Michelle Turner only scored three points, but it may have been the biggest three points of the season for Fort Lewis College.
Trailing by two points with 3 seconds to play in overtime against a UC-Colorado Springs squad loaded with talent, Turner checked in and found herself with the ball a few feet outside the 3-point line. Without hesitation, she fired up a 3-point shot, and it found nothing but net. The 3 gave Fort Lewis College a 62-61 lead with 2.2 seconds to play. UC-Colorado Springs tried a desperation heave down the floor to get a chance at a final shot, but Turner was there to intercept the pass to end the game. The FLC bench stormed the floor to mob the junior guard from England.
“I know coach put me in for a reason. Three seconds left,” Turner said. “It was just amazing. I don’t even have the words to describe it.
“I can’t put that one on me. That’s the whole team, and we all fought the whole way to win.”
The UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions (19-5, 14-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) entered the game second in the RMAC standings. FLC (13-9, 10-8 RMAC) was in eighth fighting to keep position to earn one of the eight spots awarded in the season-ending conference tournament.
The Skyhawks trailed by 10 or more points several times in the game but never went away. They held the Mountain Lions to 5-of-32 shooting (15.6 percent) in the second half to get back in the game. The Skyhawks also did their best to get to the free-throw line, making 29-of-35 attempts.
“I know throughout the season we’ve done that. We’ve put ourselves in holes, climbed out of them and dug through,” FLC head coach Jason Flores said. “There was a breaking point. We got down 10 and could’ve laid down, but we didn’t. We got more focused, played great defense, held them to 16 percent in the second half. That’s crazy against that team. It takes effort and focus.”
Abby Kirchoff, the conference’s preseason player of the year, tried to carry the Mountain Lions in overtime, making three step-back 3s in the final five minutes. She finished with a game-high 21 points, but it was Turner’s 3 that spoiled her strong performance. Kirchoff also had five rebounds and five steals.
Brittany Hernandez had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds for UC-Colorado Springs.
FLC got back into the game with aggressive play from guards Dallas Dickerson and Skylyn Webb. They both scored 15 points to lead FLC, and Webb added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
“I just knew we had to win this game,” said Webb, a sophomore from Delta. “I tried to bring energy on both ends – rebounds and do all the little things and hope to win.”
Dickerson got hot from 3, making 3-of-4 in the game. She also went 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. She surpassed her career high of 13 points set one night earlier with 15 on Saturday. The freshman and former Alaskan prep star is building confidence every time she touches the ball.
“It’s getting better as we go with the support of the team and everything,” Dickerson said of her confidence level. “Coach told everyone to give it all they got, and I feel like our team did a good job of that and just picking each other up.”
Dickerson gave FLC its first lead of the second half at 41-40 with 9:17 to play in regulation.
Mary Brinton, FLC’s star junior forward from Pagosa Springs, battled foul trouble after earning four with 18 minutes still to play in the game. But she helped FLC stay in the game late in regulation before fouling out with 3:53 to play.
The game was tied at 49 for the final 1:04 of regulation, with neither team getting a good look late. UC-Colorado Springs took a 55-51 lead thanks to Kirchoff’s 3-pointers, but two free throws from Dickerson and a slick crossover dribble led to a layup for Kylie Santos to tie the game. Kirchoff hit one more 3 to go up 58-55 with 1:10 to play, but a Webb layup brought FLC back within one.
Ande Lampert hit two free throws for FLC to get the Skyhawks to within 60-59 with 12 seconds to go, and Kirchoff hit only 1-of-2 free throws to give Turner her chance at the game-winning 3.
FLC only has four games remaining in the regular season. The Skyhawks will welcome Metro State to town at 5:30 p.m. Friday in another pivotal game.
The up-and-down season for FLC has been frustrating and rewarding for Flores and his team, but they’re rounding into form after winning four of their last six games.
“We’re going up. If we play the way we are and we fight, I think we can definitely win our next four games,” Turner said.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
