DJ Miles scored 19 points to lead four Skyhawks in double-digit scoring, as the No. 16 Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team won an exhibition at Northern New Mexico, 96-82.
There was a discrepancy of six points on the scoreboard in the first half, but the Skyhawks didn’t need the lost points to put away the Eagles. Miles made 11-of-12 free-throw attempts to lead FLC in Espanola, New Mexico. All 11 FLC players to check into the game scored.
“Old school FLC basketball,” FLC head coach Bob Pietrack said.
FLC shot 51 percent from the field as a team and outrebounded its NAIA foe 36-27.
Rasmus Bach scored 13 points, Marquel Beasley added 12 and Colin Weaver scored 10 to help lead the Skyhawks.
Brandon Wilson led the Skyhawks with seven rebounds and one blocked shot. He also scored seven points. Beasley added six rebounds with three on each side of the court.
FLC only took 10 shots from behind the 3-point line but made four, as Miles made a pair.
Though only an NAIA team, the Eagles have some impressive wins this season, including a 91-86 victory against West Texas A&M.
FLC was still dealing with a few injuries but will gain confidence after the win going into next weekend’s regular-season openers in Albuquerque at The Pit against Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico. The Skyhawks will play Eastern New Mexico at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and Western New Mexico at 3 p.m. Nov. 12.
Northern New Mexico will visit Fort Lewis for a rematch Nov. 16 inside Whalen Gymnasium in Durango.
The Skyhawks fell to 9-14 overall and 4-11 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with a 3-0 loss at Colorado Christian on Friday in Lakewood.
FLC lost the sets 25-17, 25-22, 25-23, as Colorado Christian improved to 15-9 overall and 12-3 in the RMAC.
Bailey Longacre led FLC with eight kills and two blocks. Laine Waters and Elise Hill each had two aces. Kendra Swackenburg had 27 assists, and Megan Graefe totaled 11 digs.
Jacey Johnson had a match-high 11 kills for the Cougars. Kylee Wurster had 43 assists.
FLC will play Colorado Mines (20-4, 14-1 RMAC) at 5 p.m. Saturday.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
