DURANGO, Colo. – After sweeping the RMAC/LSC Challenge last weekend in Las Vegas, New Mexico, the Fort Lewis College men's basketball team is finally back in Whalen Gymnasium for its home opener as a part of the Skyhawks Hardwood Classic and Nike N7 game. The Skyhawks will clash with Northern New Mexico College Friday evening followed by the University of Texas Permian Basin on Saturday. Adams State University will also play against both opponents in a pair of neutral site contests.
GAME INFORMATION
Friday, November 18
3:30 p.m. - Adams State vs. Texas Permian Basin
5:30 p.m. - Fort Lewis vs. Northern New Mexico College
Whalen Gymnasium
Durango, CO
Saturday, November 19
3:00 p.m. - Adams State vs. Northern New Mexico
5:00 p.m. - Fort Lewis vs. Texas Permian Basin
Whalen Gymnasium
Durango, CO
BROADCAST
All games this weekend will be available for free on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference network.
Play-by-play: Bob Bonnar
Color: Rick O'Block
SERIES VS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO
Friday's home opener and Nike N7 game will mark the 12th meeting all-time between the Eagles and Skyhawks. Fort Lewis remains unbeaten in the battle of the Birds, owning an 11-0 record against NNMC.
"This is going to be a challenging weekend," Fort Lewis College Head Coach Bob Pietrack said. "We're finally back at home, and we get to compete in front of the best fans in the RMAC. I know our guys are getting excited to finally play at home, and they'll be bringing some energy and momentum after our success last week. I believe if we dial it in and have an electric home crowd behind us, we'll be ready to do some damage."
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Northern New Mexico owns a 2-4 overall record thus far. The last win for the Eagles came against Navajo Technical University by a score of 98-77.
Most recently Northern New Mexico is coming off of a 70-64 loss at home to the Mustangs from the University of the Southwest, New Mexico. Leading the Eagles offensively is Kelly Conner. The six-foot-three guard transfer from Union College is averaging 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. In the post and off the glass it seems to be all about Damione Thomas. The six-foot-ten center from Desoto, Texas, has averaged 9.4 points per game to pair with 33 total rebounds: a 6.6 per game average.
SERIES VS TEXAS PERMIAN BASIN
Saturday's contest against the visiting Falcons will be just the third meeting between the two programs. Fort Lewis remains unbeaten against UTPB, topping them 101-97 in Durango, Colo., back in 2014, and once more in 2006, 77-64 in Alamosa, Colo.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
Texas Permian makes its way to Durango, Colo., after a 1-1 performance at the RMAC/LSC Challenge in Silver City, N.M., against Adams State and Westminster. The Falcons were felled in the season opener 72-69 by the Grizzlies and rallied to top the Griffins 81-72 in game two.
Prior to the season, UTPB was slated for a 10th finish in the Lone Star Conference by LSC Coaches. After last weekend's games, the Falcons sit in a tie for second in the West Division with Angelo State (1-1), Eastern New Mexico (1-1), and Lubbock Christian (1-1).
The Falcons boast three individuals each averaging ten or more points per game: Jalen King (17.5), Azariah Seay (16.0), and DaJuan Jones (10.0). Additionally, Seay is the Falcons leading rebounder with eight total and 4.0 per game.
Texas Permian Basin has been an effective team from the floor, shooting a combined 41.1% while the Falcons leading scorer King boasts a whopping 60.9% from the field.
HOT START TO THE SEASON
Fort Lewis finds itself off to a hot 2-0 start to the 2022-23 season. Tabbed to finish fourth in the RMAC this season, the Skyhawks are keeping pace with fellow conference opponents Black Hills State (2-0), Colorado Mesa (2-0), Colorado School of Mines (2-0), Colorado State University Pueblo (2-0), and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (2-0).
NIKE N7
Since its creation in 2009, the Nike N7 Fund has awarded more than $7.5 million in grants to 259 Native American and Aboriginal communities and organizations, reaching more than 500,000 youths. The N7 Fund supports organizations that provide sports and physical activity programming to youth in these communities.
This year's Nike N7 Games mark the fifth time Fort Lewis College has been selected as one of only 11 institutions nationwide — Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, Gonzaga, Florida State, Marquette, University of New Mexico, San Diego State, Stanford, Haskell Indian Nations, Mesa Community College, and Fort Lewis College — to participate in the games, which are held in November in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
RMAC HONORS
After scoring 51 combined points at the RMAC/LSC Challenge last week, Akuel Kot was named the first RMAC men's basketball Offensive Player of the Week for this season. Kot scored 22 points against Eastern New Mexico, putting the Skyhawks in a position to complete the comeback and capture the season opener 84-81. In the following game against Angelo State, Kot one-upped himself scoring a massive 29 points to help Fort Lewis hold back a talented Rams program 79-70.
FREE ADMISSION FOR NATIVE AMERICANS
New this year, Fort Lewis College athletics will offer free admission to all regular season home athletic events for Native Americans with a Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB) card or Tribal Identification Card. The motion is an effort to welcome more of our local communities to campus to support the blue and gold and experience college athletics, academics, and everything that the Skyhawks experience has to offer.
LOOKING AHEAD
Next weekend the Skyhawks are back on the road, this time in Alamosa, Colo. Fort Lewis will partake in the Adams State Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 25-26. The Skyhawks will take on a talented member of the Great American Conference in Southeastern Oklahoma State followed by Navajo Technical University the following day.
