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Fort Lewis College Athletics

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Otas Iyekekpolor
Durango Family Photography

Men's Basketball Brian Kortz

Men’s Basketball Welcomes Griffins, Trailblazers to Whalen Gym

DURANGO, Colo. – After splitting a pair of home games this past weekend, the Fort Lewis College men's basketball team will look to two more at home facing Westminster on Friday and Dixie State on Saturday with both games set to start at 7:30 p.m. inside Whalen Gym. Saturday's game will be 100 percent donation entry only with all proceeds benefiting the Griego Family. Saturday will also be Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night up in the Hawks Perch. 

FLC enters the week 10-13 overall and 5-12 in RMAC play, posting a 7-5 mark inside Whalen Gym. The Skyhawks picked up an 81-72 win over Colorado Christian and then behind a three-point barrage, Regis was able to come back and take the win Saturday, 70-86. Brenden Boatwright stole the show against the Cougars as the big man went for a career-high 28 points on 9-9 shooting and 10-11 from the foul line. Marquel Beasley added 19 points, Alex Semadeni with 11 and Will Wittman was at 10. Beasley paced FLC versus the Rangers with 15 points, while Semadeni was at 14 and Kireed Johnson with 10.

FLC just faced both Dixie State and Westminster on Feb. 1-2 with Dixie State pulling away for a 63-53 win and Westminster holding off the Skyhawks for the 74-59 win. Against Dixie State, Beasley led the way with 18 points and Johnson chipped in nine. Against Westminster, Beasley again led the way with 19 points, Boatwright added 15 and Wittman with nine.

Upcoming or recently eclipsed milestones include Semadeni who recently eclipsed 750 career points, currently at 773. He recently went over 275 career field goals and is at 284. His rebounding numbers just eclipsed 425, as he currently sits at 427. Semadeni recently went over 150 career assists and is at 156 and is closing in on 75 steals, currently at 70. His 28 blocked shots are tied for 22nd in program history. Beasley is moving fast on 850 career points after piling up 34 this past weekend and is currently at 837. He just passed 300 career field goals this past weekend and is right now at 309. His 195 free throws put him 23rd in program history, nine away from landing in the top-20. Beasley is closing in on 350 rebounds, sitting at 334. He also recently eclipsed 50 blocks and 50 steals, right now at 56 blocks (putting him seventh in program history) and 64 steals. Otas Iyekekpolor sent back his 28th block against Regis which currently puts him in a tie for 22nd in program history. He also recently eclipsed 200 career points at FLC and is at 220. AJ Sparks hit right at 150 career points after scoring nine against Regis on Saturday, he's also just 10 field goals away from 50 (40). Boatwright, behind another career-high night, this time with 28 points against Colorado Christian, is just eight points short of 150 for his career (142). Keven Biggs is the next one closest to posting 100 points, entering the weekend with 94. Johnson pushed past 100 points at FLC after scoring 10 against Regis and is at 108, while Will Wittman just went over 125 career points and is currently at 133. Head Coach Bob Pietrack is 10 wins away from 100 in his career, currently sitting at 90-31.

As a team, FLC averages 75 points and allows 76 points, making 43 percent from the field and allowing a 45 percent clip. Beasley leads the way at 17.2 points per game, while bringing down 5.5 rebounds, 23 assists, 26 steals, 14 blocks and is shooting 50 percent from the field. Semadeni is at 11.9 points, along with 6.0 rebounds, 76 assists, 22 steals, three blocks and is shooting 41 percent from the field. Iyekekpolor adds 9.6 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds, 16 assists, 14 steals, 28 blocks and is shooting 50 percent. Sparks adds 7.5 points, Boatwright is at 6.8 and Wittman adds 6.0 per contest.

FLC ranks in the top-five in the RMAC and top-100 nationally in several categories including fifth in the RMAC in blocked shots per game (3.1), first in the RMAC and eighth nationally in free throws made (406), third in the RMAC in three point field goal defense (34.4), fifth in the RMAC in total blocks (72), second in the RMAC in turnover margin (1.1), fifth in the RMAC in turnovers forced (14.43) and fifth in the RMAC in turnovers per game (13.3).

Individually, Semadeni is third in the RMAC and 93rd nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0), third in the RMAC in minutes per game (34:14), fourth in the RMAC and 81st nationally in total minutes (787:31), eighth in the RMAC in assists per game (3.3), ninth in the RMAC in total assists (76) and is 11th in the RMAC in both free throws made (75) and free throw percentage (79.8). Iyekekpolor is fourth in the RMAC and 98th nationally in blocked shots per game (1.22) and fourth in the RMAC and 77th nationally in total blocks (28). Beasley is third in the RMAC and 95th nationally in total field goals made (143), sixth in the RMAC in total points (395), sixth in the RMAC in points per game (17.2), seventh in the RMAC in field goal percentage (50.2), and free throws made, which ranks 92nd nationally with 92 free throws.

First up will be a meeting with Westminster on Friday night. The Griffins are 1-8 away from home this season in true road contests and have an overall record of 9-12, including a 7-10 mark in the RMAC. Since facing FLC, the Griffins lost at home to Colorado Mesa (56-77), but defeated Western Colorado (88-61).

As a team, the Griffins average 72 points and allow 75 points, making 47 percent from the field and allowing a 46 percent clip. Brandon Warr leads the way at 14.0 points per game and grabs 7.6 rebounds. Jacob McCord tallies 11.2 points and Jake Connor is at 10.9 per contest. Two other players average in double-figures including Alec Monson (10.6) and Jai Jai Ely (10.3).

To close the week, the Skyhawks will face the red-hot Trailblazers who have currently won eight straight and are 13-8 overall and 11-6 in RMAC play, holding a 5-5 mark away from home. Since losing at home to Chadron State back on Jan. 12, Dixie State has won all eight games from that point on, including the two this past week defeating Western Colorado (74-52) and Colorado Mesa (80-73), both at home.

As a team, the Trailblazers average 74 points and allow 69 points, making 46 percent from the field and allowing a 40 percent clip. Matt Conway leads the team at 17.1 points per game, along with 6.5 rebounds. Dub Price tallies 9.2 points and Julien Ducree is at 8.9.

A look around the RMAC has Colorado School of Mines alone in first place getting close to locking up the regular season crown with a 17-0 record. Regis is second with a 13-4 mark and Black Hills State is third at 12-5. New Mexico Highlands, Dixie State and UC-Colorado Springs are all tied for fourth with 11-6 records. Colorado Mesa is seventh with a 10-7 record, while Adams State rounds out the top-eight with a 9-8 record. South Dakota Mines and Chadron State are tied for ninth with 8-9 records. Westminster is 11th with a 7-10 record, while MSU Denver is 12th at 6-10. Fort Lewis is 13th with a 5-12 record, Colorado Christian and CSU-Pueblo are tied for 14th with 4-13 records and Western Colorado is 16th with an 0-17 record.

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