108

Fort Lewis FLC 9-6,3-3 RMAC

113

Westminster (UT) WC-UT 9-5,3-3 RMAC

Fort Lewis FLC

9-6,3-3 RMAC

108

Final

Jan. 11, 2025

113

Westminster (UT) WC-UT

9-5,3-3 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	OT 1	OT 2	OT 3	F
Fort Lewis FLC	36	42	7	10	13	108
Westminster (UT) WC-UT	38	40	7	10	18	113

Summary
Box Score

Kaitlyn Silva

AJ Riggs (2) fights for a rebound against an Eagles defender in Whalen Gymnasium (Nov. 16, 2024).

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 1/11/2025 6:25:00 PM | Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement

Skyhawks unable to overcome Griffins in triple overtime

Riggs, Allen record career-bests

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Chuol Deng scored 23 points, Tru Allen 19 points, Biko Johnson and AJ Riggs 16 points each, and Cassius Carmichael another 12 points as Fort Lewis (9-6, 3-3 RMAC) battled Westminster (9-5, 3-3 RMAC) even for 50 minutes before ultimately falling to the Griffins 113-108 in three overtime periods over at the Behnken Field House.

"I thought we fought back very well tonight," head coach Jordan Mast said. "We just need to play more consistent basketball across all 40 minutes. We can't relax when we have a lead and let teams back in it, and we can't wait until we're down a bunch to turn it on and battle back."

The Skyhawks shot an efficient 46 percent (40-87) from the floor and 33.3 percent (11-33) from beyond the arc but couldn't keep pace with WU who shot 58 percent (40-69) from the field alongside a 44.4 percent (8-18) clip from deep. Westminster also knocked down 25 free throws in 37 attempts (67.6 percent) while FLC made 17 free throws in 25 trips (68 percent) to the line.

Fort Lewis won the turnover battle 26 to 22 while finishing with 16 steals, one shy of the team's season-high, but was out-rebounded 44-42. Despite forcing four additional turnovers, the Skyhawks only managed 22 points off of turnovers to Westminster's 20.

Deng added two steals and two assists to his team-high 23 points and matched Allen with a team-high eight rebounds before fouling out in the second overtime period. Both Carmichael, who added five rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal, as well as Florence, who supplied four rebounds and blocked two shots, fouled out early in the third overtime.

Westminster's Chase Potter led all players with 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting (64.7 percent) to mark his second-straight game with 30 or more points. Potter also had eight rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Simom Akena finished closely behind with 29 points on 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) shooting with six rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Jonah El-Farra posted a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double with Ryan Rubenskas and Jake Sampson rounding out the Griffins to finish in double figures with 10 points each.

Despite 16 lead changes and 11 ties, both sides had even opportunities to put away the opposition. Fort Lewis had an eight-point advantage in the opening half and later took an 11-point lead, its largest of the game, with nine minutes left in regulation. Westminster led by seven points, 93-86, with 2:30 seconds left in the second overtime before the Skyhawks stormed back to force the third overtime period.

Notes
-The only other time Fort Lewis has gone to triple overtime was in a 96-91 win over Occidental College on Jan. 2, 1988.
-The Skyhawks continue to trail the Griffins 28-25 in the all-time series and 13-5 on the campus of Westminster. The loss also snapped a three-game win streak for FLC over WU.
-Fort Lewis' second four-game winning streak this season came to an end.
-Chuol Deng's 23-point performance marked his third 20+ point outing this season.
-Cassius Carmichael's 12 points mark a new season-high with the Skyhawks and his second 10+ point performance in as many games.
-Tru Allen played a career-high 50 minutes, while his 19 points marked his 11^th game finishing in double figures. His eight rebounds are also a season-high.
-AJ Riggs set new career-highs with 16 points, four made three-pointers, and 23 minutes on the floor while tying his career-high of two rebounds.

Up Next
The Skyhawks will make their 2025 debut in Whalen Gymnasium next week, hosting South Dakota Mines (1-13, 1-5 RMAC) on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m., and Black Hills State (8-6, 4-2 RMAC) on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m.

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