There might be some aesthetic differences at Fort Lewis College’s Whalen Gymnasium and a number of different names on the roster, but it didn’t take long in Friday night’s men’s basketball game to see that it’s still the same old ’Hawks.
Fort Lewis’ senior backcourt of Will Morse and Joshua Blaylock picked up right where they left off last season in the home opener against Prescott, Arizona’s, NAIA Embry-Riddle. The dynamic duo combined to pour in eight 3-pointers in a blistering first half in which FLC (2-1) scored 57 points and shot 64 percent en route to a 99-67 win.
The win is the 20th consecutive victory at Whalen Gymnasium for Fort Lewis.
Blaylock and Daniel Hernandez led the way for FLC with 16 points, while Morse and redshirt freshman Riley Farris had 14 each.
“Embry-Riddle is the type of team that we see in the RMAC with similar structure, and they’re really well-coached,” Fort Lewis head coach Bob Pietrack said. “It was good for us, and it was wonderful that we were able to get a lot of guys some minutes, and it’s great to be back at Whalen.”
The Skyhawks backcourt was certainly happy to be back home.
Morse started the game 4-for-4 from 3-point range and set a blistering offensive pace that Embry-Riddle (2-6) couldn’t handle. When Blaylock made his fourth from long range, a 3-pointer to end the scoring in the first half, it was the 11th made 3 for FLC, which led 57-40 at halftime.
In all, seven different FLC players made a 3-pointer.
“We’re comfortable here; we shoot here every day and we had a 19-game winning streak heading into this one,” Morse said. “We knew they were going to play a zone, and anytime Josh and I can step up to the 3-point line and get open looks, we’ll be looking for our shot.”
With a comfortable lead and a second-half run that stretched the FLC lead to 37 points, Pietrack showed off the Skyhawks’ depth. Hernandez, a junior transfer guard, and freshman Dontez Thomas came off the bench and proved that they’ll fit in the regular rotation, while high-energy big men Ross Buchman and Jalen Terry can do the same.
“We have a pretty deep team this year,” Pietrack said. “We need guys like Buchman, and Jalen had his best game yet, so it’s my job to figure out how all these pieces fit. It’s a good problem to have.”
Fort Lewis will host Northern New Mexico at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. If the Skyhawks win their 21st in a row, it’ll tie the longest home winning streak in school history.
Before FLC and Embry-Riddle took the floor, Adams State (1-3) and Northern New Mexico (2-5) squared off in a high-scoring, sometimes sloppy fast-break fest that the Grizzlies won.
Five Adams State players finished in double figures, but the highlight for the Grizzles was a combined 17-for-18 effort from the floor by the dangerous pairing of Brandon Pasker and Kevin Dorsey.
Dorsey was 8-for-9 from the field and led the way with 20 points. Pasker was a perfect 9-for-9 from the field and finished close behind with 19 points.
Northern New Mexico’s Jeffrey Long led all scorers with 21 points in the loss. Adams State and Embry-Riddle will play at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
The unbeaten FLC women will follow the Grizzlies and Eagles with their home opener Saturday against Northern New Mexico at 5:30 p.m.
jfries@durangoherald.com
