CSU Pueblo women’s basketball forward Alisha Little showed why she is one of the top forwards in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Division II. Little scored 30 points and had 16 rebounds as the ThunderWolves held on against Fort Lewis College 66-61 on Thursday night in Durango.
The Skyhawks were down by as many as 21 points in the third quarter. Little was consistently scoring inside and FLC’s offense struggled to find a rhythm. But FLC battled back with strong defense and some solid jump shooting. Little stopped the comeback attempt with two blocks and a free throw in the last 30 seconds.
“The loss sucks and so for us as a staff, a group and a program, we’re trying to really focus on the positive things and build off of that,” FLC head coach Lauren Zuniga said. “We came back; they were up 21 in the third and it was a very resilient effort by us. Defensively and offensively we found a nice little groove.”
FLC fell to 6-19 overall and 3-14 in the RMAC after it shot 33% from the field, 29% from 3-point range and 67% from the free-throw line. The Skyhawks have lost five consecutive games and eight consecutive games at home. FLC is 2-15 in its last 17 Division II basketball games.
Skyhawks junior guard Deniece Ryan finished with 19 points on 7-15 shooting from the field, 2-3 from 3-point range and 3-6 from the free-throw line. No other Skyhawk finished in double-figures. Seniors Livia Knapp and Darla Hernandez combined to go 6-24 from the field for 17 points.
CSU Pueblo improved to 16-9 overall and 11-6 in the RMAC after it shot 38% from the field, 29% from 3-point range and 72% from the free-throw line.
Little finished 12-24 from the field, 1-4 from 3-point range and 5-10 from the free-throw line. She now averages 25.7 points per game and 12 rebounds per game, both best in the RMAC.
“It was a quite 30; you wouldn't even know,” Zuniga said about Little. “She's just good; she's athletic, she's long, she rebounds and her hands are good. There's a million reasons she's a tough cover.”
The ThunderWolves went on a 14-2 run to go up 17-9 in the first quarter. CSU Pueblo hit from 3-point range and then took their offense inside with layups and free throws. CSU Pueblo led 18-11 after the first quarter.
CSU Pueblo started the second quarter by getting into the paint with its size at forward and the speed of its guards. The Skyhawks settled for jump shots and couldn’t convert.
“I don't know if it was maybe their length or the athleticism but we were settling for shots,” Zuniga said. “Not that they were necessarily bad shots, but after you missed one, two or three in a row, we'd like to see them obviously try and get to the paint or get to the free-throw line.”
While the ThunderWolves flourished in the paint, they also found a rhythm from the 3-point arc. Multiple CSU Pueblo players hit nothing but net from downtown and the ThunderWolves started the second quarter on a 17-4 run to lead 35-15 with 4:30 left in the half.
FLC hit a few jump shots and got inside the paint with some good ball movement. CSU Pueblo led 41-24 at half.
The Skyhawks had a few turnovers against CSU Pueblo’s 2-3 zone to start the third. The ThunderWolves got out in transition and Tosjanae Bonds finished to put CSU Pueblo up 49-30 with 4:20 left in the third.
The Skyhawks hit a few jump shots and CSU Pueblo was a little sloppy with the ball, which helped FLC cut the lead. A banked 3-pointer by FLC freshman guard Katie Lamb cut the deficit to 51-38 with 1:50 left.
FLC closed up its holes in its defense at the end of the third. The Skyhawks created turnovers and a Ryan 3-pointer at the buzzer cut the ThunderWolves lead to 53-44.
The ThunderWolves reestablished their double-digit lead in the fourth by getting the ball inside to Little; she either finished or was fouled. FLC continued to shoot from deep but the shots weren’t dropping like they were at the end of the third. Little hit two free throws to put CSU Pueblo up 63-51 with five minutes left.
FLC made a late rally by getting in the paint and scoring with Hernandez and Ryan. The ThunderWolves’ head coach was hit with a technical foul. Knapp hit four free throws after she was fouled and the technical free throws to cut CSU Pueblo’s lead to 63-61 with 1:30 left.
Zuniga said it was a mentality switch that got FLC back in the game. The Skyhawks weren’t communicating, executing their sets and scout in the first half.
Knapp missed a layup to tie with about a minute left. The ThunderWolves were fouled with 26 seconds left on an offensive rebound and Little sealed the game with a block on sophomore guard Natalie Guanella and Little was fouled.
FLC celebrates senior day at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Colorado Christian
bkelly@durangoherald.com
