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Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Keven Biggs
Durango Family Photography
72
Northern N.M. NNMC 7-14
100
Winner Fort Lewis FLC 6-5
Northern N.M. NNMC
7-14
72
Final
100
Fort Lewis FLC
6-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northern N.M. NNMC 29 43 72
Fort Lewis FLC 50 50 100

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Brian Kortz

Men’s Basketball Reaches Century Mark in Hot Shooting Win Over Northern New Mexico

DURANGO, Colo. – Behind season-highs in points, field goals made, shooting percentage and three-pointers made, the Fort Lewis College men's basketball team shot lights out throughout in cruising to a 100-72 victory for the second time this season against Northern New Mexico inside Whalen Gym on New Year's Eve.

FLC (6-5) certainly came out of the holiday break ready, firing 55 percent from the field in the first half. Just to prove that wasn't a fluke, the Skyhawks shot even better with a 67 percent clip in the second half to end up shooting a season-best 61 percent (37-61). Not only that, the long ball returned and in heavy doses as FLC sunk 13-24 (54) to set a new high in three-pointers made and then topped it off with a 100-point game for the most this season.

Eleven players registered at least four points, with Marquel Beasley going for a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Keven Biggs was on fire from downtown as he ripped off five three-pointers on his way to 17 points. AJ Sparks got the start and he added 11 points and five assists. Will Wittman also took advantage of being in the starting lineup as he tallied nine points and seven rebounds. Alex Semadeni, Wyatt Hayes and Otas Iyekekpolor all added eight points apiece. Hayes, the local product from Ignacio, went 2-2 from three, 2-2 from the foul line, added three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 17 minutes.

The Skyhawks led wire-to-wire and at one point had the lead as high as 39 with five minutes to play in the second half. Sparks opened the scoring 41 seconds in sinking a mid-range jumper. The first three of the night came just over a minute in when Kireed Johnson drilled the trey. Seven straight points from Sparks followed for FLC, as he hit two from the line, then hit back-to-back three-pointers with the last giving FLC a 14-6 lead at the 15:54 mark. The lead reached 10 a minute later on a layup by Wittman.

Northern New Mexico (7-14) fought back to within five getting three straight three-pointers, but it was just too much hot shooting from the Skyhawks. A layup by Beasley, a three by Semadeni and then two from the line by Wittman quickly pushed the lead back into double-digits at 28-16.

Beasley and Biggs added threes on consecutive possessions to move FLC out to a 39-23 lead with 4:15 to go before the break. After the Eagles cut the lead back to 12, FLC closed the half strong with a Semadeni jumper triggering an 11-2 run before halftime. Brenden Boatwright, Beasley, Biggs and then two from throws by Beasley capped the run leaving FLC with a 50-29 lead at halftime.

A 6-0 run welcomed the Skyhawks out of the break with Beasley, Wittman and Sparks all connecting on shots for a 56-29 lead. Hayes pushed the lead into the 30's when he calmly drilled a three with 12:55 remaining in the game. After Biggs sunk another three, Iyekekpolor was the recipient of a great pass in transition from Hayes to throw down a slam for the 75-43 lead.

Beasley and Boatwright kept the rim-rocking going as the two slammed down back-to-back dunks near the seven-minute mark. Brendan La Rose jumped the lead out to its largest of the night at 39 on a jumper at the 5:06 mark for the 97-58 lead.

The Eagles then closed the game on a 14-3 run to provide the final margin of 100-72. Naquwan Solomon paced Northern New Mexico with 17 points, while Seth Warfield added 13, mostly on a big spurt in the second half. FLC forced 17 turnovers which resulted in a 29-13 points off turnovers advantage. The Eagles shot just 38 percent (21-55) from the field, 9-28 (32) from three and 21-25 (84) from the foul line.

The Skyhawks held the edge in not just points off turnovers but on second-chance points (11-4), bench points (48-19), points in the paint (40-10) and fastbreak points (17-5).

FLC took the earlier meeting back on Nov. 14 against Northern New Mexico, 83-60.

The Skyhawks will hit the road this coming week as they return to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play starting on Friday against MSU Denver and then on Saturday versus Chadron State. Both games will start at 7:30 p.m.
 
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