DENVER, Colo. – The Adams State women's basketball team is poised to embark on just their third-ever appearance in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament semifinals on Friday night. The No. 3 seeded Grizzlies are set to return to the Regis Fieldhouse for the second consecutive year, where they will face off in a highly-anticipated rematch against the No. 2 seeded and hosting Regis Rangers.
Securing a Spot in the Tournament
The Grizzlies clinched their berth in the RMAC Tournament for the ninth time in program history after being crowned Co-RMAC Regular Season Champions. Following a four-way tie with Colorado Mesa, UC-Colorado Springs, and Regis, each boasting an 18-4 record, tiebreaker procedures and comparisons of RMAC Performance Indicator averages among the top four teams determined the Grizzlies' No. 3 seed.
First round jab
On Tuesday night, Adams State extended their winning streak to ten games with a decisive 83-63 victory over the sixth-seeded Black Hills State inside Plachy Hall, securing their spot in the RMAC semifinals for the second consecutive year. Adams State's defensive was on full display, amassing 15 steals, with Angelline Nageak contributing four, resulting in 22 turnovers forced. Riri Davis matched her career-high with 21 points, a feat she had achieved twice earlier in the season, while Nageak led the scoring charge with 23 points.
Change of Venue
The tournament's venue has been relocated to Denver following a stunning upset in Grand Junction, where the No. 8 seeded CSU Pueblo overcame the No. 1 seeded Colorado Mesa with a score of 66-57. In another quarterfinal matchup, the No. 4 seeded UC-Colorado Springs secured a 71-65 victory over the fifth-seeded Colorado School of Mines. The Mountain Lions and ThunderWolves will square off in the other semifinal showdown at 7:00 p.m.
Live Coverage
All seven games of the 2024 RMAC Women's Basketball Tournament will be broadcast live on the RMAC Network. Fans can purchase access to each of the tournament's seven games on the RMAC Network for $9.95 per day pass.
Upcoming Matchup
(3) Adams State (24-7, 18-4 RMAC) at (2) Regis (23-5, 18-4 RMAC)
Friday, March 8, 2024 5:00 p.m.
Regis Fieldhouse
Watch the Stream: RMAC Network
Listen: KSPK-FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Tickets: Click Here
History Between Adams State and Regis
The two teams previously met inside the Regis Fieldhouse earlier this season, with the Rangers emerging victorious with a score of 83-79. Last season, the Grizzlies faced off against the Rangers in the semifinals, where they fell short with a final score of 81-73. Adams State is currently on a four-game losing streak against the Rangers, with their last victory dating back to Jan. 28, 2022.
RMAC Tournament Shootout History
Adams State has appeared in nine RMAC Tournaments and have a 3-8 overall record.
Friday night's game will be a rematch of last season when the Grizzlies went 1-1 as they defeated Westminster at home before falling to No. 1 seeded Regis on Saturday.
They are 3-6 in quarterfinal/first round games and 0-2 in semifinal games. Adams State is one of three teams to not make the RMAC tournament final joining N.M. Highlands and S.D. Mines.
2024 – Quarterfinal – Alamosa, Colo. #3 ASU def. #6 BHSU, 83-63
2023- Quarterfinal – Alamosa, Colo. - #4 ASU def. #5 WC, 71-48
2023 – Semifinal – Denver, Colo. #1 Regis def. #4 ASU, 81-73
2011 – Quarterfinal – Alamosa, Colo. - #4 ASU def. #5 CMU, 77-57
2011 – Semifinal – Pueblo, Colo. (CSFEC) - #1 MSUD def. #4 ASU, 48-38 OT
2010 – Quarterfinal – Alamosa, Colo. - #3 CSUP def. #2 ASU, 70-61
2009 – Quarterfinal – Kearney, Neb. - #2 UNK def. #7 ASU, 83-60
2008 – Quarterfinal – Denver, Colo. - #3 MSUD def. ASU, 88-60
1995 – Quarterfinal – Hays, Kan. - #1 FHSU def. #8 ASU, 87-38
1994 – Quarterfinal – Grand Junction, Colo. - #1 CMU def. #5 ASU, 79-64
1993 – First Round – Hays, Kan. - #1 FHSU def. #6 ASU, 58-51
Making Program History
For the first time in program history, the Grizzlies have achieved 24 wins in a single season, surpassing the previous record of 23 wins set in 2010-11 and 1984-85. Currently riding a 10-game winning streak, Adams State boasts an overall record of 24-7.
Dominguez's Remarkable Performance
Harmanie Dominguez, a first-team All-RMAC selection, continues to make history with her outstanding performance this season. Holding a 3.75 GPA while majoring in Kinesiology, the sophomore set the Grizzlies' single-game records for three-pointers (10) and points (37) in a game, in addition to establishing a new single-season record for the Grizzlies in three-pointers with 97 so far. She is only the second player in Adams State's DII history (1992-present) to surpass 500 points, currently ranking second on the all-time list with 528 points, just 49 points away from the record.
All-Conference Honors
Joining Dominguez on the All-RMAC squad, sophomore Kiiyani Anitielu was named to the second team, while Riri Davis and Angelline Nageak received honorable mentions.
Regional Rankings
With a ten-game winning streak and a share of the RMAC title, Adams State has ascended to No. 5 in the final edition of the regular season rankings. These rankings determine the 10 teams in each region most likely to qualify for the NCAA Division II postseason tournament, which commences on March 16.
The 64-team NCAA postseason tournament comprises eight teams from each of the eight Division II regions. The South-Central Region consists of 15 teams from the RMAC and 16 teams from the Lone Star Conference. The final 64-team bracket will be announced on the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, March 10 at 8:30 p.m. (MT) on www.ncaa.com.
Next Up
The RMAC Tournament continues on Saturday with the championship game between the winners from Saturday's matchups at 5:00 p.m. inside the Regis Fieldhouse. The victor of the 2024 RMAC Women's Basketball Tournament will secure the league's automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball South Central Championships.
