Sometimes, given the location, it’s difficult for Fort Lewis College women’s basketball to convince quality non-conference opponents to make the trip to Durango.
So consider Friday’s matchup with unbeaten St. Edward’s an extra post-Thanksgiving dessert.
After 13 days off, the Skyhawks will return to the floor to take on the 7-0 Hilltoppers at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Whalen Gym in their final tune-up before the start of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play next weekend.
It’s the kind of stiff early-season test the Skyhawks typically have to travel to get. Whether its tough Durango seems to be to get to, the potential for weather on the mountain passes or whatever the case may be, marquee matchups outside the RMAC tend to be few and far between. So the home-and-home setup with St. Edward’s – FLC will travel to Austin, Texas, next season – is a welcome one, particularly because the Hilltoppers also are members of the South Central Region.
“I’m happy they’re 7-0,” FLC head coach Jason Flores said Wednesday. “It’s a good challenge for our team, and it’s big for us down the line in regional rankings.”
The Hilltoppers will bring a potent offense to town. The sample size admittedly is small, but in seven games, SEU is averaging 82.3 points per game, and three Hilltoppers are averaging double figures, with one more sitting just shy of a 10 points-per-game average.
Maddie Wheeler leads the way for St. Edward’s with 15.4 points per game, while Erika Rousculp is averaging a double-double at 14.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. And point guard Stephanie Dekkers is a double threat, scoring 9.7 points per contest while dishing out an average of 6.0 assists each game.
“Their scoring’s been pretty spread out,” Flores said. “Obviously, we’ve looked at the box scores and everything, and they’ve had multiple games with four or five people in double figures.”
FLC (2-1) typically has the kind of defense to match, and the Skyhawks showed as much in their last game, holding Texas Woman’s University to 49 points to overcome a slow offensive night in a 52-49 victory.
While the defense tends to be constant nightly, the offense hasn’t exactly lit up the scoreboard this season, save for a 101-62 win over NAIA Northern New Mexico in the season opener. The Skyhawks have scored 52 and 62 points in two games against Division II opposition, and they shot an uncharacteristically low 29.2 percent from the field in the win over Texas Woman’s.
Flores said that getting quality looks hasn’t been as much of a problem as the numbers would suggest. His team just isn’t hitting shots.
“We missed a lot of shots we normally make, and that’s something that happens every once in awhile,” he said. “The other part was we were rushing shots. It was a combination of that and taking shots that probably weren’t great for us to take.”
In that sense, the long layoff has been helpful, allowing the Skyhawks to work out the kinks. Still, it’ll be nice to get back out on the floor.
“I’m glad we got the practice in that we got, but there is something to be said ... we’ll be a better team after seven games than after three games,” Flores said. “That’s the way it is; you get to learn, get to adjust against other teams.”
rowens @durangoherald.com
