DURANGO, Colo. – The red-hot Fort Lewis men's basketball team (10-5, 8-0 RMAC) looks to extend its winning ways from within the comforts of Whalen Gymnasium this week as the Skyhawks play host to Colorado Christian University (7-9, 2-6 RMAC) and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (10-6, 5-3) for a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games up on the rim.
Nike N7
Thursday night's bout with the Cougars has been tabbed as the Skyhawks annual Nike N7 game, presented by SkyUte Resort & Casino. Since its creation in 2009, the Nike N7 Fund has awarded over $7.5 million in grants to 259 Native American and Aboriginal communities and organizations, reaching more than 500,000 youths. The N7 Fund supports organizations that provide sports and physical activity programming to youth in these communities. Fort Lewis College is honored to be one of just 11 institutions nationwide selected to participate in the games.
Two-Timer
Fort Lewis redshirt sophomore guard Stewart Erhart has been on a tear, sweeping the RMAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards back on Jan. 12 before doubling down as the league's offensive player of the week once more on Monday. The Tanana, Alaska, native has found his place in Fort Lewis' lineup this season, leading the roster with 17.5 points, 4.8 rebounds. 3.1 assists, and an NCAA DII-leading 3.38 steals per game, all while firing at 45.5 percent from the field and three-point line, and 81.8 percent at the free throw line. Erhart has finished in double figures in 11-straight games, and has gone for 27 points, 24 points, and 20 points in each of his last three outings.
Gritty Skyhawks
The Skyhawks, having had one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, have been lights-out since beginning conference play. More importantly, Fort Lewis has found ways to win – even on its not-so-great nights. The Skyhawks own back-to-back wins over top-25 ranked opponents, have won seven games by nine points or less, an emerged victorious in its lone overtime test thus far. FLC is outscoring opponents by a narrow +0.6-point margin, outrebounding foes by a +2.9 margin, and has won the turnover margin by an even smaller -0.5 margin. Much of Fort Lewis' success, especially in recent weeks, has been thanks to the Skyhawks ability to get downhill, where they are averaging 27.7 free throw attempts per game, a mark that stands fourth overall nationally in Division II.
Skyhawks Leaders
- Stewart Erhart (R-So., G) (17.5 points/game, 4.8 rebounds/game, 3.1 assists/game, 3.4 steals/game, 2 blocks, 45.5% FG percentage, 45.5% 3-FG percentage, 81.8% FT percentage)
- Jaxon Smith (R-So., G) (15.3 points/game, 1.8 rebounds/game, 1.0 assists/game, 11 steals, 39.4% FG percentage, 39.8% 3-FG percentage, 93.8% FT percentage)
- Chuol Deng (Sr., F) (13.5 points/game, 8.3 rebounds/game, 1.5 assists/game, 1.5 steals/game, 42.5% FG percentage, 29.8% 3-FG percentage, 72.1% FT percentage)
- Donald Bangham, Jr. (Jr, G) (7.7 points/game, 3.1 rebounds/game, 1.0 steals/game, 10 assists, 44.1% FG percentage, 27% 3-FG percentage, 60% FT percentage)
- Keither Florence (Sr., F) (7.3 points/game, 4.1 rebounds/game, 14 assists, 10 blocks, 6 steals, 50.6% FG percentage, 0-2 3-FG/attempts, 57.5% FT percentage)
Scouting Colorado Christian
Colorado Christian enters the week as the winner of three of its last five games, two of which have come against conference opponents. The Cougars topped Metropolitan State University of Denver (6-11, 4-5 RMAC) last Thursday, 79-70, before falling to Colorado School of Mines (9-10, 5-3 RMAC), 69-59. Senior point guard Pierce Bazil led CCU in both affairs, scoring a team-high 24 points on 6-of-14 shooting against the Roadrunners and 15 points on a 4-of-17 clip against the Orediggers.
The Cougars, who are chasing a six-game losing streak to the Skyhawks, have not defeated Fort Lewis in Durango, Colo., since a 96-81 victory on Jan. 28. 14, 1994. Through 16 games, Colorado Christian carries the league's 14th-ranked offense at 69.2 points per game on 44 percent shooting. Conversely, CCU is surrendering 72.4 points per game, third-best in the RMAC, on 46 percent field goal shooting. Three Cougars are averaging double-digit scoring in Pierce Bazil at 17.4 points, brother Porter Bazil at 11.7 points, and Joshua Reid at 10.1 points per game.
Cougars Leaders
- Pierce Bazil (Sr., G) (17.4 points/game, 4.0 rebounds/game, 2.4 assists/game, 15 steals, 2 blocks, 43.8% FG percentage, 35.2% 3-FG percentage, 73.9% FT Percentage)
- Porter Bazil (Jr., F) (11.7 points/game, 4.4 rebounds/game, 2.1 assists/game, 15 blocks, 12 steals, 45.1% FG percentage, 42.9% 3-FG percentage, 67.9% FT percentage)
- Joshua Reid (Sr., F) (10.1 points/game, 6.2 rebounds/game, 18 assists, 6 steals, 4 blocks, 50% FG percentage, 43.3% 3-FG percentage, 83.8% FT percentage)
- Schafer Reichart (R-Sr., G) (7.4 points/game, 3.9 rebounds/game, 1.8 assists/game, 1.3 steals/game, 2 blocks, 44.6% FG percentage, 33.3% 3-FG percentage, 66.7% FT percentage)
- Andrew Reichart (Sr., F) (5.6 points/game, 3.9 rebounds/game, 16 assists, 6 steals, 6 blocks, 54.7% FG percentage, 25% 3-FG percentage, 62.1% FT percentage)
Scouting UCCS
UCCS is back on the road for the first time in three weeks following a three-game home stand in which the Mountain Lions earned back-to-back wins over Regis University (1-14, 0-9 RMAC), 93-74, and MSU Denver, 98-85. Colorado State University Pueblo (12-4, 6-2 RMAC) dished the Mountain Lions their last loss, 82-73, back on Jan. 8. UCCS has favored its home gym this year, boasting a 6-1 record in the Gallogly Events Center, while carrying just a 3-4 record on the road and a 1-1 mark at neutral sites. On Thursday, UCCS will take on New Mexico Highlands University (6-13, 4-4 RMAC) at 7 p.m. in Las Vegas, N.M.
Fort Lewis carries the most recent in the series, 87-84, after stunning the Mountain Lions through the final seconds in Colorado Springs, Colo., last year. To the Skyhawks credit, Fort Lewis has won back-to-back games at home in Whalen Gymnasium, and four of the last five games in Durango, Colo., dating back to Feb. 28, 2017. UCCS, having been in the top half of the conference standings all season, runs the highest-scoring offense in the RMAC at 89.6 points per game on 46.9 percent shooting. The Mountain Lions, however, rank 12th defensively, giving up 84.5 points per game, a +5.1-point margin, on 50.1 percent shooting.
Mountain Lions Leaders
- Xavier Martinez (Jr., G) (13.3 points/game, 2.3 rebounds/game, 5.0 assists/game, 1.7 steals/game, 45.8% FG percentage, 32.3% 3-FG percentage, 77.8% FT percentage)
- Brody Hull (Fr., F) (12.4 points/game, 4.6 rebounds/game, 1.6 assists/game, 1.3 steals/game, 4 blocks, 46.8% FG percentage, 32.1% 3-FG percentage, 85% FT percentage)
- Marzouq Abdur-Razaaq (R-So., F) (11.4 points/game, 5.9 rebounds/game, 16 assists, 8 steals, 2 blocks, 54% FG percentage, 23.5% 3-FG percentage, 59.6% FT percentage)
- Mario Williams, Jr. (So., G) (11.1 points/game, 2.8 rebounds/game, 12 steals, 6 assists, 5 blocks, 42% FG percentage, 36.8% 3-FG percentage, 68.8% FT percentage)
- Alex Hurr (R-Sr., G) (7.7 points/game, 2.5 rebounds/game, 11 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 56.6% FG percentage, 46.2% 3-FG percentage, 63.2% FT percentage)
Looking Ahead
Fort Lewis will wrap up its four-game home stand next week with a pair of games against Colorado School of Mines (9-10, 5-3 RMAC) on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. and a rematch with Metropolitan State University of Denver (6-11, 4-5 RMAC) on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 3 p.m.
