Box score
 
DURANGO, Colo. — Tonight's game was a perfect trap game for the 22nd-ranked Fort Lewis men's basketball team. Wedged in between an emotional win and a date with the nation's undefeated, top-ranked team was a contest with UC-Colorado Springs — a young squad on the upswing that belies its 4-18 record (4-14 in league games).
 
And at intermission, the Skyhawks (17-4 overall, 14-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) clung to a 39-36 lead as the Mountain Lions went on a 9-2 run in the final three minutes of the first half to all-but-erase a 10-point deficit.
 
A sluggish FLC start to the second stanza gave UCCS some hope — they led 48-46 four-and-a-half minutes into the half. Then Fort Lewis went on a 12-0 run to pull ahead by double digits and never looked back as it won 83-66.
 
“We guarded really well in the second half,” said FLC Associate Head Coach Bob Pietrack. “And UC-Colorado Springs is a really good rebounding team and we were able to rebound really well.”
 
Fort Lewis' defense held the Mountain Lions to just 35.5 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes (11-of-31). Meanwhile, the Skyhawks were red hot themselves, shooting 69.2 percent from the field (18-of-26) in the second half.
 
“UC-Colorado Springs is a well-coached team,” said Pietrack. “Their players were playing hard and you've got to give them credit for playing a full 40 minutes. They're a young team that has a very bright future.”
 
Senior guard Marcus Ayala came off the bench to lead the way with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 marksmanship from three-point range. He added four assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals.
 
“Overall, it was a really nice weekend for Marcus,” said Pietrack. “He sparked us on both ends of the court.”
 
Sophomore center Alex Herrera continued his dominating play with 21 points (9-of-13 shooting from the field), 13 rebounds (10 defensive), four blocks and four assists.
 
Fort Lewis also received solid play from senior point guard Matt Mazarei, who had six assists and no turnovers.
 
“He took care of the ball,” said Pietrack.
 
Senior center Torrey Udall, playing on a bum knee, gave his team a strong 16 minutes, scoring seven points while grabbing three rebounds.
 
“You've got to give credit to our senior captain for playing with a lot of heart,” said Pietrack.
 
Fort Lewis outrebounded UCCS 39-31 and passed for 25 assists with just 13 turnovers. The playmaking helped the Skyhawks shoot 55 percent from the field (33-of-60) for the third time this season.
 
Alex Welsh and Derrick White each scored 17 points for UCCS, with Welsh also grabbing eight caroms. Darius Pardner came off the bench to score 11.
 
The Skyhawks now find themselves all alone in second place in the RMAC standings heading into the final two weeks of the regular season and have all-but-ensured themselves of a first round game in the RMAC Shootout on Tuesday, March 5.
 
Fort Lewis (14-4 in league play) leads Colorado Mesa (14-5) by a half-game and Adams State (13-5) by a full game.
 
Next up for the Skyhawks is No. 1 Metro State (22-0, 18-0) at 7:30 p.m. next Friday. The team will host a “white-out” game against the Roadrunners and encourages fans to wear white and pack Whalen Gymnasium.
 
Then on Saturday, Regis (7-14, 6-12) visits FLC on senior night — a game that marks the final regular season home appearance for seniors Ayala, Mazarei, Udall and Matthias Weissl.