion has played in eight.
• With an average of 6.1 rebounds per game, Jeremy Ruffin cleans up the boards the most to lead the Eagles. His average ranks 17th in the RMAC.
• Jaisean Jackson is the top assist man for CSC averaging 3.5 per game. He has 38 total in 11 games played and his average is tied for eighth in the conference. His 1.4 assist-turnover ratio is tied for fifth in the RMAC.
• Andrew Walker has the most blocks with five in 11 games this season and averages 0.5 per game.
• Champion leads the way in steals with 15 and averages 1.9 per game. His average is tied for third in the RMAC. Ruffin is second on the team with 10 steals and averages 1.1 per contest for CSC.

Scouting MSU Denver
• MSU Denver is 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the RMAC entering this weekend. After a 1-4 start to the year, MSU Denver has won four-straight games to get one game over .500.
• The Roadrunners average 74.7 points per game on 45.8% shooting from the floor. They shoot 36.7% from beyond the arc which is middle of the pack in the RMAC.
• On the defensive end, MSU Denver gives up an average of 74.7 points to the opposition on 45.3% shooting. Opponents also average 39.3% against them from three-point range.
• MSU Denver is also one of the best rebounding teams in the conference averaging 36.6 boards per contest. The average is fifth highest in the RMAC.
• A trio of players are scoring 10-plus point per game for the Roadrunners in Druce Asah, Garrett Carter, and Kendall McIntosh. Aash is the high scorer at 16.5 points per game and is ninth in the RMAC with his average.
• Carter and McIntosh are tied second on the team as both players are averaging 12.1 points per game.
• Elijah Straughter is the Roadrunners top rebounder with 60 total for an average of 6.7 per game. His 6.7 boards per contest is 10th best in the conference entering this weekend.
• Carter has tallied the most assists for MSU Denver with 38 total in nine games played. He averages 4.2 per game which is fourth highest in the RMAC. His 1.3 assist-turnover ratio is tied for seventh in the conference.
• McIntosh has been the enforcer down in the paint racking up 12 blocks in nine games. He averages 1.3 swats per game which is tied for fourth in the conference.
• Leading the way in steals is Enrique Cortes Zotes with 10. He averages 1.1 per contest and tied for 22nd in the conference.

Up Next
• The Grizzlies will get a four-game home stint started next weekend. They begin with a match-up against the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers on Friday, Jan. 11.
• Adams State will return to the hardwood the following day, Saturday, Jan. 12 to host the UCCS Mountain Lions. Tip-off for both game is set for 7:30 p.m. inside Plachy Hall Gym.