After a step forward with its win at MSU Denver on Saturday, the Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team took a big step back at home with a 79-49 loss against Adams State on Tuesday night.
The Skyhawks couldn’t contain the Grizzlies’ forwards in the paint all game. FLC stayed in the game until Adams State caught fire from the 3-point arc in the second half and made nine 3-pointers. FLC went cold from downtown and couldn’t recover.
“The glaring thing is our efficiency,” FLC head coach Lauren Zuniga said. “Thirty percent field goal won’t win you a single game in the RMAC … We didn’t do a good job on a lot of their important personnel and we let four of their players in double-digits and we had one. We can’t win a game doing that.”
FLC fell to 6-15 overall and 3-10 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after it shot 30% from the field, 21% from 3-point range and 71% from the free-throw line.
The Skyhawks’ 30-point loss was the worst of the season. It was the fourth time this season FLC hasn’t reached 50 points; three of those four times were at home. FLC hasn’t won at home since Dec. 5.
Senior forward Darla Hernandez led FLC with 11 points on 4-10 shooting from the field, 1-3 from 3-point range and 2-2 from the free-throw line. Freshman Katie Lamb, who averaged 22.6 points per game in her last three games, struggled and finished with five points on 2-10 shooting from the field and 1-7 from 3-point range.
Zuniga said it’s hard being consistent as a freshman and that a few of Lamb’s shots were a little forced. She’d like to see Lamb get to the free-throw line more and get others involved.
Adams State improved to 14-8 overall and 9-4 in the RMAC after it shot 43% from the field, 46% from 3-point range and 64% from the free-throw line.
Mykaila Pickard led the Grizzlies with 18 points on 6-10 shooting from the field and 6-8 from 3-point range. Taejhuan Hill finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds and Kiiyani Anitielu finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
“We didn’t execute very well,” Zuniga said about her defensive game plan. “We knew TT Hill and Kiiyani were going to play off each other a lot; they’re really good players. We held them to almost their average. The most glaring thing to me was Pickard and Ri’Ahana Davis got in double-digits because we had scouts on them.”
FLC got into a deep hole early and trailed 12-3 after a Pickard 3-pointer with 3:56 left in the first. The Skyhawks responded with two fast-break layups, with the second coming after a nice block by reserve forward Sarah Chick.
“In the first quarter, and even in the second quarter, I liked the shots we were getting,” Zuniga said. “Adams always pressures hard and always has great athleticism but I liked the shots we got once we settled in. We just didn’t make layups.”
The Skyhawks ended the quarter on an 8-2 run to cut Adams State’s lead to 14-11. FLC consistently attacked the paint and had some success, although trouble was always nearby with the Grizzlies’ size and length inside.
FLC continued to have issues finishing over Adams State’s length while the Grizzles found success in the paint with finishes by their forwards and guards. Anitielu finished inside for a 24-13 advantage with five minutes left in the second.
The Skyhawks found some more success in the middle of the quarter finishing inside with good ball movement. The problem was, they couldn’t stop Adams State’s penetration. The Grizzlies’ guards were getting wherever they wanted and their forwards were finishing post-ups with relative ease. Adams State led 35-23 at halftime.
FLC cut into Adams State’s lead with 3-pointers from Hernandez and freshman guard Claudia Palacio Gámez to make it 36-31 with 5:20 left in the third. The Grizzlies weren’t as decisive on offense and didn’t get the same quality looks to start the third.
But Adams State responded with back-to-back baskets from close range by Hill and two 3-pointers to go on its own 10-0 run. The Skyhawks fell in love with the 3-pointer in the middle of the third and went cold to end the quarter. Adams State ended the quarter on a 15-0 run over the last five minutes.
“They were open,” Zuniga said about her team’s 3-point tries. “They were sitting in the gaps. The girls were looking a little too hard and were pressing to try and get points on the board.”
FLC’s scoreless seven-minute stretch was ended by a free throw with 7:51 left but FLC was already down 53-32. Things only got worse for the Skyhawks as the Grizzlies found open shooters and they connected from downtown to make the margin even worse.
The Skyhawks hit the road to play New Mexico Highlands on Saturday at 1 p.m.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
