It is remarkable what the Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team has been doing on its home court.
With a 90-71 win over Colorado Mesa on Saturday, the team extended its home winning streak to 30 games. To spell it out, that’s thirty. In a row. Extending back to the 2014-15 season.
It’s not the longest home winning streak in college basketball, but that doesn’t make it less impressive.
We have to overlook the UConn women’s team, which won its 100th consecutive basketball game, at home and on the road, by beating No. 6 South Carolina on Monday night because there are no adjectives on this planet to describe that adequately.
But back on earth, right here in Durango, the Skyhawks – looking to break into the top-10 in the National Association Basketball Coaches Division II poll – are rewriting their own history book and preparing for the most important game of the season on Friday night.
By any definition, this is big. Fort Lewis will get national exposure, as both the men’s and women’s games will be televised by the American Sports Network as part of the NCAA Division II Showcase. The home team, 22-3 overall this season and leading the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings at 17-2, will put that winning streak on the line against No. 25 Colorado School of Mines (20-4, 15-3). The game will decide the conference leader going into the final week of the regular season.
Don’t overlook the fact that no one would enjoy spoiling the home streak more than the Orediggers. Last March, they lost the 2016 RMAC Shootout title game to the Skyhawks, 73-72, in Whalen Gymnasium.
Doors will open at 4 p.m., and Briana Clah leads the FLC women against Mines at 5:30. The men, led by Joshua Blaylock and RMAC offensive player of the week Brandon Wilson, will play at 7:30.
Local sponsors are giving away t-shirts to the first 2,000 fans to arrive, aiming for “white-out” conditions for the games.
The ‘Hawks are hoping for a high-energy crowd to help them defend home court. Don’t let them down.
Go Skyhawks!
