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Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Alex Semadeni
Max DeHerrera/Sports Fanatic Photography
76
Colorado Mesa CMU 12-5, 7-4 RMAC
79
Winner Fort Lewis FLC 9-8, 4-7 RMAC
Colorado Mesa CMU
12-5, 7-4 RMAC
76
Final
79
Fort Lewis FLC
9-8, 4-7 RMAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Colorado Mesa CMU 37 39 76
Fort Lewis FLC 44 35 79

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Brian Kortz

Skyhawks Soar Past Mavericks in Thrilling Victory

DURANGO, Colo. – In a game where each team had their own leads in each half, everyone knew it was destined to come down to crunch time. After the teams traded leads down the stretch, an Alex Semadeni layup and later huge block by Brenden Boatwright helped send the Fort Lewis College men's basketball team to a 79-76 victory over Colorado Mesa in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Saturday night inside Whalen Gym.

The game featured just about everything, from FLC (9-8, 4-7 RMAC) hitting pretty much every three they took in the first half, to CMU (12-5, 7-4 RMAC) making almost every free throw for a long stretch in the second half. The Skyhawks shot a blistering 63 percent (10-16) in the first half from long range, while the Mavericks hit their first 12 free throws.

FLC controlled play a majority of the second half until the Mavericks worked their way back in and took a one-point lead at 71-70 on a Connor Nichols jumper. Marquel Beasley answered right back with a jumper in the paint to push the Skyhawks back up one.

The Mavericks later split two from the line to tie the game at 72 when AJ Sparks took over, drawing a foul on the next trip down and he calmly hit two from the line. After a miss by CMU, a big foul call on the next trip down for FLC became the fifth foul for Nichols. Although the Skyhawks didn't convert the free throws, Tommy Nuno muscled his way inside and hit a jumper in the paint to tie the game at 74 with 1:17 to play.

Sparks was ready with another answer when he took it strong to the hoop and hit the layup with 59 seconds left to push the Skyhawks back in front by two. Nuno was the option again for CMU on the next trip down and he hit another jumper in the paint to tie the game at 76 with 45 seconds to play.

That's when Semadeni took charge on the next trip down, as he called for the ball near the right wing and immediately drove to the hoop. He was able to get in the paint and made a difficult layup to give FLC a lead they wouldn't relinquish at 78-76 with 29 seconds to play.

There were still some big plays to be made and on the ensuing Mavericks possession, a missed shot by Nuno was rebounded by Michael Skinner. He looked to lay it back in but was cut off by several Skyhawk defenders so he kicked it out to Jess Spivey who took a three-pointer from the wing. The only problem was, Boatwright came flying out to contest and blocked the shot. Will Wittman grabbed the rebound and was fouled with four seconds to play.

Wittman who hit one of two from the line moving the lead to three. Colorado Mesa threw the ball across half court and then called timeout with three seconds. On the in-bounds, the Mavericks looked to do a hand off near their bench, but the Skyhawks read it forcing Skinner into a very difficult three-pointer, as he was almost falling out-of-bounds in front of his bench and the shot was too strong sending FLC to the thrilling 79-76 win at the buzzer.

It was all Colorado Mesa to start as they ran out to an 11-5 lead over the first four minutes. The Skyhawks grabbed their first lead at the 11:13 mark on a three-pointer by Wittman for the 21-18 advantage.

FLC stretched the lead to five near the midway point of the half on a three-pointer by Sparks. Keven Biggs boosted the lead to eight when he drilled a three-pointer at the 6:47 mark for the 32-24 lead. After Colorado Mesa fought back to tie at 37, FLC closed the half on a 7-0 run. Sparks started the run with a layup, Otas Iyekekpolor picked up a big offensive rebound and tip-in and then he closed the run when he stepped back and hit the long ball for the 44-37 halftime lead.

Early in the second half after Colorado Mesa pulled to within two, FLC went on an 8-0 run to take their largest lead of the night at 60-50. Wittman hit a three, added a pair of free throws and then a Beasley three capped the run that took only 52 seconds to complete.

The Mavericks would fight back to setup the exciting finish down the stretch.

Five players scored in double-figures for the Skyhawks, led by 14 each from Sparks and Wittman. Semadeni and Beasley added 12 apiece, while Boatwright added 10 points. Iyekekpolor just missed out on double-figures with nine points. FLC finished shooting 48 percent (28-58) from the field, went 12-29 (41) from three and 11-18 (61) at the foul line. The Skyhawks held the edge on points off turnovers (15-10) and bench points (44-16).

Nuno led four Mavericks in double-figures with 17. Nichols and Damon Dubots added 16 and Skinner posted 11. CMU went 28-64 (44) from the field, 4-18 (22) from three and 16-23 (70) from the foul line.

The win puts FLC just one game back of the eighth spot in the conference that is currently occupied by Dixie State, MSU Denver and Adams State, all at 5-6.

FLC will travel to Denver this coming week as they will play Regis on Friday and then Colorado Christian on Saturday with both games starting at 7:30 p.m.
 
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