After battling injuries and a few tough losses, the Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team is starting to get healthy and put some wins together.
Many Skyhawks have played through pain and the team was without reliable low-post scorer and defender Mary Rambo for some time, but Fort Lewis (11-7, 7-6 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) bounced back last weekend to get back above .500 in conference play and hopes to continue the climb up the standings this weekend against Regis (11-8, 9-4 RMAC) and Chadron State (6-11, 6-7 RMAC).
“We needed to put together a few wins, and they came at a good time for us,” Fort Lewis head coach Jason Flores said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “That being said, Regis is on an even longer streak than we are, so there’s no time to celebrate. We’ve been moving forward all week, and the focus is on the two good teams that are coming to visit us this weekend.”
Saturday’s 89-80 win against New Mexico Highlands featured some of the best individual performances of the year. Dallas Dickerson has been a spark plug off the Skyhawk bench all season and couldn’t be stopped. She netted a season-high 24 points on a sparkling 10-for-16 shooting disply from the floor. It was the fifth time in six games Dickerson has come off the bench and put up double figures.
With Rambo playing minimal minutes after suffering from concussion-like symptoms, her role was filled nicely by the FLC reserves. Alyssa Yocky pulled down a team season high 12 rebounds in Saturday’s win and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in three of the last four games. Andé Lampert has also given Flores quality minutes and, at 6-foot-4, her size is tough for opponents to deal with.
“Alyssa has been putting up nice numbers for us, and she’s not feeling 100 percent either,” Flores said. “Our depth has become one of our strong suits, and we need everyone to keep producing if we want to keep the streak going.”
Friday’s opponent, Regis, has won five consecutive games and seven of its last eight since the holiday break.
The Skyhawks average 72 points per game which is 10 better than Regis and, defensively, the two are very close. The Rangers have simply been able to close out games better than the Skyhawks and, although the numbers favor Fort Lewis, the Rangers find ways to win.
While it might be difficult for Flores to predict Regis’ precise game plan, it’s safe to say that senior guard Bay’lee Purdy will play a major role. Purdy has played 40 minutes more than anyone else in the conference this season. She is sixth in the RMAC and leads the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game.
With Purdy doing damage on the outside, the 6-foot-4 interior presence of Kaylie Rader makes for an inside-outside threat that the Skyhawks have to be ready for. Rader, a University of Wyoming transfer, is third in the RMAC averaging 8.1 rebounds a game to go along with 9.6 points per game.
Rader won’t be the only low post player looking to back down the Skyhawks this weekend. Chadron State sophomore Maka Daysh will likely be a pain in the paint for the Skyhawks to contain on Saturday. She leads the RMAC in field goal percentage at 57 percent and free throws made with 91. Daysh is second in the RMAC in rebounding with 8.8 a game.
The Eagles have won three of their last four, but are coming off a 72-40 blowout loss to Colorado Mesa.
Fort Lewis and Regis tip at 5:30 p.m. Friday and the Skyhawks will meet Chadron State at the same time Saturday.
jfries@durangoherald.com
If you go...
WHO: Regis/Chadron State at Fort Lewis College
WHAT: Division II women’s college basketball
WHEN: Friday, Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fort Lewis College’s Whalen Gymnasium
TWITTER: @The7thFreezer
LISTEN LIVE: KIUP 930 AM, 97.3 FM
