The Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team jumped out to a huge lead early against South Dakota School of Mines on Friday. FLC led by as many as 26 points in the first half as the team soared past the Hardrockers 93-82 at FLC.
The Skyhawks, ranked No. 15/18 in the nation, improved to 11-1 overall and 4-1 in the RMAC with the win, which also helped the team rebound from its only loss of the season to Westminster College right before the holidays. SD Mines slid to 4-9, 3-4.
“Convincing win for us right from the start,” head coach Bob Pietrack told FLC Athletics. “We were able to get a faster start. We hadn’t had fast starts the last two times out, so we really put a real premium on getting off to a fast start which we did. We had to sit for 13 days with the loss, and we hadn’t tasted a loss; it doesn’t taste very good. We controlled the game, I don’t think we trailed in it, and we shot the ball well at home. Any conference wins in the RMAC are absolute gold.”
Guard Obi Agbim sparked the team’s offense in the first half and was nearly perfect beyond the arch. After Brendan La Rose and Akuel Kot both hit three-pointers and Dunnell Stafford drove to the hoop for two, the Skyhawks took an 8-2 lead. Agbim then hit back-to-back three-pointers to give FLC a double-digit lead, 14-4.
Agbim almost hit back-to-back threes later in the half, but he was just inside the arch on one basket. After the two makes, however, Agbim knocked down a pair of free throws that put FLC up, 31-8. Agbim also sunk two three-pointers near the end of the half, giving FLC a 45-19 lead, and eventually finishing with a season-high 21 points.
Akuel Kot entered the game as the nation’s leading scorer, averaging 27 points per game for FLC. Kot missed his first five shots on Friday, but found his stroke after about five minutes. After making one three, Kot got fouled attempting another. He capitalized from the free-throw line and went 3 for 3, then knocked down another shot beyond the arch that put the Skyhawks up, 22-6. Kot eventually finished with 18 points in the win.
JaQuaylon Mays knocked down two threes in the first half and two more in the second to finish with 15 points plus six assists and five rebounds. Stafford made his only attempt from three and finished with 10 points as well as a team-high six rebounds.
As a unit, FLC sunk 17 three-pointers in the game, tying its fifth-best, single-game three-point record.
Junior Garbrah added nine points for the Skyhawks, La Rose and Brenden Boatwright both scored eight while Sekou Dembele and Ra’Shjon Martinez each chipped in two. Boatwright also blocked three shots.
The Hardrockers only made one of their 14 attempts from three in the first half, but went 7 for 10 in the second half to close the gap a bit. Mines also outscored FLC 34-12 in the paint and was able to cut FLC’s lead to 11 in the second half, but would get no closer.
Keagon Smith and Brevin Walter both scored 17 to lead the Hardrockers while Alejandro Rama scored 16, Kolten Mortensen added 11 and Jaxon Lloyd scored 10.
The Skyhawks were also scheduled to play the defending RMAC champs and No. 3/3 ranked Black Hills State at 5:30 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 31). The contest was postponed on Saturday, however, and a makeup date has yet to be determined.
