Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Dunnell Stafford 2.13
Lance Wendt, Courtesy Photo
FLC junior guard Dunnell Stafford scored 10 points and dished out three assists in Friday's 67-63 loss to No. 1 ranked Colorado School of Mines (File Photo)
67
Winner Colo. Sch. of Mines CSM 11-0,10-0 RMAC
63
Fort Lewis FLC 5-6,4-6 RMAC
Winner
Colo. Sch. of Mines CSM
11-0,10-0 RMAC
67
Final
63
Fort Lewis FLC
5-6,4-6 RMAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Colo. Sch. of Mines CSM 17 50 67
Fort Lewis FLC 30 33 63

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

Skyhawks put No. 1 Colorado School of Mines on the ropes, but upset bid falls shy in 67-63 final

DURANGO, Colorado — The Fort Lewis College men's basketball team couldn't have played a much better first 20 minutes of basketball Friday evening. They swarmed and suffocated the No. 1 ranked team in the country to just 17 points and heading into the locker rooms holding a 13-point lead.

Unfortunately, the undefeated and top-ranked team in the nation in Colorado School of Mines didn't go away quietly, capitalizing on late turnovers from the Skyhawks to escape Durango with a 67-63 victory in the latest chapter in a storied rivalry between the two programs.

Friday's instant classic was another heartbreaker for a Fort Lewis team (5-6 overall, 4-6 RMAC) snake-bitten in close games during 2020-21, which has included a six-point loss to CSM (11-0 overall, 10-0 RMAC) back in Golden on Dec. 19, and a two-point overtime defeat to No. 6 ranked Colorado Mesa (74-72) on Jan. 29.

"(Colorado School of Mines) is an awfully good team and I think we're a good team too. Our record isn't indicative of how good of a team we are. We've played three games against top-10 teams that have gone down to the wire," said FLC head coach, Bob Pietrack. "We just have to not get discouraged, get determined and try to play really well next week."

Colorado School of Mines, led by 20 second-half points from guard Brendan Sullivan, climbed back in the second half and took just its second lead of the ballgame at 62-61 on a corner 3-pointer from Sullivan with 2:07 remaining.

A handful of late turnovers for the Skyhawks opened the door for the Orediggers as FLC, which shot 51% in the second half (11-of-21) committed three uncharacteristic turnovers over the game's final 4:16.

"Like in any sport, if you turn it over, you're going to get cooked. Just can't turn the ball over," Pietrack said. "Offensively, we ran our stuff and shot a high percentage, but you just can't turn the ball over when you need it."

FLC had a chance to tie or take the lead back twice in the final 40 seconds, but had a potential go-ahead 3-pointer from Will Wittman draw back iron with 12 seconds remaining, and a turnover on its final possession in the waning seconds to seal the 67-63 final.

It was a bitter end to an extraordinary effort from the Skyhawks, who led by as many as 13 points Friday and held the Orediggers to a season-low 22% shooting (6-of-27) in the first half. They owned a 30-17 lead at the break, finishing on a 12-0 run punctuated by a SportsCenter worthy "And-1" dunk from senior Riley Farris as the buzzer sounded.

"I thought we were in our gaps well and had good ball-screen coverage," Pietrack said of the first-half defense.

Farris led all Skyhawks with 22 points and nine rebounds, while redshirt junior forward Brenden Boatwright and sophomore guard Dunnell Stafford each added 10 points apiece.

Junior guard Eric Jamerman made a major impact off the bench with a career-high eight points in 14 minutes, as well, to pace a FLC offense that shot 46% (23-of-50) for the game.

"Jamerman was huge. He's a young man new to our program, has been working and deserved an opportunity," Pietrack said. "He played very well."

The Skyhawks will get a week to rest up, recover and turn their focus toward nearby rival Adams State University, which is schedule to travel to Whalen Gymnasium next Friday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.

Fort Lewis defeated the Grizzlies, 76-75, earlier this month on Feb. 3 inside Plachy Hall.

"It's a rivalry game so that's always hard. All of our games are really close with them," Pietrack said of Adams State. "We'll have to re-watch the film, see what adjustments we can make. They have a great player in Frederick Jackson and outstanding guard in Destan Williams, so we'll have to figure it out."
 
Print Friendly Version