GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— Montana Western led wire-to-wire but still had to hang on to beat Adams State University, 71-61, in the first of the Grizzlies' two-game stop at the Holiday Inn Airport Classic at Colorado Mesa University on Friday afternoon.
 
The Bulldogs improve to 6-1, while Adams State slips to 1-3. This was the Grizzlies' first game after a 10-day break.
 
Brynley Fitzgerald led Montana Western with 17 points. Lilly Gopher added a dozen, and Shainy Mack tossed in 10. Adams State's top scorer was Stephanie Ruiz with 12 points. Elaina Watson scored 11 points before fouling out late. Kayla Harris contributed 11 points as well.
 
Gopher's third-quarter layup pushed Montana State's lead to 11 points. Fitzgerald added a traditional three-point play, and Mack added a basket as well to help extend the Bulldogs' margin.
 
Time and again, though, the Grizzlies fought back. ASU cut the gap to a single point in the third quarter, thanks to the second of two Laura Gutierrez three-pointers. She finished with eight points. Watson scored with six minutes to play to cut the deficit to four points. Harris added a layup that shrunk Montana Western's to just two points with half the fourth quarter to go.
 
After a pair of missed Grizzly free throws, Gopher scored to push MWU's lead to four points. Mack added two charity tosses to push the lead to six. Montana Western outscored Adams State 10-2 down the stretch.
 
Both teams finished with shooting percentages near 40 percent. Montana Western outrebounded the Grizzlies 40-30. Fitzgerald led the Bulldogs with nine rebounds. Watson, Harris and Demi Black led the Grizzlies with five assists.
 
Mack, Fitzgerald and Jonell Momberg had three assists for the Bulldogs. Angeline Negeak, Watson and Kaela McClure had three assists for the Grizzlies.
 
ASU will try it again when the Grizzlies face SAGU American Indian College at noon Saturday, Nov. 27, in Grand Junction.