It was the second night in a row the Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team was in position to win in the fourth quarter, but the Skyhawks couldn’t get a basket at the right time.
The Skyhawks went scoreless during the game’s final 2 minutes, 51 seconds and turned the ball over four times in the final 3:51 of play. After Jordan Carter’s jump shot with 2:51 remaining, the Skyhawks led 55-54, but Eastern New Mexico took the lead on a Treyanna Clay rebound and put-back layup with 1:13 to go to give the Greyhounds a 56-55 advantage. Eastern New Mexico would hang on for a 58-55 win Saturday night in Portales, New Mexico, to send FLC to an 0-2 start to the season.
The Skyhawks played hard one night after a tough 70-68 overtime loss to Western New Mexico.
“Our whole focus is to see how much improvement we can get heading into the first conference game,” FLC head coach Jason Flores said. “This team, from last night to tonight, I mean we dominated that game against a really good team on their home floor, and we were better for three quarters of the game. That’s our task - where is our quarter? Where can we find the grit to put shots away, to get to the free-throw line and not get tentative.
“On the road, a great crowd that’s loud, momentum turns against you. You have to have the tenacity to finish. We missed a lot of easy shots that would’ve kept momentum going for us. We got to the rim four times and missed those. Then we got tentative, and it was the turning point in the game.”
FLC had a chance down three with 12 seconds to go in the game. But a pass got tipped away from the Skyhawks and took them out of their designed play. The shot at the buzzer was well contested and never had a chance.
The Skyhawks earlier had an opportunity after a big steal from Alyssa Yocky with 34 seconds to play and the team down only 56-55. Flores called a timeout, but the Skyhawks turned the ball over, and all they could do was send Clay to the foul line. She made both for the three-point cushion.
Clay led the Greyhounds with 12 points and four rebounds. She made all six of her free throws. Dasia Johnson and Laura Rowe each had 10 points in the win, while Aliva Lewis led the team with nine rebounds.
Yocky, a senior forward, led FLC with 18 points 11 rebounds. It came on the heels of her 19 points and four rebounds Friday. Yocky missed the majority of her senior season with a heel injury.
“She played great in the first half again,” Flores said. “She had a good game. That’s a tough team, and 18 and 11 against that team with their Division I transfers and some tough, big kids, they’re a big team and she battled pretty hard.”
Nineteen turnovers cost the Skyhawks along with only eight team assists. Flores likes his team to have more than 20 assists and around only 12 turnovers per game. Eastern New Mexico turned those 19 turnovers into 19 points. FLC had 12 points off 23 Greyhound giveaways.
Kayla Herrera had 14 points and four rebounds for the Skyhawks. Carter added eight points, four rebounds and a team-high three assists from the forward position.
The Skyhawks will play their home opener at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday against Northern New Mexico. It is the team’s Nike N7 game in which they will wear turquoise jerseys in support of Native American athletics.
Flores said his team will give a packed Whalen Gymnasium plenty to cheer about.
“As a coach, I have all the confidence in the world in them,” Flores said. “There’s no reason for the players not to have confidence. It’s really crazy to say that you’re 0-2 and that you like your team, but I do. We’re going to be good. Let’s get home and get everyone out Wednesday. I’m excited to show our fans this team and for them to see us take that jump this season.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
