RAPID CITY, S.D. – Despite shooting just 33 percent in the opening quarter, the Fort Lewis College women's basketball team surged late, posting a 57 percent shooting mark in the fourth quarter to secure a 71–58 road victory over South Dakota Mines on Thursday in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
Fort Lewis (11-4, 4-3 RMAC) finished the night shooting 43.7 percent from the field, its fourth-best performance of the season, while holding South Dakota Mines (6-9, 4-3 RMAC) to 35.8 percent—below its season average. The Hardrockers held a significant advantage at the free-throw line, going 17-of-23, compared to just six made free throws for the Skyhawks. Defense proved pivotal for Fort Lewis, which totaled 40 rebounds, 16 steals, and forced 22 turnovers.
Junior Makaya Porter led the Skyhawks with 16 points, adding four steals and four rebounds. Freshman Alemaualii Fonoti followed with 12 points and five rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. Sophomore Claudia Palacio Gámez contributed eight points and six assists while leading the team with 32 minutes played.
The opening minutes featured strong defensive play from both teams, with South Dakota Mines holding a 3–2 advantage through the first three minutes. The first media timeout came with 4:39 remaining in the quarter and the Hardrockers ahead 6–3, fueled primarily by free-throw shooting. Antia Gonzalez Decampo brought the Skyhawks within one after a steal and two free throws, and Laisha Armendariz provided a spark off the bench by knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to give Fort Lewis its first lead with 1:48 remaining. Fonoti capped an 8–2 run with a layup as the Skyhawks took a 13–10 lead into the second quarter.
South Dakota Mines reclaimed the lead early in the second quarter behind scoring from leading scorer Savea Mansfield. Ball control was an issue for both teams, with seven turnovers committed in the first four minutes of the period. Fort Lewis briefly gained momentum, taking a 22–18 lead following a basket from Lamb, but the Hardrockers endured more than four minutes without a field goal before breaking the drought with a three-pointer. Fort Lewis also struggled to score late in the quarter, and South Dakota Mines carried a narrow 24–23 lead into halftime.
Josie Davis opened the third quarter with a jumper, but the teams continued to trade baskets throughout the period. Another Davis bucket extended Fort Lewis' lead to four with 7:11 remaining, though the advantage changed hands five more times. A free throw by Porter gave the Skyhawks a 38–37 edge with three minutes to play, and offensive rebounding fueled a late push as Fonoti converted consecutive layups. Davis closed the quarter with a fast-break layup, completing a 7–0 run and giving Fort Lewis a 47–41 lead heading into the final period.
Fort Lewis continued to build momentum in the fourth quarter, extending its lead to 51–43 after a layup by Lamb. The advantage grew to 11 when Savanna Dotray converted an offensive rebound into a jumper with 5:41 remaining. Dotray added two more field goals down the stretch as the Skyhawks maintained control. South Dakota Mines shot 4-of-5 in the final minutes, but Fort Lewis closed out the game to secure the 71–58 win.
Fort Lewis will continue its South Dakota road trip on Saturday, facing Black Hills State (9-5, 6-1 RMAC) at 1:00 p.m. in Spearfish. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 67–60 home win over New Mexico Highlands.
