ALAMOSA, Colo. – The Westminster men's basketball team returned to the win column by defeating Adams State 83-74 on Friday afternoon in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
 
Westminster (4-3*, 4-1 RMAC) had a double-digit lead for most of the game as they shot 50 percent from the field and made a season high 12 3-pointers. The held Adams State (5-7, 2-4) to 45.5 percent shooting and just 5 of 16 from beyond the arc.
 
Trailing 6-2 less than two minutes into the game, Westminster went on a 10-0 that concluded with a pair of three from Travis Devashrayee. Adams State would trim the lead to 20-19 when the Griffins got seven points from Casey Evans during a 15-3 burst that extended the lead to 13 with 5:27 remaining in the opening half.
 
The Grizzlies made one more run in the half to close within 38-30 before the Griffins put the game away. They had a 15-2 run during a four-minute span to close the first half and start the second. Zerrion Payton scored eight points during the stretch and capped a 10-0 run with a pair of free throws that had the lead at is largest of the night, 53-32, with 18:34 remaining.
 
Payton led the Griffins on the day with 17 points to match his season high. He was 8 of 10 at the foul line and added four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
 
Westminster won the rebounding game 33-31 and they converted seven offensive rebounds into 12 second chance points. They assisted on 15 of their 29 made baskets and overcame 18 turnovers with 28 points in the paint.
 
Devashrayee scored a career-high 16 points and was 4 of 4 from deep. Evans used three triples to help him get 15 points. Jarred Laws scored 12 points on four hits from distance and Marcus Bryce added 10 points and six rebounds.
 
Jarrett Givens led Adams State with 18 points while Shane Johnson scored 17.
 
The Griffins are back in action on Saturday when they face No. 18 Fort Lewis at 7:30 p.m. MST in Durango, Colo. The game will be broadcast live on the RMAC Network.

(*) NCAA non-countable game rules prohibit men's basketball victories vs. California Miramar and Bristol to be counted in season record.