Skyhawks Men's Basketball Game Day Notes - Feb. 3, 2015

February 6 - Skyhawks at Western New Mexico - 7:30 p.m.
Live Stats
Video

February 7 - Skyhawks at New Mexico Highlands - 7 p.m.
Live Stats
Video

About the Skyhawks
Rasmus Bach scored a career high 19 points last week against Colorado Christian.  Alex Herrera, who led the team in scoring with 22 points, pulled down a career high 19 rebounds (14 defensive rebounds).
 
As a team the Skyhawks are shooting a solid 35.8 percent from the three-point line. Morse is shooting 43.3 percent from the three-point line, good for fourth in the RMAC, while his teammates Cade Kloster is shooting the three ball at 39 percent and Jared Smith at a 38.6 percent clip.
 
The Skyhawks are out-scoring their opponents by 6.1 points per game (sixth in the RMAC), and out-rebounding them by 3.8 rebounds per game (fourth in the RMAC).
 
Center Alex Herrera is third in the RMAC for scoring, averaging 23.8 points per game. He also leads the RMAC in rebounding, averaging 11.2 per game. Herrera leads the league in blocked shots (74), and is the only player in the RMAC to average a double-double.
 
Herrera ranks in the top 10 in NCAA Division II in free throw attempts (first, 251), free throws made (first, 171) total blocks (first, 74), blocked shots per game (3.7), double-doubles (second, 14), defensive rebounds per game (sixth, 8.4), total rebounds (seventh, 223), total points (seventh, 475), and rebounds per game (eighth, 11.2).
 
Along with Herrera's NCAA-leading 251 free throw attempts and 74 blocked shots, he also leads the conference in blocked shots per game, defensive rebounds per game, double-doubles, rebounds per game and total rebounds.
 
Herrera is the only player in the RMAC to average a double-double.  His 23.8 points per game are the third most in the RMAC, and his 11.2 rebounds per game are the most.  He has made more free throws (171) than any player from New Mexico Highlands or Western New Mexico has attempted.
 
The Skyhawks hit the century mark in three consecutive wins against Texas-Permian Basin (101-97), Northern New Mexico (105-92) and Eastern New Mexico (104-72).  FLC has scored at least 100 points in three straight games two other times in program history: 1995-96 and 1990-91.
 
Herrera became the all-time blocked shots leader at Fort Lewis on Friday, Nov. 14 against St. Mary's.  Herrera broke Rich Hillyer's career block record of 208.
 
Fort Lewis started the 2014-15 season winning their first five games.  The last time the Skyhawks started their season 5-0 was 2012-13.  Fort Lewis has also started their season 5-0 in 2010-11 and 2009-10, including a 6-0 start in 1997-78 under head coach Chuck Walker.
 
The Skyhawks men's team earned 133 points and are picked fourth in the RMAC preseason poll.  For the second year in a row, Alex Herrera has been tabbed the RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
 
About the Mustangs
Western New Mexico as a team is last in the RMAC in: scoring offense (63.9 points per game), scoring margin ( -19.1 points per game), field goal percentage (39.3 percent), field goal percentage defense (49.3 percent), three-point field goal percentage (31.3 percent), rebounding offense (39.5 rebounds per game), and rebounding margin (-8.7 rebounds per game).
 
The Mustangs leading scorer is Marcos Castrillo who averages 13.1 points per game. Castrillo is also the leading rebounder for Western New Mexico; he pulls down 5.6 rebounds per game. Terrez Scott is the leading assists man with 83 so far this season, good for third in the RMAC. Scott is third in the RMAC with an average of 1.7 steals per game and 29 steals total. Gavin Wood had made 38 three-pointers this season with an average of two per game.
 
All-Time Series vs. Western New Mexico
Fort Lewis and Western New Mexico have each won 43 games when playing against each other.  The Skyhawks tied the series at 43-43 on Jan. 10 when they earned an 86-70 home win over WNMU.  The Mustangs have won 25 of the 31 meetings against Fort Lewis when playing on their home court.
 
About the Cowboys
New Mexico Highlands is led by Kendrick Nichols who averages 18.6 points per game, good for sixth in the RMAC. Nichols is also the Cowboys leading three-point shooter making 36.9 percent of his shots behind the three-point arch. Jonathon Mines is a close second in scoring for Highlands scoring 17.4 points per game making him the RMAC's eighth leading scorer. The Cowboys leading rebounder is Kaylen Shane who pulls down 6.2 rebounds per game. Lead assist man Charles George has 43 assists on the season. 
 
As a team the Cowboys average 71.5 points per game. Highlands is last in the RMAC for scoring defense allowing 83.4 points per game. The Cowboys are being out-scored in each game by 11.9 points. Highlands is fourth in rebounding offense pulling in 35.3 rebounds per game. 
 
All-Time Series vs. New Mexico Highlands
Including an 83-76 home win over New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 9, the Skyhawks have won the last six meetings against the Cowboys, including the last two on the road.  FLC is 20-18 all-time when playing the Cowboys on their home court.