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Cassius Carmichael vs. Nelson University (Exhibition)
Kaitlyn Silva
Cassius Carmichael (10) makes a move in the post in an exhibition against the Warriors in Whalen Gymnasium (Nov. 8, 2025)

Men’s hoops to open 2025-26 campaign on the road in Portales

11/13/2025 12:00:00 PM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
Fort Lewis College at Eastern New Mexico University
Friday, Nov. 14, 7 pm | Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium | Portales, N.M.
Watch (FloSports) | Live Stats | Tickets | FLC Notes
Fort Lewis College vs. Western New Mexico University
Saturday, Nov. 15, 5 pm | Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium | Portales, N.M.
Watch (FloSports) | Live Stats | Tickets | FLC Notes
DURANGO, Colo. – Fort Lewis men's basketball (0-0) will hit the hardwood for the first time on Friday night as the Skyhawks head south for Portales, N.M., and the Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena for a pair of non-conference games against Eastern New Mexico University (0-0) and Western New Mexico University (0-0) out of the Lone Star Conference.
 
2025-26 Season Opener
Friday night's prime time contest against the home Greyhounds will officially ring in the new campaign. Head coach Jordan Mast will search for his first season-opening win with the Skyhawks, as well as the program's first season-opening win since Fort Lewis last downed Eastern New Mexico 84-81 on a Brenden Boatwright buzzer-beating three back on Nov. 11, 2022. For fans traveling down for the game, Eastern New Mexico is hosting a food drive on Friday night and will grant free admission to any fans who bring donations. Saturday's game will require a purchased ticket. Fans looking to stream both games will need to purchase a FloSports subscription.
 
Regional Ballot
This season, the Skyhawks will face a test not seen since the 2011-12 season: a full Division II or higher non-conference schedule. More importantly, Fort Lewis's eight non-conference games will be against seven programs from the Lone Star Conference, putting strong regional implications on the line come March. Six of said teams were inside the Lone Star's top-10 on its preseason polls, and two have been featured in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll: No. 25-ranked Lubbock Christian University (2-0), picked third in the LSC preseason poll, and St. Mary's University (0-0), picked second in the LSC preseason poll, who received votes from the NABC.
 
Starting Five
Fort Lewis will have a new look up and down the court, as well as a few familiar faces looking to help the program take the next step. Senior forward Chuol Deng, a Second-Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference pick and a member of the RMAC All-Tournament team last season, looks to return and build on last season's averages of 13.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. Stewart Erhart will look to settle into his second on the floor, hoping to pace the Skyhawks' defense once more after nabbing 79 total steals (2.5 stls/game) last year while also adding 8.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.
 
A few new faces may hit the floor, including Yorgio Golesis, a shifty guard with great vision to run point. The former Southern Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year at Oklahoma City University averaged 12.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game on 37.5 percent shooting last year. Fort Lewis also brought in a veteran in Massal Diouf, to run the post. The six-foot-nine forward has made 33 starts in 81 career games at the Division I level between Western Illinois University and the University of Texas at San Antonio. Donald Bangham, Jr., on the other hand, will look to do damage on both ends of the floor. The high-energy, downhill guard posted 6.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last year at Chipola College to help the Indians to a run to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
 
Top Returning Skyhawks (2024-25 Statistics)
  • Chuol Deng (Sr., F) (13.4 pts/game, 7.9 rebs/game, 1.3 stls/game, 35 assists, 30 blocks, .401 FG%, .325% 3-FG%, .742 FT%)
  • Stewart Erhart (R-So., G) (8.0 pts/game, 2.9 rebs/game, 1.6 asts/game, 2.5 stls/game, 6 blocks, .450 FG%, .280% 3-FG%, .880 FT%)
  • Cassius Carmichael (Sr., F) (7.0 pts/game, 4.0 rebs/game, 1.6 stls/game, 35 assists, 19 blocks, .512 FG%, .414 3-FG%, .559 FT%)
  • Keither Florence (Sr., F) (6.1 pts/game, 3.4 rebs/game, 25 steals, 15 assists, 14 blocks, .534% FG%, .375 3-FG%, .688 FT%)
  • Nathan Penney (R-So., G) (30 pts, 21 rebs, 6 steals, 5 assists, .467 FG%, .444 3-FG%, .857 FT%)
 
Scouting Eastern New Mexico
Eastern New Mexico heads into 2025-26 in a similar position to the Skyhawks, earning an 18-11 overall record last season with a 13-9 mark in LSC play. The Greyhounds, however, contrary to the Skyhawks, took a first-round exit in the LSC Tournament last season with a 79-78 loss to then No. 22-ranked Lubbock Christian University, who were felled in the tournament finale and made an appearance at the NCAA South-Central Regional. This year, ENMU tied with Angelo State University for sixth place on the league's preseason poll.
 
The Greyhounds averaged a Lone Star-leading 88.5 points per game with the league's best shooting percentage at 51.4 percent, and the second-best scoring margin at +12.9, but ranked 12th defensively, allowing opponents to average 75.6 points per game on 42.4 percent shooting. ENMU returns three of its five players to average double-digit scoring last season, led by Second-Team All-LSC selection Jose Murillo. The six-foot-nine forward supplied 13.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on 67.0 percent shooting with 43 blocks and 21 steals. Treyvon Byrd and Jaden Clarke also returned, pouring in another 11.7 and 11.0 points per game, respectively.
 
Top Returning Greyhounds
  • Jose Murillo (Sr., F) (13.2 pts/game, 5.9 rebs/game, 1.4 blcks/game, 33 assists, 21 steals, .670 FG%, ,636FT%)
  • Treyvon Byrd (Sr, G) (11.7 pts/game, 5.0 rebs/game, 2.0 asts/game, 39 steals, 20 blocks, .565 FG%, .345 3-FG%, .657 FT%)
  • Jaden Clarke (Sr., G) (11.0 pts/game, 3.9 rebs/game, 34 assists, 20 steals, 12 blocks, .502 FG%, .337 3-FG%, .688 FT%)
  • Cooper Jackson (Sr., G) (9.3 pts/game, 3.1 stls/game, 2.9 asts/game, 2.1 rebs/game, 8 blocks, .434 FG%, .340 3-FG%, .635 FT%)
  • Austin Mo (So., G) (9.0 pts/game, 3.6 rebs/game, 3.0 asts/game, 39 steals, 5 blocks, .495 FG%, .243 3-FG%, .757 FT%)
 
Scouting Western New Mexico
Western New Mexico looks to take the next step forward in 2025-26 and improve on last season's 5-23 overall record and 4-18 record against Lone Star opponents. After finishing 15th in the league last year, the Mustangs were voted to repeat their finish on the league's preseason poll. WNMU's lone win in non-conference play last season came by way of a 67-60 victory over the University of the Southwest (17-13).
 
From a birds-eye-view, the Mustangs ranked 16th and 13th in offense and defense, respectively, among Lone Star opponents. Western New Mexico averaged 65.4 points per game on 38.8 percent shooting against 77.4 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting from its opponents. Most notably, WNMU committed 15.4 turnovers per game and trailed in turnover margin by -3.39 and in rebounding margin by -4.1.
 
Top Returning Mustangs
  • Carson Kelly (Sr., G) (13.8 pts/game, 3.0 rebs/game, 2.6 asts/game, 23 steals, 1 block, .374 FG%, .276 3-FG%, .904 FT%)
  • Quincy Adams (R-So., G) (4 games, 38 points, 16 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists, 3 blocks, .341 FG%, .100 3-FG%, .692 FT%)
  • James McCallum (Jr., F) (7.0 pts/game, 4.5 rebs/game, 12 assists, 10 steals, 5 blocks, .467 FG%, .444 3-FG%, .736 FT%)
  • Jalen Williams (R-Sr., G) (4 games, 25 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, .421 FG%, .500 3-FG%, .500 FT%)
  • Nathan Jones (Sr., F) (3.7 pts/game, 2.5 rebs/game, 10 steals, 9 assists, 6 blocks, .421 FG%, .083 3-FG%, .667 FT%)
 
Looking Ahead
Fort Lewis will make its 2025-26 home debut next weekend with its annual Skyhawks Hardwood Classic on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22. The Skyhawks will welcome Western New Mexico for its second contest with the Greyhounds in as many weeks, as well as preseason No. 25-ranked Lubbock Christian University (2-0). Colorado Mesa University will also be in town and compete against both opponents in a flipped schedule at the 5 p.m. time slot.
 
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