CHADRON—Junior forward Kattie Ranta became just the second player in Chadron State College women’s basketball history to score 40 points while leading the Eagles to an 85-76 victory over Adams State during a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game Saturday night.

The 6-foot graduate of Rapid City Central was 10 of 18 from the field and made 20 of 24 free throws to account for her 40 points.  Only Gwen Reed, who scored 41 points as a junior in 1975-76 against Nebraska Wesleyan and 42 as a senior in 1976-77 against Mount Marty, ever hit the 40-point mark previously for the Eagles.

Ranta’s 20 free throws shattered the Chadron State record.  No other CSC woman had ever made more than 16 foul shots in a game. Ranta made all six of her free throws in the first half and was 14 of 18 from the line in the second half.

Ranta, who scored 24 points in the second half which is the second highest total for an RMAC women’s player ever, also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and is now averaging 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds for the season.

The Eagles needed about all the points they could muster from Ranta to pull out the victory. They led by just 74-72 before Dallas Shaw hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 63 seconds remaining. Ranta then made six of eight free throws to help clinch the verdict.

Adams State led 38-37 at halftime. The Eagles took the lead at 41-38 on a trey by Hattie Guzman with 38 seconds gone off the clock in the second half and led the rest of the way, although never by more than nine points.

Guzman finished with 13 points and Shaw with 12 for CSC, which is now 2-10 for the season and 2-5 in the RMAC.  The Eagles shot 45.5 percent (25-55) from the field and made 29 of 45 free shots.

Keyondra White and Kelly Hernandez each scored 16 points and Ann Pauly and Deanna Reich 14 apiece for Adams State, now 4-7 overall and 1-6 in the conference. The Grizzlies show 37.7 percent (23-61) from the field and were 22-26 from the free throw line.