ALAMOSA, Colo.—Senior Paiton Demps was a team player all game, but her lone bucket with 13.3 seconds off a steal and assist from freshman Elaina Watson, helped lift the Adams State University Women's Basketball Team to their first win of the season over CSU-Pueblo, 62-61.

The win, which snapped a 16-game losing streak against the ThunderWolves, is the Grizzlies' first win over CSU-Pueblo since February 12, 2011. The win also gives ASU their first 1-0 start to a season since 2017.

After the ThunderWolves opened the game 4-0, Adams State saw redshirt-junior Kaitlyn Bell, who was making her first start for the Grizzlies, score four points by herself to tie the game. As the period continued Adams State jumped out to a three-point lead thanks to a three-pointer from Taylor Thompson. The lead turned into a quick CSU-Pueblo lead, but the Grizzlies closed out the quarter with a 5-0 run to take an 18-14 lead into the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, after a three-pointer from redshirt junior Stephanie Ruiz, the ThunderWolves countered with an 8-0 run to take a 25-21 lead with just over five minutes remaining. Adams State used the speed of Kaela McClure to help propel a small run and they regained the lead 29-27. The lead swelled to 33-29 at the half.

Adams State led by as many as 14 points, 47-33, with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter before allowing the ThunderWolves to climb back into the game.

CSU-Pueblo went on a 14-2 run, including two three-pointers, to close withing two 49-47, with 6:35 left in the game.

The two teams then traded baskets with the Grizzlies maintaining a narrow lead. Eventually another trey by CSU-Pueblo gave them a 55-53 lead with 4:44 remaining. The lead swelled to four, 57-53, with four minutes but sophomore Laura Gutierrez came up clutch with free throws to close the gap and help ASU get a lead.

With the score 60-59 in favor of the Grizzlies, a foul occurred with 21 seconds remaining allowing the leading scorer for the ThunderWolves, Janaiya Davis, score two free throws and give the lead to the ThunderWolves 61-60. ASU appeared poised to get a lead, however, a late turnover by Demps with 17 seconds looked like it was would expel any chance of a win for the Grizzlies.

On the ensuing inbound, however, Watson read the inbound play on the inbounds and maintained her balance along the baseline, threw the ball behind her where Demps was wide open in the key for the game-winning bucket with 14 seconds.  The Grizzly defense stood tall as a missed three-pointer with eight seconds was rebounded by Demps for the win.

Gutierrez was the leading scorer for the Grizzlies with 17 points as she was 5-of-12 from the field including 1-of-5 from beyond the arch, however, she was a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Ruiz was next in line with 15 points as she was 3-of-6 from beyond the arch, and Bell scored ten points and was one rebound away from a double-double.

As a team, Adams State connected on 23-of-51 (45.1 percent) from the field, 6-of-17 (35.3 percent) from beyond the arch and 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) from the free throw line.

The Grizzlies are now scheduled to host South Dakota Mines on Saturday with tip off scheduled for 3 p.m.