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Fort Lewis College Athletics

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WBB vs. Regis
Hayden Mangan, Fort Lewis Athletic Communications
Kaitlyn Bell (34) has started 15 games this season for the Skyhawks

Women's basketball looks ahead to home weekend versus Mesa and Westminster

1/19/2023 12:00:00 PM

By: Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – The Skyhawks are back home this week for a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games versus Colorado Mesa University and Westminster College. Escape the snowy conditions and join fellow fans in cheering on the teams starting at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
 
Last Time Out
Fort Lewis had a tough week on the road and dropped both RMAC contests to Chadron State College and Colorado Christian University. The Skyhawks battled back from a 16-point deficit at halftime versus the Eagles, but the team ultimately fell by a 61-66 final score.
 
Fort Lewis shot 27.4 percent (17-of-62) from the field compared to a 44.9 percent (22-of-49) mark for Chadron State. The Skyhawks dropped in 23 points from the charity stripe versus 17 for the Eagles. Chadron State held a 48-31 advantage in rebounds, but the Skyhawks were superior with 17 steals to just six for the Eagles. Fort Lewis forced 29 turnovers for Chadron State.
 
Leading the Skyhawks was freshman Lanae Billy who had a career-high 29 points. Junior Kelsey Sorenson followed with 17 points and six offensive rebounds. Sophomore Avery Evans rounded out double-digit scorers with 10 points to go along with four rebounds, three steals, and three assists. Chadron State was led by its veteran, Ashayla Powers, who had 27 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Things were not so close on Saturday as the Skyhawks ran out of steam in a 90-61 loss to the Cougars. The Skyhawks shot 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the field versus an impressive 56.5 percent (35-of-62) mark for the Cougars. Colorado Christian connected on a season-high 10 three-pointers compared to five for Fort Lewis. The Skyhawks were outrebounded by a 44-25 margin.
 
Billy led the team with 17 points and two steals, followed by fellow freshman Kate Gallery with a career-high nine points. Sorenson followed with eight points and a team-best five rebounds while sophomores Sadie Misner and Evans each picked up seven points.
 
Scouting Colorado Mesa University
The Mavericks have rebounded from a winless start to the season to own a 6-11 overall record and a 5-6 mark in the RMAC. The team's first win of the season came in 78-61 fashion over Fort Lewis in nonconference action on November 27th. Mesa has won four of five games dating back to December 31st, including a 68-61 win over South Dakota Mines on Saturday. The team is 4-3 at home this season.
 
Olivia Reed leads the team at 11.9 points per game, followed by Monica Brooks and Laura Gutierrez who each earn over nine points per game. Three additional players contribute over seven points per game. Reed is also the RMAC lead in rebounds per game at 9.2. Kylie Kravig leads the team and ranks second in the conference with 4.8 assists per game.
 
When the teams met in November, Billy led all players with 20 points to go along with five rebounds. Evans and Sorenson followed at 12 and 10 points, respectively. Mesa's Reed had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while three additional players earned double-digit points.
 
Scouting Westminster College
The Griffins are another rising team in the league and hold a 9-8 overall record while going 7-4 in league play thus far. Fort Lewis got the better of Westminster in the December meeting, sneaking away with a  63-62 win on the road. Westminster was winless last week in games against South Dakota Mines (70-69) and Black Hills State (58-54).
 
Ashley Greenwood paces the team with 16.2 points per game, a mark that ranks fourth in the RMAC. Greenwood's 8.4 rebounds per game are good for fourth in the conference. Lyndzi Rich follows at 13.6 points per game on a conference-best .623 field goal percentage. Elizabeth Means leads the team with 16 total blocks (1.1 per game).
 
In the December meeting, the final game before the holiday break, Fort Lewis benefitted from a late free throw by Bell to put a bow on the narrow road win. Bell was a consistent presence all game long, putting away 18 points to go along with 12 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Billy and Adams followed with 14 points apiece. Westminster's Greenwood led all players with 26 points.
 
Around the RMAC
It was a wild week in the conference as the league's leader, Colorado School of Mines, fell in a pair of games to Regis and UCCS. Despite the losses, Mines continues to sit in first place at 10-2, followed by Regis (8-2) who has won seven-straight. Black Hills State and Adams State round out the top four. Colorado Mesa owns a 5-6 RMAC record to rank eighth while Westminster is fifth at 7-4. Fort Lewis is 11th overall with a 3-7 conference mark.
 
In the national landscape, the RMAC is represented by Mines on the most recent D2SIDA top-25 poll, ranking 24th overall after peaking at 7th in last week's poll. In the WBCA top-25 poll (voted on by coaches), Mines sits in 19th.
 
Inside the Numbers
Freshman Lanae Billy continues to pace the team by averaging 17.9 points per game—second in the RMAC. Billy has surpassed 20 points on seven occasions, including a season-high 29-point outing on Friday versus Chadron State. Junior Kelsey Sorenson follows by averaging 12.4 points per game (16th in RMAC) to go along with 7.4 rebounds per game (7th in RMAC).
 
Sophomore Avery Evan ranks third on the team by averaging 8.4 points per game, followed by graduate student Kaitlyn Bell at 5.8 points per game. Bell's 6.1 rebounds per game are second on the roster and 17th in the conference.
 
Looking at the team's wins this season, each victory has come when the group scores 63 points per game or more. The Skyhawks are 2-0 when holding their opponents to fewer than 60 points.
 
Up Next
Fort Lewis will be on the road next week for a pair of league games in the front range. First, the team will take on No. 19 Colorado School of Mines on Friday for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off inside of Lockridge Arena. The weekend away wraps up on Saturday versus MSU Denver at 4:00 p.m.
 
On Saturday, alumni and Skyhawks fans are invited to attend a pre-game social gathering at Tivoli Brewing company on the campus of MSU Denver prior to Saturday's tip-off. Doors to the event will open at 2:30 p.m.
 
Planning to attend? RSVP HERE or contact Director of Alumni Engagement, Ryan Lazo, with any questions at rtlazo@fortlewis.edu
 
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