Box Score

DURANGO, Colo. — Just three days after cracking the NCAA Division II Top 25 for the first time in 48 years, No. 20 Colorado Mines (20-3 overall, 16-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) came off the canvas in the second half to defeat Fort Lewis (17-6, 13-6) 78-71 tonight in Whalen Gymnasium.

Trailing by as many as 16 in the first half, the Orediggers went on a 15-8 run to trim the margin to 41-32 at intermission.

The Skyhawks quickly built the lead back up to 12 early in the second stanza before the Orediggers reeled off nine straight points to cut the margin to 48-45 less than four minutes into the half. Mines took the lead at 58-56 with 11:52 remaining and never trailed again.

The shooting fortunes couldn't have been more different for the two teams in each half. The Skyhawks shot .500 from the field and .500 from long range in the first half, but cooled off to .407 from the field and .167 from three-point line in the second. In contrast, Mines was a dismal .310 from the field in the first half and a torrid .680 in the second.

Five Orediggers finished in double figures, led by Brett Green's 20-point effort. Sean Armstrong (14 points, six assists), Gordon Galloway (13), Trevor Wages (12) and Dale Minschwaner (10) also hit double digits.

DeAndre Lansdowne, who became FLC's career scoring and field goal leader last weekend and tied Nick Brooks (2001-05) for first place in career free throws (376) tonight, led all scorers with 21. David Kanyinda (15), Matt Morris (15) and Daniel Steffensen (13) also scored in double figures for Fort Lewis.


Rebounding favored the taller Orediggers by a 37-29 clip, although no Mines player grabbed more than five caroms. Kyle Behrens, Lansdowne and Morris each pulled down six boards for FLC.

Mines' victory tonight marked their first regular season win at Fort Lewis since a 93-86 triumph on Jan. 18, 2003. The Orediggers did win a league playoff game 72-71 at FLC on March 1, 2006.

The loss knocked Fort Lewis into a fourth-place tie in the RMAC standings with Adams State (17-6, 13-6), although the Skyhawks swept the Grizzlies in head-to-head competition and own a tiebreaker in the event of a two-way tie between the rivals. The top four teams host first round RMAC playoff games on Tuesday, March 1.

Fort Lewis can get an important victory at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night when it hosts Colorado Christian (7-16, 6-13). The Cougars gave Adams State a scare in Alamosa tonight, eventually losing 85-80.

Saturday's game marks the final regular season home appearance for six Skyhawk seniors: Behrens, Connor Drumm, Tayler Faust, Kanyinda, Lansdowne and Steffensen. The seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony.