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Brendan La Rose
Max DeHerrera/Sports Fanatic Photography

Men's Basketball Brian Kortz

Men’s Basketball Set for Road Swing to Utah Against Trailblazers, Griffins

ST. GEORGE/SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Fort Lewis College men's basketball team will look to get back on the winning track this week when they head to Utah to face Dixie State on Friday and Westminster on Saturday, with both games starting at 7:30 p.m.

FLC enters the week 9-10 overall and 4-9 in RMAC play, after coming up just short at Regis (70-78) and Colorado Christian (77-89). Last time out, Marquel Beasley led the way with 23 points on 7-13 shooting, Otas Iyekekpolor added 19 and Alex Semadeni gave the Skyhawks three players in double-figures with 13. FLC shot 47 percent (27-58) from the field and did pretty well at the foul line going 20-28 (71).

Upcoming or recently eclipsed milestones include Semadeni who went over 700 career points a few weeks ago and is currently at 739. He recently went over 250 career field goals and is at 274. His rebounding numbers just eclipsed 400 after this past weekend moving him to 406. Semadeni is approaching 150 career assists, currently at 143 and is closing in on 75 steals, currently at 70. His 28 blocked shots are tied for 22nd in program history. Beasley moved past the 700-scoring plateau at FLC and went over 750 this past weekend, currently sitting at 766. He's quickly approaching 300 made field goals, right now at 280. His 184 free throws puts him 29th in program history, just one away from 28th and 20 from landing in the top-20. Beasley also jumped over 300 rebounds over the past few weeks and sits at 314. He also recently eclipsed 50 blocks and 50 steals, right now at 53 blocks (putting him in a tie for seventh in program history) and 60 steals. Iyekekpolor sent back his 25th and 26th blocks of the season against Regis and Colorado Christian which currently puts him alone in 23rd in program history. He also put together a strong offensive weekend with 36 combined points to put him at 206 in his one-year at FLC. AJ Sparks is quickly approaching 150 career points, currently at 135, he's also just 14 field goals away from 50 (36). Keven Biggs is the next one closest to posting 100 points, entering the weekend with 91. Brenden Boatwright is just 14 points away from 100 in his career, entering this weekend with 86. Kireed Johnson is 17 points away from 100 at FLC (83), while Will Wittman's eight points versus Colorado Christian pushed him to 103 in his first season with the Skyhawks. Head Coach Bob Pietrack is 11 wins away from 100 in his career, currently sitting at 89-28.

So far on the season, FLC is averaging 77 points and allowing 77 points, making 43 percent from the field and allowing a 46 percent clip. Beasley continues to lead the way in scoring at 17.1 points per game, coming off his seventh 20-point performance of the year at Colorado Christian. He also adds 5.6 rebounds, 21 assists, 22 steals and 11 blocks, while shooting 50 percent from the field. Semadeni tallies 12.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 63 assists, 22 steals, three blocks and is shooting 42 percent from the field, making 19 three-pointers. Iyekekpolor is at 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds, along with 15 assists, 12 steals, 26 blocks and is shooting 53 percent from the field. The big man has also sunk 10 three-pointers. Sparks at 7.9 points and Wittman at 5.7 are next on the team in scoring. Beasley and Semadeni have started all 19 games this season.

FLC ranks in the top-five in the RMAC and top-100 nationally in several categories including fifth in the RMAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.06), first in the RMAC and ninth nationally in free throws made (352), second in the RMAC and 75th nationally in three point field goal defense (33.3), fourth in the RMAC in total steals (131), second in the RMAC and 69th nationally in turnover margin (2.2), second in the RMAC and 65th nationally in turnovers forced (15.47) and fifth in the RMAC in turnovers per game (13.3).

Individually, Semadeni is second in the RMAC in minutes per game (34:17), third in the RMAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.91), fourth in the RMAC in total minutes (651:31), eighth in the RMAC in assists per game (3.3) and in free throws made (65), and ninth in the RMAC in total assists (63). Iyekekpolor is third in the RMAC and 73rd nationally in blocked shots per game (1.37), and third in the RMAC and 63rd nationally in total blocks (26). Beasley is fourth in the RMAC in field goals made (114), sixth in the RMAC in field goal percentage (50.2), free throws made (81) and total points (324) and eighth in the RMAC in points per game (17.1).

FLC will open the week on Friday against Dixie State. The teams last played during the 2012-13 season at a neutral site in Grand Junction and the Skyhawks took the 89-82 victory in overtime. The Trailblazers are starting to find their stride having won four straight games to improve to 9-8 overall and 7-6 in RMAC play. They hold a 4-3 record at home. During their four-game winning streak, they defeated Colorado Christian (84-48), Regis (77-74), Colorado Mesa (86-61) and Western Colorado (96-91) all on the road.

Dixie State averages 74 points and allow 71 points, making 46 percent from the field and allowing 41 percent. Matt Conway leads the team in scoring at 17.7 per game, Dub Price is at 9.4, Jack Pagenkopf chips in 8.4 and Andre Wilson is at 8.2 per game. Conway and Zach Frampton have started all 17 games this season.

FLC will close the week on Saturday at Westminster. The teams split last year's season series, with FLC falling in the first game in Salt Lake City, 90-75, but then coming back with a 75-67 win in Durango in the regular season finale that decided the RMAC regular season title.

The Griffins come into this week with a 7-10 overall record and 5-8 mark in RMAC play, they are 4-1 at home this season. This past weekend they defeated Western Colorado (77-72), but fell at Colorado Mesa, 59-79. Westminster averages 72 points and allows 77 points, making 46 percent from the field and allowing a 46 percent clip. Brandon Warr leads the team at 14.7 points per game, Jacob McCord adds 11.5, Jai Jai Ely is at 11.2, Jake Connor and Alex Monson add 10.1 points per game. Connor is the only player to start all 17 games, while Warr, McCord and Ely have started 16 games.

A look around the RMAC has Colorado School of Mines in first with a 13-0 conference mark. They hold a three-game lead over Regis in second at 10-3. New Mexico Highlands and UC-Colorado Springs are tied for third with 9-4 records. Colorado Mesa, Black Hills State and Chadron State are all tied for fifth with 8-5 records. Dixie State is alone in eighth at 7-6. MSU Denver and Adams State are tied for ninth with 6-7 records. Westminster and South Dakota Mines are tied for 11th with 5-8 records. Fort Lewis is alone in 13th with a 4-9 mark. Colorado Christian and CSU-Pueblo are tied for 14th with 3-10 records, while Western Colorado is 16th with a 0-13 mark.

Live video and stats will be available for both games.
 
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Players Mentioned

Marquel Beasley

#15 Marquel Beasley

PF
6' 5"
Senior
Brenden Boatwright

#33 Brenden Boatwright

F/C
6' 9"
Redshirt Freshman
Alex Semadeni

#2 Alex Semadeni

G
6' 5"
Senior
Keven Biggs

#3 Keven Biggs

G
6' 4"
Junior
Will Wittman

#10 Will Wittman

F
6' 5"
Sophomore
Otas Iyekekpolor

#13 Otas Iyekekpolor

F
6' 8"
Senior
Kireed Johnson

#12 Kireed Johnson

G
6' 0"
Junior
AJ Sparks

#24 AJ Sparks

G
5' 10"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Marquel Beasley

#15 Marquel Beasley

6' 5"
Senior
PF
Brenden Boatwright

#33 Brenden Boatwright

6' 9"
Redshirt Freshman
F/C
Alex Semadeni

#2 Alex Semadeni

6' 5"
Senior
G
Keven Biggs

#3 Keven Biggs

6' 4"
Junior
G
Will Wittman

#10 Will Wittman

6' 5"
Sophomore
F
Otas Iyekekpolor

#13 Otas Iyekekpolor

6' 8"
Senior
F
Kireed Johnson

#12 Kireed Johnson

6' 0"
Junior
G
AJ Sparks

#24 AJ Sparks

5' 10"
Junior
G