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Fort Lewis College Athletics

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Eva Kingston
Kaitlyn Silva

Orediggers and Roadrunners await women's basketball this week

1/29/2025 10:00:00 AM

By: Angela Roberts, Associate AD-Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – Two narrow losses defined the Skyhawks women's basketball team last week, and they will look to flip the script as they continue their Front Range stretch against Colorado School of Mines and MSU Denver.

Last Time Out
The Skyhawks lost both road games last week despite late leads. In the 72-62 loss to Colorado Christian, Fort Lewis shot 39 percent (23-of-59) from the field and 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from three while Colorado Christian was 39 percent (23-of-59) from the field and 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from three. The Cougars were unblemished at the free throw line after going 17-for-17. Colorado Christian claimed a narrow 33-32 advantage in rebounding.

Sophomore Natalie Guanella led the team with 17 points, followed by junior Deniece Ryan with 12. Senior Livia Knapp was the third player in double-figures with 10 points. Senior Darla Hernandez came away with 10 rebounds and added eight points.

On Saturday, the Skyhawks shot 38.1 percent (24-of-63) from the field and made nine three-pointers—seven in the first quarter. The Mountain Lions came away with a mark of 37.3 percent (22-of-59) from the field and dropped in 25 free throws. Fort Lewis was outrebounded 44-38 and had two players foul out.

Freshman Katie Lamb led all players with a career-high 27 points (8-12 FG, 6-6 FT), followed by senior Darla Hernandez's career-high 23 points (8-16 FG) to go along with 10 rebounds. Senior Livia Knapp rounded out double-digit scorers with 10 points and four assists. UCCS was led by Maison White's 21-point, 17-rebound double-double.

Inside the Numbers
We're at the midway point in the season, and it's time to take a look at where Fort Lewis stacks up statistically in the RMAC. Out of 15 teams, the Skyhawks rank 13th in points per game (62.6), 6th in points allowed per game (65.4), 5th in FG% (.395), 9th in 3PT FG% (.285), 6th in free throw % (.732), 13th in rebounding (33.4), 12th in turnovers per game (17.2), 14th in blocks per game (1.22), 5th in steals per game (9.61), and 10th in assists per game (12.17).
They do not have an individual who ranks in the top 25 in scoring, but Hernandez is 9th in rebounds per game (7.9). Lamb is 8th in three-pointers per game (1.8). Lamb (12th, 1.8), Knapp (14th, 1.7), and Ryan (17th, 1.6) represent Fort Lewis in steals per game.

Late Game Trends
In three of the Skyhawks' last four games, they have held onto a lead in the fourth quarter. In the loss to South Dakota Mines (88-74) two weeks ago, Eva Kingston gave Fort Lewis its first lead of the contest with five minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The Hardrockers went on to enjoy an 11-0 scoring run at the free throw line to close out the game.

On Thursday against Colorado Christian, Guanella made it 57-56 in favor of Fort Lewis with 4:51 to go. The Cougars ended the game on a 13-3 run thanks to eight-straight made free throws to earn a 72-62 win. Against UCCS, Fort Lewis led by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter. The Mountain Lions took the lead with three minutes to go and closed the game on a 13-7 run to take a 74-71 win. Fort Lewis is a young team that has been limited by injury and illness in recent weeks, so I would expect some late-game woes to figure themselves out going forward.

Scouting Mines
The Orediggers are 7-11 on the year and 5-5 in Rocky Mountain Conference play following wins over MSU Denver (71-63) and Regis (60-49) last week. Mines has responded well after starting the season with a 2-8 record. Throughout that rough patch, the Orediggers faced No. 1 Texas Woman's, No. 6 MSU Billings, No. 9 Minnesota State, and No.12 Fort Hays State.

As a team, the Orediggers average 63.6 points per game while slashing .389/.288/.713. They rank fourth in the RMAC with 38.7 rebounds per game (+4.3) and average 12.6 assists, 16.9 turnovers, and 6.6 steals per game. Reigning RMAC Offensive Player of the Week, Jenna Siebert, leads the team with 18.4 points per game—good for fourth in the conference. Josephine Howery and Emma Sixta follow with 10.9 and 10.7 points per game, respectively. There is balance amongst the roster when it comes to defense with no player averaging more than 5.9 rebounds per game.

Scouting MSU Denver
The Roadrunners are 6-12 overall and 5-5 in league play following a split against Regis (W, 74-68) and Mines (L, 71-63) last week. Fort Lewis faced off against MSU Denver to kick off RMAC play in early December and came away with a 74-66 win. Lamb led the team with 22 points (5-of-8 3 PT), followed by Ryan with 14.
MSU Denver puts up 62.7 points per game and slashes .386/.249/.717. They come away with 33.9 rebounds per game (-6.2) while averaging 12.6 assists, 16.4 rebounds, and 10.8 steals per game. Mikylah Espinosa leads the way with 14.7 points per game, followed by Neveah Millard at 10.6 points per game. Brianna Sealy and Espinosa are tied for the team-lead with 4.7 rebounds per game. Espinosa rounds out her statline with 3.7 steals per game to lead the conference.

Up Next
Fort Lewis returns home for a Tuesday evening showdown against Adams State University on February 4th. It is the annual Pink Game, presented by CommonSpirit and Alpine Bank. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and participate in various donation-driven events throughout the night.
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