Although the game was never in doubt, the Fort Lewis men’s basketball team turned up the heat on defense in the second half and cruised to a 95-71 home victory over Western Colorado Saturday night.
The Skyhawks improved to 22-2 overall and 17-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after shooting 53% from the field, 29% from 3-point range and 81% from the free-throw line.
“These games are hard because there’s pressure on teams when you feel like you have to win,” Fort Lewis coach Bob Pietrack said. “All of these games now, we have to have them. It’s a game on paper we should win but that’s not how the RMAC works. I thought Western State played very hard, they’re very well-coached. In the end, our depth, defensive pressure and our ability to put pressure on them with points made it hard for them.”
Junior forward Isaiah Thompson led the Skyhawks with 18 points on 8 of 8 shooting from the field and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line. Junior guard Obi Agbim also had 17 points on 5 of 12 shooting from the field and 7 of 7 from the foul line. Junior forward Brayden Carter had 12 points, while senior forward Malik Whitaker had 11 points.
“Isaiah has really had a good month,” Pietrack said. “He’s really been playing well and people don’t remember that Isaiah tore some finger ligaments in his shooting hand about four days before the opener. He’s really healthy and blossoming in our program. I’m not only excited about him but I’m excited about how together this team is heading into the last couple weeks of this season.”
Western Colorado dropped to 9-15 overall and 6-12 in the RMAC after shooting 43% from the field, 32% from beyond the arc and 83% from the foul line.
Amar Rivers led Western Colorado with 11 points on 4 of 7 shooting from the field, 1 of 2 from the 3-point line and 2 of 2 from the foul line. Kade Juefls and Spencer Wright each scored 10 points.
The lead changed hands a few times early in the first half, but Fort Lewis took the lead for good at 11-10 with 14:29 left in the first half. The Skyhawks built a 45-37 lead at halftime.
Western Colorado started the second half strong and cut Fort Lewis’ lead to four early in the second half. But the Skyhawks responded and stretched the lead out to 10 midway through the second half.
Fort Lewis led 69-59 with 8:58 left and proceeded to go on a 14-3 run and put the game away.
“It had a lot to do with our defensive pressure and it has to do with our depth as we wear people out,” Pietrack said. “That had a lot to do with it tonight and we scored 95. So if you score 95, it’s hard to lose.”
The Skyhawks will host Black Hills State at 7 p.m. next Friday.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
