Isaiah Thompson vs. Black Hills State - Feb. 23, 2024

Kaitlyn Silva

Isaiah Thompson (23) drives to the bucket against Black Hills State on Feb. 23, 2024.

No. 2 Skyhawks look to contend for RMAC Championship against MSU Denver, No. 16 Mines

2/29/2024 12:00:00 PM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

DURANGO, Colo. – With two games left on the docket and a neck-and-neck race for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship at stake, the No. 2-ranked Fort Lewis men's basketball squad (24-2, 19-1 RMAC) will need to overcome MSU Denver (18-8, 12-8 RMAC) and No. 16-ranked Colorado School of Mines (21-7, 15-5 RMAC) two final times to achieve conference glory and the right to host the conference tournament.

Game Information
Friday, Mar. 1 | 7:00 p.m.
vs. MSU Denver
Auraria Event Center | Denver, Colo.
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
FLC Game Notes | MSUD Game Notes

Saturday, Mar. 2 | 7:00 p.m.
vs. No. 16 Mines
Lockridge Arena | Golden, Colo.
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
FLC Game Notes

FLC Basketball Get Together
On Saturday, Mar. 2, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College Athletics and the Fort Lewis College Alumni Association are hosting a pre-game basketball get-together at The Golden Mill. Mingle with fellow alumni, friends, donors, and fans, and enjoy food and drinks in beautiful Golden, Colo., before heading over to Lockridge Arena to catch the final men's and women's basketball games of the season. Fans can purchase their tickets HERE.

Postseason Potentials
Currently, Fort Lewis is tied for first place in the conference standings with No. 6-ranked Colorado Mesa (24-3, 20-1 RMAC). Should both squads win out, they will tie and share the 2023-24 RMAC Co-Regular Season Championship similar to last year. The difference, however, is the Skyhawks owning a head-to-head victory over the Mavericks, giving FLC the right to host the conference tournament in the event of a tie. In addition, Fort Lewis was ranked second in the latest NCAA South-Central Regional standings, meaning the Skyhawks trail only No. 4-ranked West Texas A&M (25-2, 19-1 LSC) for a shot at hosting the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

Scouting the Roadrunners
MSU Denver rides into Friday night with back-to-back wins over Chadron State (11-15, 8-12 RMAC) and Colorado Christian (9-16, 6-14 RMAC) 88-84 and 81-72. The Roadrunners own the all-time series 36-23, however, Fort Lewis has won five straight over MSUD and each of the last two games in Auraria Event Center, 77-76 and 80-57, respectively.

Earlier this season, the Skyhawks downed the Roadrunners 83-67 at home. While five Skyhawks finished in double figures led by Obi Agbim's 15-point outing, it was winning the turnover battle 15-8 coupled with 49.2 percent (30-61) shooting that put FLC in the driver's seat. MSU Denver ranks fourth in offense (78.6) and third in defense (72.5) amongst conference opponents. In addition, four Roadrunners are averaging double-digit scoring including Brayden Maldonado (17.5), Caleb McGill (14.8), KJ Garrett (10.8), and Mario Lacy Jr. (10.8). Lacy Jr. also hauls in the second-most rebounds per game in the league at 8.0.

Scouting the No. 16 Orediggers
Mines, who fell to Colorado Christian 83-81 on Monday night, will have a 7:30 p.m. showdown with Adams State (8-18, 6-14 RMAC) on Friday night prior to Saturday's regular-season finale. The Skyhawks lead the Orediggers 59-38 in the all-time series and own the slight edge 21-19 on the road in Golden, Colo.

Fort Lewis downed Mines 73-63 at home just four weeks ago on the back of a gritty defensive performance that held the Orediggers to 22 first-half points and forced 22 turnovers. The Skyhawks, led by Obi Agbim's 20-point performance, shot 52.7 percent (29-55) for the contest and made just eight free throws on nine attempts. As a unit, the Orediggers rank eighth in the RMAC in scoring (77.2) but first in defense (69.5). Majok Deng leads the offense with a 17.2 point and 3.5 rebounds per game output while Cade Mankle (10.1) is the only other Oredigger to average double-figure scoring. Additionally, Alex Romack is hauling in a dominant 7.0 rebounds per game.

Tuesday Night Throwdown
Fort Lewis has already earned its right to host a quarterfinal round of the RMAC Tournament next Tuesday, Mar. 5, from the comforts of rowdy Whalen Gymnasium at 6:00 p.m. The Skyhawks opponent will be determined following Saturday night's games. All patrons, including members of the Skyhawks Club, will need to purchase tickets through the RMAC ticketing site HERE. Skyhawks club members may still use their VIP passes for access to the hospitality section but are still required to purchase a ticket through the RMAC.

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