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Head Coach Jordan Mast vs. Adams State
Coen Anderson
Head coach Jordan Mast speaks to his team during a timeout against the Grizzlies inside Whalen Gymnasium (Dec. 13, 2025)

Men’s hoops to ring in 2026 at home against Mountaineers, Griffins

1/7/2026 12:00:00 PM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
Fort Lewis College vs. Western Colorado University
Thursday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m. | Whalen Gymnasium | Durango, Colo.
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | FLC Notes
Fort Lewis College vs. Westminster University
Saturday, Jan. 10, 3 p.m. | Whalen Gymnasium | Durango, Colo.
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | FLC Notes
DURANGO, Colo. – After picking up a marquee win over the No. 13-ranked team in the country heading into the holiday break, the Fort Lewis men's basketball team (6-5, 4-0 RMAC) looks to build on its strong start to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play this Thursday and Saturday at home against Western Colorado University (5-7, 3-1 RMAC) and Westminster University (6-6, 1-3 RMAC).
 
Finding a Groove
Fort Lewis kicked off the 2025-26 campaign with a sluggish 2-4 start, but has since buckled down and found its groove, posted a 5-1 record, earned a top-25 win over No. 13-ranked St. Mary's University (10-3, 3-2 LSC), and kept pace with No. 11-ranked Black Hills State University (11-1, 4-0 RMAC) as one of two unbeaten teams in conference action. Against conference opponents, the Skyhawks rank first in turnovers forced (23.3 turnovers per game) and turnover margin (+6.0), third in offense (87.7 points per game), sixth in opponents' field goal percentage (43.5 percent), ninth in defense (80.3 points per game), and 12th in field goal percentage (42.9 percent).
 
Inside the Record
The Skyhawks are just above even at 6-5 overall, but have faced undoubtedly one of the toughest schedules in the country, owning the seventh-toughest schedule in NCAA Division II. All but two of Fort Lewis' non-conference opponents have been ranked on the National Association of Basketball Coaches Top-25 polls, including a trio of appearances inside the top-10, and boast a combined 82-19 overall record. Angelo State University (11-5, 2-3 LSC), which received votes on the national poll at the time of the Skyhawks narrow 78-77 loss back on Nov. 28, carries the most losses of any non-conference opponent with five.
 
Skyhawks Leaders
  • Stewart Erhart (R-So., G) (15.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 27 steals, 23 assists, 2 blocks, 47.0% FG percentage, 45.5% 3-FG percentage, 76.6% FT percentage)
  • Chuol Deng (Sr., F) (14.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 18 steals, 17 assists, 6 blocks, 44.4% FG percentage, 28.6% 3-FG percentage, 74.1% FT percentage)
  • Jaxon Smith (R-So., G) (14.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 12 assists, 7 steals, 39.6% FG percentage, 40.5% 3-FG percentage, 91.3% FT percentage)
  • Donald Bangham, Jr. (Jr., G) (9.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 12 steals, 5 assists, 50.0% FG percentage, 32.1% 3-FG percentage, 65.6% FT percentage)
  • Massal Diouf (Sr., F) (7.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 8 blocks, 8 assists, 3 steals, 56.9% FG percentage, 60.0% FT percentage)
 
Mountaineers on the Rise
Western Colorado got off to a 2-6 start in non-conference action, but has since posted a 3-1 record in RMAC play with quality wins, and most recently, a 98-72 route over Regis University (1-9, 0-4 RMAC). The Mountaineers rang in the new year last Friday, suffering a 98-89 loss to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (8-4, 3-1 RMAC) in a non-conference contest. As a squad, WCU ranks second in defense (68.8 points allowed per game), third in field goal percentage (47.7 percent) and opponent field goal percentage (42.5 percent), and ninth in scoring (76.8 points per game).
 
Western's One-Two Punch
The Mountaineers boast two of the top-5 scorers in the conference in Aidan McDowell and Tyler Halligan. McDowell, a six-foot-four sophomore guard who transferred in from Fort Hays State University, which won a daunting Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association (DII) last year, leads DII with an astounding 28.1 points per game alongside 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while firing at clips of 49.5 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from the three-point line, and 91.2 percent at the free throw line. On the opposite wing sits Halligan, a six-foot-four junior forward who came to WCU by way of the University of Idaho. Halligan is adding another 17.6 points, a team-high 6.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while hitting at 50.6 percent from the floor.
 
Mountaineers Leaders
  • Aidan McDowell (So., G) (28.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 23 assists, 8 steals, 49.5% FG percentage, 40.7% 3-FG percentage, 91.2% FT percentage)
  • Tyler Halligan (Jr., F) (17.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 9 steals, 8 blocks, 50.6% FG percentage, 38.3% 3-FG percentage, 57.5% FT percentage)
  • Jordan Kuac (Jr., G) (11.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 15 assists, 8 blocks, 7 steals, 45.7% FG percentage, 35.3% 3-FG percentage, 55.9% FT percentage)
  • Mason Mottashed (Jr., G) (5.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 47 assists, 13 steals, 2 blocks, 40.5% FG percentage), 38.5% 3-FG percentage, 85.2% FT percentage)
  • Joanis Koulisianis (Fr., F) (5.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 16 assists, 14 blocks, 4 steals, 66.7% FG percentage, 0-2 3-FGs, 75.0% FT percentage)
 
Griffins Look to Reset
Westminster soars into the new year with an even 6-6 overall record with a 1-3 mark in conference play. Owning the league's 12th-best offense (73.0 points per game) and fifth-best defense (74.0 points allowed per game), the Griffins look to flip the script as the calendar rolls to the new year. While 5-3 at home, Westminster is 1-2 on the road this season, with its lone win coming by way of a 76-68 edge at Western Oregon University (5-8, 0-4 GNAC). WU's last win, and only conference win thus far, came at home with an 87-70 win over Colorado School of Mines (6-9, 2-2 RMAC). Westminster has since entered a three-game skid, most recently falling 81-71 to now No. 19-ranked Eastern New Mexico University (12-1, 5-0 LSC), whose lone loss came at the hands of the Skyhawks, 76-73, in the season opener.
 
Early Trends
In conference action, the Griffins are one of the best defensive teams on the perimeter, ranking second among RMAC teams in both opponent field goal percentage (42.4 percent) and opponent three-point field goal percentage (31.9 percent). Despite the strong defense, WU has yet to find a strong groove offensively, resulting in a -1.0-point margin in league play. The Griffins boast just one scorer inside of the league's top-25 in Colin Hayes, who ranks 24th, averaging 13.3 points per game against RMAC opponents. Hayes has finished in double figures seven times this season, but has yet to eclipse the 20-point mark in a game. Graduate forward Michael Frazier, who leads the roster at 13.0 points per game this season and scored a team season-high 25 points against the top-ranked Greyhounds before the break, has averaged 11.0 points per game against RMAC opponents.
 
Griffins Leaders
  • Michael Frazier (Gr., F) (13.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 11 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks, 51.2% FG percentage, 34.0% 3-FG percentage, 70.6% FT percentage)
  • Colin Hayes (Jr., G) (12.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 14 assists, 11 steals, 2 blocks, 54.5% FG percentage, 61.5% 3-FG percentage, 69.8% FT percentage)
  • Cole Kadoguchi (Gr., G) (10.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 31 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 45.3% FG percentage, 47.0% 3-FG percentage, 78.6% FT percentage)
  • Mitch Jeppesen (Jr., F) (7.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 14 assists, 9 steals, 5 blocks, 47.1% FG percentage, 16.7% 3-FG percentage, 65.5% FT percentage)
  • Tommy Ball (Gr., G) (7.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 31 assists, 13 steals, 41.2% FG percentage, 37.7% 3-FG percentage, 66.7% FT percentage)
 
Looking Ahead
Fort Lewis will embark on its longest trip of the conference schedule next week as the Skyhawks head for Rapid City, S.D., on Thursday, Jan. 15, for a 7:30 p.m. matchup against South Dakota Mines (6-6, 3-1 RMAC) in the King Center. Then, Fort Lewis will buckle down for its crucial top-25 test at fellow league-leader Black Hills State at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17.
 
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