Box Score
DURANGO, Colo. — Vera Jo Bustos scored 29 of her game-high 31 points in the second half and overtime to lead Adams State (22-9) to a 77-66 upset over No. 5 Fort Lewis (28-3) tonight in Whalen Gymnasium in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Central Regionals.
The upset ended FLC's school-record 46-game home winning streak that stretched back to the 2007-08 season.
Bustos, who was the Preseason
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year, was 0-for-5 from the field in the first half as Fort Lewis took a 33-22 lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the second stanza, though, she went 7-for-11 from the field and 4-for-5 from behind the arc as the Grizzlies defeated the Skyhawks for the first time since a 67-66 win in Alamosa, Colo., during the 2006-07 campaign.
The game marked the end of the career for FLC's lone senior,
Abby Jackson, who led the Skyhawks with 19 points. During Jackson's four years in a Skyhawk uniform, she led her team to a 117-15 record (.886), four straight NCAA playoff berths, three RMAC regular season crowns and the 2011 RMAC Shootout title. She finished her career as FLC's career leader in victories (117), three-pointers (235) and assists (172), and is just one of 10 players in school history to eclipse 1,000 career points (ninth overall, 1,026).
Fort Lewis had the chance to win the game in regulation with the score tied at 61. Jackson drove the lane for a runner that was rebounded by
Jenna Santistevan with five seconds remaining. Santistevan found
Mary Rose Paiz for a mid-range jumper that was errant as time expired.
The Grizzlies jumped out to a 67-61 lead in overtime, thanks to a pair of buckets by Kelsie Kruger and a layup by Kendra Coveal.
Fort Lewis trimmed the lead to 67-63 after a pair of Jackson free throws with 2:44 remaining in the extra period but could never trim the lead to less than four points. Bustos sealed the game with four free throws down the stretch.
Kruger (17 points) and Coveal (12 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists) were the only other Grizzlies to score in double figures.
Paiz (15 points, 8 rebounds) and
Dana Schreibvogel (13 points) were the only other Skyhawks to score in double figures.
One of the nation's best rebounding teams, Adams State dominated the boards, outrebounding FLC 46-29.
Fort Lewis' trademark pressure defense forced 24 ASC turnovers while registering 14 steals and 3 blocked shots.
The normally hot-shooting Skyhawks made just 34.4 percent of their field goals (22 of 64) and were particularly cold in the second half (34.6 percent, 9 of 26) and overtime (11.1 percent, 1 of 9).
Adams State shot 43.8 percent from the field (21 of 48) and were particularly effective in the second half (52.2 percent, 12 of 23) and overtime (a perfect 3-for-3 from the field).
The Grizzlies, seeded No. 8 in the NCAA Division II Central Region, face No. 4 seed Northern State (22-8) at 7 p.m. (MST) Saturday in Whalen Gymnasium. The other semifinal pits No. 2 seed Metropolitan State (28-2) vs. No. 3 seed Wayne State (Neb.) (26-3) at 5 p.m. (MST). The NCAA Division II Central Region Championship will be played at 7 p.m. Monday (MDT).
In other quarterfinal action today in Whalen Gymnasium, No. 3 Wayne State defeated No. 6 Colorado Christian (18-11) 78-73, No. 2 Metro State defeated No. 7 Winona State (21-8) 70-56, and No. 4 Northern State defeated No. 5 Concordia-St. Paul (19-11) 74-70.
