Fort Lewis FLC 12-15,9-12 RMAC

MSU Denver MSUD 9-17,8-13 RMAC

Fort Lewis FLC

12-15,9-12 RMAC

Final

Mar. 01, 2024

MSU Denver MSUD

9-17,8-13 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Fort Lewis FLC	13	11	9	26	59
MSU Denver MSUD	16	14	13	19	62

Summary
Box Score

Kaitlyn Silva

Junior Samantha Wattawa scored a career-high 17 points in the road loss to MSU Denver

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 3/1/2024 7:23:00 PM | Angela Roberts, Assistant AD-Communications

Skyhawks narrowly fall to Roadrunners in nail biter, 62-59

DENVER – The Fort Lewis College women's basketball team clawed back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter, capturing a lead late but ultimately falling in the final moments to MSU Denver by a score of 62-59.

With the loss, the Skyhawks are mathematically eliminated from postseason play and head into their final game of the season with an overall record of 12-15 and a 9-12 clip in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. MSU Denver improved to 9-17 overall and 8-13 in conference play.

Fort Lewis shot 32.8 percent (19-of-58) from the field compared to a 37 percent (20-of-54) mark for MSU Denver. The Roadrunners benefited from 10 three pointers while the Skyhawks got to the free throw line often and scored 16 points that way. MSU Denver earned a 43-31 edge in rebounds while Fort Lewis forced 27 turnovers on the night.

Sophomore Lanae Billy led all players with 20 points to go along with seven steals. Junior Samantha Wattawa followed with a career-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds. Junior Avery Evans led the team with eight rebounds and five assists. Senior Kelsey Sorenson contributed seven rebounds, six points, and five steals.

Turnovers plagued both teams in the early goings, but the Skyhawks were able to carry lead thanks to a corner three by Billy. The Roadrunners got on the board with a pair of made free throws to make it 3-2—a score which held through four minutes of play. Fort Lewis got back on track with a jumper from Billy, quickly followed by an MSU Denver layup to hold it at a one-point margin. Sorenson padded the lead with two free throws, followed by one from Evans to see an 8-4 lead with 4:31 on the clock. Wattawa extended the lead with the team's second three-pointer of the quarter, and MSU Denver followed with four points to see an 11-8 score. The three-point separation held until the final 30 second when the Roadrunners knotted it up at 13-all with a deep bucket. The home team wrapped up the first quarter with a buzzer-beater three to claim a 16-13 lead.

The Skyhawks forced two turnovers to begin the second quarter and converted for two points with a layup from Gallery to pull within one. Defense ruled the next two minutes of play before a pair of layups by the Roadrunners made it a five-point game. Wattawa cut into the deficit with a three point play, bringing her point total to eight in a 23-20 game. MSU Denver used the next 90 seconds to score five points before a jumper from Misner slowed the building momentum. Billy was the final Fort Lewis player to score in the half, and MSU Denver closed it out at the charity stripe to make it 30-24 midway through the contest.

The Roadrunners opened the third quarter with a layup, but the Skyhawks used their pesky defense to go one a scoring run and make it 33-30 at the six-minute mark. MSU Denver built the lead back to five points as the teams headed into a media timeout. Steals and turnovers marked highs and lows for both teams midway through the third quarter. The Roadrunners snapped a brief scoreless stretch with their sixth three pointer of the night to make it 38-30 with 2:44 on the clock. Gallery got Fort Lewis on the board late in the quarter, but MSU Denver ended it on a 5-0 scoring run to carry a 43-33 lead into the final quarter.

Sorenson got Fort Lewis started with two makes from the free throw line, followed by a huge steal and assist on a three by Gallery to pull the Skyhawks within eight points. Fort Lewis pulled even closer at the seven-minute mark with a combined five points from Evans and Billy seeing the score at 50-43. The offensive charge continued with a jumper by Wattawa making in a two-possession game with 5:30 remaining. Wattawa remained an offensive threat, converting on five-straight points to make it a one-point game. The Roadrunners earned a much-needed three pointer with three minute remaining, only to be answered by two quick free throws by senior Ember Cervantes.

Billy earned a steal and was quickly fouled before heading to the line and tying the game at 54-all with a pair of makes. The Roadrunners pulled ahead by four points, but Billy drove for a layup to make it a one possession game with 38 seconds remaining. Fort Lewis made one free throw out of an extended timeout for a 58-57 deficit with 30 seconds to go. Despite two made free throws by the home team, Wattawa quickly responded with a driving layup to hold it at a one-point separation with 18 seconds on the clock. MSU Denver earned two more points at the stripe, pulling ahead by three and putting pressure on Fort Lewis' final possession. Billy geared up and fired from deep, but the ball rattled off the rim to end things in a 62-59 score.

Up Next
Fort Lewis (12-15, 9-12 RMAC) will play its final game of the season tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. against Colroado School of Mines (20-27, 15-6 RMAC). The Orediggers are coming off an 82-63 loss to Adams State this evening and have dropped five of their last seven games.

Print Friendly Version