Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Jaxon Smith vs. Colorado Christian
Kaitlyn Silva
Jaxon Smith (0) celebrates with the bench after knocking down a three-pointer against the Cougars in Whalen Gymnasium (Jan. 22, 2026)

Skyhawks, Grizzlies set for rivalry matchup in RMAC Quarterfinals

3/2/2026 11:15:00 AM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
DURANGO, Colo. – The fourth-seeded Fort Lewis men's basketball team (17-10, 15-5 RMAC) is set to host fifth-seeded Adams State University (18-10, 12-8 RMAC) at 6 p.m. inside Whalen Gymnasium up on the rim Tuesday, Mar. 3, for the quarterfinals and opening round of the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
RMAC Ticketing
All Fort Lewis College staff and faculty, as well as members of the Skyhawks Club and Skyhawks Athletics corporate partners, will be required to purchase a ticket through the RMAC ticketing site for admission into the game. Fort Lewis students with a valid SkyCard will be granted free admission. Once inside with a purchased ticket, corporate partners and members of the Skyhawks club can utilize their VIP passes to access the VIP hospitality section. Fans at home can stream postseason games on the RMAC Network with a $15 tournament day pass, giving access to all games on any one given day, or with a monthly or annual subscription. Live statistics will also be provided for free. 
 
Bracketology
The opening round of the 2026 RMAC Tourney features each of the top four seeds hosting a quarterfinal game at their respective campus sites. From then on, the semifinals and championship games will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed following the first round. The Skyhawks and Grizzlies reside on the top half of the bracket, with the winner moving on to face the winner of first-seeded Black Hills State University and eighth-seeded University of Colorado Colorado Springs. On the opposite end, second-seeded Colorado Mesa University will host seventh-seeded New Mexico Highlands University, and third-seeded Colorado State University Pueblo will host sixth-seeded Colorado School of Mines.
 
Third Times the Charm
Fort Lewis and Adams State will meet for the third installment of the Route 160 rivalry this season, with teams earning a win over the other on its home court. The Skyhawks kicked off the series with a 94-85 win back near the start of conference play on Dec 13, while the Grizzlies later got even on Feb. 5, downing Fort Lewis 95-93. FLC saw four reach double-figures in the first meeting while capitalizing on 26 forced turnovers to overcome a pair of 20-point performers from the Grizzlies. In round two, the Skyhawks forced another 25 turnovers, but a +8-rebounding margin for ASU, as well as 17 FLC turnovers, and three Grizzlies with 21+ points were enough to down Fort Lewis.
 
Three in the Key
Fort Lewis needs to check three boxes tomorrow night to ensure its best opportunity of caging the Grizzlies. Firstly, stick to its high-tempo style and force 20+ turnovers. Adams State has turned it over 51 times in two games against FLC, surrendering 40 points off turnovers. Secondly, the Skyhawks need to control the paint and the pace off the glass. Fort Lewis has been out-rebounded in both contests; however, the Skyhawks' -8-margin in game two proved to be a critical factor down the stretch. In game one, ASU scored just 18 points in the paint to FLC's 48, but in game two, the Grizzlies dominated for 48 points in the paint, despite 58 points in the post for the Skyhawks. Lastly, close-out defense. Three-point shooting has been an Achilles heel for the Skyhawks, especially when Fort Lewis has struggled to control the post. While winning down low and off the glass is key, the Skyhawks need to keep the Grizzlies guessing and uncomfortable from deep and not allow them to settle into their systems in transition.
 
Skyhawks Leaders
  • Stewart Erhart (R-So., G) (16.8 points/game, 4.2 rebounds/game, 3.4 assists/game, 3.4 steals/game, 4 blocks, 43.2% FG percentage, 38.5% 3-FG percentage, 84.6% FT percentage)
  • Jaxon Smith (R-So., G) (14.9 points/game, 2.1 rebounds/game, 1.1 assists/game, 23 steals, 37.7% FG percentage, 37.8% 3-FG percentage, 93.7% FT percentage)
  • Chuol Deng (5th, F) (13.6 points/game, 7.6 rebounds/game, 1.6 assists/game, 1.2 steals/game, 17 blocks, 40.5% FG percentage, 30.5% 3-FG percentage, 68.6% FT percentage)
  • Donald Bangham, Jr. (Jr., G) (7.8 points/game, 3.3 rebounds/game, 1.4 steals/game, 18 assists, 2 blocks, 43.5% FG percentage, 25% 3-FG percentage, 61.5% FT percentage)
  • Massal Diouf (Sr., F) (7.4 points/game, 4.3 rebounds/game, 22 assists, 22 blocks, 8 steals, 56.6% FG percentage, 0-1 3-FG, 60% FT percentage)
 
A Balanced Finish
Adams State, after defeating the Skyhawks in the two teams' second go-round, finished the regular season 3-3 down the stretch, picking up a trio of wins including 81-77 at Western Colorado University (Feb. 12), 93-83 at home against Chadron State College (Feb. 21), and 101-84 on the road at UCCS (Feb. 26). The Grizzlies are fresh off a 70-68 loss at CSU Pueblo in the regular-season finale.
 
To Fort Lewis' advantage, Adams State is just 6-8 on the road this season, and the Grizzlies have not won in Durango, Colo., since Jan. 22, 2022. Plachy Hall has been ASU's key to an 18-10 overall record, with the Grizzlies boasting a 12-2 record at home, including an 8-2 mark at home in league play.
 
Scouting the Grizzlies
Offense has been the Grizzlies' bread-and-butter this season, with Adams State ranking second in the conference at 86.6 points per game on the league's fourth-best field goal shooting percentage of 46.8 percent. Paced by four Grizzlies racking up over 11 points per game, Adams State looks to work inside-out, with a solid threat from the outside as ASU ranks third in three-point field goals per game at 9.3 on the RMAC's 12th-best three-point field goal percentage at 34.4 percent. Senior Wyatt Helming, who leads the squad with 16.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, as well as 30 blocked shots, is firing off at 54.4 percent and 42.5 percent from deep, and has knocked down 54 treys this year.  Helming is aided by Dillan Baker, who has knocked down 49 triples on 33.1 percent shooting from deep.
 
Grizzlies Leaders
  • Wyatt Helming (Sr., F) (16.0 points/game, 7.4 rebounds/game, 1.8 assists/game, 30 blocks, 21 steals, 54.4% FG percentage, 42.5% 3-FG percentage, 85.2% FT percentage)
  • Luke Williams (Sr., G) (14.9 points/game, 4.5 rebounds/game, 4.3 assists/game, 1.8 steals/game, 3 blocks, 43.5% FG percentage, 24.6% 3-FG percentage, 74.5% FT percentage)
  • Dillan Baker (Sr., G) (11.8 points/game, 3.4 rebounds/game, 1.7 assists/game, 1.3 steals/game, 10 blocks, 44.9% FG percentage, 33.1% 3-FG percentage, 78.5% FT percentage)
  • Jarmell Johnson (Sr., G) (11.6 points/game, 2.9 rebounds/game, 28 assists, 25 steals, 3 blocks, 44.1% FG percentage, 30.3% 3-FG percentage, 73.8% FT percentage)
  • Emilek Jallow (So., F) (9.3 points/game, 3.6 rebounds/game, 26 assists, 23 blocks, 16 steals, 52.3% FG percentage, 35.5% 3-FG Percentage, 62.2% FT percentage)
 
Looking Ahead
The winner of Tuesday night's contest will advance to the 2026 RMAC Tournament Semifinals and will face the winner of top-seeded and No. 14-ranked Black Hills State and eighth-seeded UCCS. The RMAC Tournament semifinals and championship will be hosted at the campus site of the highest remaining seed following the quarterfinals.
 
Print Friendly Version