Skyhawks Women's Basketball Game Day Notes - Dec. 29, 2014

January 2 - Skyhawks at Chadron State - 7:30 p.m.
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Live Stats
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January 3 - Skyhawks at Black Hills State - 6 p.m.
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Live Stats
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About the Skyhawks
The Skyhawks enter the New Year coming off a home split against Colorado Mesa (L, 52-50) and Western State (W, 74-67). In Saturday's two point loss to the Mavericks, the Skyhawks scored a season low 50 points.  Their 16 field goals made and 27.6 field goal percentage were also season lows.  FLC bounced back the following day to post season highs against Western State in 3-point field goals made (7), 3-point field goal percentage (43.8), free throws made (27), and blocked shots (7).
 
Kate Bayes tallied a career high 20 points and a career high five steals in a home win over Western State.  Six of her points came from long range and another eight points from the charity stripe.  Bayes is coming off the bench and is averaging the third most points on the team (7.2).  She also leads the team in steals with 21.
 
One week after recording career highs against Adams State in points (10), made field goals (four), rebounds (8) and blocked shots (2), redshirt-freshman Lynette Hepa bested her career highs in rebounds (9) and blocked shots (3), both coming at home against Colorado Mesa.  Hepa's nine blocked shots this season rank her seventh overall in the league (1.1 per game).
 
Seven Skyhawks have dished out at least 10 assists this season.
 
Fort Lewis' defense is one of the best in the conference.  The Skyhawks lead the league in scoring defense (59.1 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (33.6 percent), and they are second in the RMAC in blocked shots (42) and third in steals (95).
 
Junior forward Mary Brinton ranks third in the RMAC in field goal percentage (56.9), 16th in scoring (12.1 per game), and 19th in rebounding (5.1 per game).
 
Senior forward Kaile Magazzeni ranks fifth in the RMAC in blocked shots with 1.9 blocks per game (17 total), and she is 14th in the league in rebounding (5.7 average).
 
The Skyhawks are returning nine letterwinners from last year's team, two of which are starters (Erin Curry and Kaile Magazzeni).  Fort Lewis finished the 2013-14 season 16-11 overall and 13-9 in the RMAC (third place).
 
Since adding the program in 1979-80, Fort Lewis is 495-449 all-time (heading into the 2014-15 season).
 
About the Eagles
Chadron State has a new home for basketball this season.  The Eagles play in the Chicoine Center which opened this past November.
 
Junior point guard Emma Block leads the Eagles offensively with 16.3 points per game.  She has netted a team high 16 3-point field goals and 34 free throws.  Block has played in seven of the Eagles 10 games this season.
 
Chadron State enters Friday's game on a four game losing streak.  The Eagles are 1-9 overall and 1-5 in the RMAC.  Their lone win this season came Dec. 6 at home against Western State (W, 75-62).
 
The Eagles are averaging 56.7 points per game and allowing 72.1 points per game, a difference of -15.4. 
 
The Series vs. Chadron State
Fort Lewis holds 19-8 series advantage over the Eagles.  The Skyhawks have won 11 straight games against the Eagles, and the last six at CSC.  The last time the Skyhawks fell at Chadron State was in 2002.
 
About the Yellowjackets
Black Hills State enters this weekend's games against Adams State (Friday) and Fort Lewis (Saturday) undefeated at home (3-0).  The Yellowjackets are 5-4 overall and 4-2 in league games.  They are returning home to the Donald E. Young Center after playing the last four games on the road, where they went 2-2.
 
Black Hills State is out-scoring their opponents by 1.2 points per game (63.3 points for, 62.1 points against).  The 62.1 points per game allowed is the fourth best in the league, and they hold their opponents to only a 23.2 3-point field goal shooting percentage, which is the best in the league.
 
Senior Chelsey Biegler leads BHSU in scoring (11.8 points per game), steals (19), free throws (40) and made three-point field goals (12).  Her 11.8 points per game are the 20th most in the RMAC.  Teammate Dakota Barrie is ninth in the RMAC in assists (29) and 19th in rebounding (5.1 per game).  Taylor Trohkimoinen has the fourth best free throw shooting percentage in the RMAC with 90.6 percent (29-32).
 
The Series vs. Black Hills State
Saturday's meeting at Black Hills State will be the third ever between the two teams.  After winning the inaugural meeting between the two teams in 2013 (W, 80-71 at BHSU), the Skyhawks have lost the last two games, including last year's RMAC quarterfinal contest at Whalen Gymnasium.