Fort Lewis College Athletics

Brendan La Rose (32) and Akuel Kot (22) sweep the RMAC Player of the Week honors.

Men's Basketball 1/30/2023 2:00:00 PM Hayden Mangan, Athletic Communications Assistant

Kot, La Rose sweep men’s basketball weekly honors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For their individual efforts on both sides of the ball to help lead the no. 17 Fort Lewis College men's basketball team (18-2 overall, 12-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to a 2-0 weekend featuring road wins over no. 5/6 Colorado School of Mines (19-2, 13-2 RMAC) and Metropolitan State University of Denver (8-12, 5-9 RMAC), Akuel Kot and Brendan La Rose have been named the RMAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.

The Skyhawks sweep over last weekend's slate has lifted the program to 18-2 overall and 12-2 in conference play – just one game out of first place in the conference and the chance to host the postseason RMAC Tournament.

Friday's win over Mines in Lockridge Arena is the first in program history over a top-five-ranked opponent on the road. Additionally, Saturday's one-point victory over MSU Denver now puts Fort Lewis 3-0 this season in games decided by five points or fewer.

This week's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards are the third of Kot's and second of La Rose's careers: all earned this season. Fort Lewis has now earned either award a total of five times this season tying Black Hills State for the most in the conference.

Last weekend defense proved imperative as both Mines and MSU Denver matched FLC nearly shot-for-shot and finished the game above 50.0 percent from the field.

Against a fifth-ranked Mines offense, La Rose grabbed five boards while also leading the team with three blocks – his fourth game this season with three or more blocks. On Saturday, La Rose only nabbed one block, but the six-foot-nine forward led Fort Lewis with seven rebounds and four assists.

"In Kot we trust," head coach Bob Pietrack shared following his stellar weekend performance. Kot finished the weekend with 61 total points shooting 21-31 from the field, 4-9 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 15-15 at the free throw line – two of which sealed Saturday's win over MSU Denver with just a second and a half remaining in the game.

Going shot-for-shot with the top-ranked Orediggers, Kot led all scorers in the game with 34 points to pair with five rebounds and one steal. While in Denver against the Roadrunners, Kot was just one of two Skyhawks to finish in double figures with 27. Additionally, Kot grabbed two rebounds and one steal.

Fort Lewis continues its march through the 2022-23 campaign this Friday, Feb. 3, against Colorado State University-Pueblo. Friday is set for a 7:30 p.m. start time.

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