PUEBLO, Colo.— Despite a slow start, rebounding struggles, and late-game free throw woes, the Adams State University Grizzlies women's basketball team emerged victorious in a thrilling 61-57 overtime win against the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action.

The win propelled the Grizzlies into a competitive group of five teams within one game of the top spot in the RMAC standings, boasting four or fewer losses. With this victory, the Grizzlies improved to 17-7 overall and 12-4 in conference play, tying with Colorado Mesa for fourth place in the standings, while UCCS and Regis held second place with 13-4 conference records, and Colorado School of Mines lead at 14-3.

Head Coach Mario Caetano expressed the significance of every win at this crucial stage of the season, emphasizing the team's one-game-at-a-time approach. "Every win at this point of the season is huge. With the league being extremely competitive, there is minimal room for error. We approach this last part of our season one game at a time," he said after the game, also commending the players for their resilience and ability to make key plays when it mattered most. "[I am] Proud of how we finished the game, players made plays. Players win games."

Harmanie Dominguez delivered a standout performance, tallying 28 points, including six three-pointers, during the game, propelling her into several spots in the ASU record books for points in a game with 28 (fourth), field goals in a game with nine (seventh), field goals attempted (third) and six three-pointers (seventh). Angelline Nageak also made her mark, climbing to the No. 3 spot in steals for the season, while Kayla Harris ascended to sixth place in steals.

On the team level, the Grizzlies showcased their prowess from beyond the arc, hitting 8-of-16 attempts, now hitting 168 on the season, fourth most for a season ever. Their defensive efforts were evident with two blocks and 14 steals, moving them into third and fourth, respectively.

In overtime, CSU Pueblo initially took the lead, but timely plays, before a squandered opportunity that led crucial three-pointers by Dominguez and a game-sealing steal and basket by Elaina Watson, secured the victory for ASU.

In the opening quarter, Adams State struggled, shooting a mere 2-of-11 (18.2 percent) from the field, falling behind 14-2 by the first media timeout. However, they quickly rallied, embarking on a 6-0 run in just 2 minutes and 34 seconds, narrowing the deficit to six points. Despite their efforts, the quarter concluded with a score of 20-11. The ThunderWolves maintained a dominant rebounding advantage, outrebounding the Grizzlies 15-7.

Adams State staged an impressive rally, surging with an 11-0 run in just 3 minutes and 28 seconds to knot the game at 22 points apiece as the second media timeout approached. Harmanie Dominguez, exploded in the second, contributing ten crucial points, including two three-pointers. The momentum continued to build for ASU, extending their run to 16-0 and propelling them to a 27-22 lead. The first half remained fiercely contested, ultimately concluding with the Grizzlies holding a slim 35-30 advantage.

Dominguez maintained her impressive scoring in the third quarter, accounting for 11 of the team's 14 points, outscoring the ThunderWolves 11-8 single-handedly. Meanwhile, the ThunderWolves struggled from the free-throw line, converting only 4-of-9 attempts in the quarter. Because of their efforts, they found themselves trailing 43-33 as the game entered the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Adams State stumbled, allowing CSU Pueblo to narrow the gap to a three-point margin with 7:30 remaining.

Despite trading baskets early on, Adams State went scoreless for over 3 minutes, allowing the ThunderWolves to tie the game at 51 with 1:53 left. A critical bucket by Kiiyani Anitielu gave the Grizzlies a 53-51 lead with 1:45 remaining, but rebounding woes allowed CSU Pueblo to tie the game again at 53. Despite missed free throws by the Grizzlies, CSU Pueblo couldn't convert their opportunities, leading to overtime.

The Grizzlies now focus on their upcoming home games, aiming to capitalize on their momentum as they vie for a higher position in the standings. Their next challenge awaits as they face Fort Lewis College at home on Tuesday, followed by matchups against Western Colorado, South Dakota Mines, and Black Hills State in the following weeks, all games are set to start at 5:30 p.m.