The Skyhawks women’s basketball team used its strong offensive performance to do something the program hadn’t done since 2020: beat Colorado School of Mines.
Other than a low-scoring third quarter, the Skyhawks offense was fantastic in their 86-83 home win on Thursday night. FLC moved the ball, tying a season-high with 19 assists. The Skyhawks got to the free-throw line and made their free throws. They also made their 3-pointers. FLC’s 86 points were the most in two months.
On the other hand, CSM’s Sofia Baldessari was fantastic, finishing with 36 points, after scoring all over the court and giving FLC’s bigs trouble. However, FLC made enough shots and free throws down the stretch to hold on to the win.
“Everything they’ve done, we know that they've been capable of doing,” FLC head coach Lauren Zuniga said. “We really haven’t put together a full game. Tonight was one of those nights where we kind of put together a full game.”
FLC improved to 13-6 overall and 6-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after it shot 47% from the field, 46% from 3-point range and 85% from the free-throw line.
Junior Makaya Porter led the Skyhawks with 24 points on 6-11 shooting from the field, 2-5 from 3-point range, 10-10 from the free-throw line and six steals. Sophomore guard Katie Lamb finished with 20 points on 6-12 shooting from the field, 6-9 from 3-point range, 2-2 from the free-throw line and seven rebounds.
“When she's aggressive, it takes the thinking out of it because she’s such a great player,” Zuniga said about Porter. “When she's super aggressive, she's able to play free, and the game just comes easy to her … of course, defensively, she makes a huge impact, too.”
CSM dropped to 12-10 overall and 7-4 in the RMAC after it shot 46% from the field, 46% from 3-point range and 95% from the free-throw line. Baldessari finished 11-21 from the field, 6-13 from 3-point range, 8-9 from the free-throw line and nine rebounds.
It was a back-and-forth first quarter between the Skyhawks and Orediggers, with the net was getting a lot of work late in the first quarter, with 3-pointers falling on both sides. Porter hit a 3-pointer and Lamb hit two 3-pointers for three consecutive treys to end the quarter. Baldessari had five consecutive points for the Orediggers, including a 3-pointer with four seconds left to tie the game at 24. She had 14 first-quarter points.
FLC’s strong end to the first quarter flowed into the second, with Porter finishing in the paint and beyond the arc, and Baldessari continuing her strong offensive start. CSM battled back thanks to some strong drives and scores from Baldessari’s supporting cast, taking a 37-33 lead with six minutes left in the second. The Orediggers did a good job of stopping FLC freshman forward Alemanalii Fonoti from getting paint touches, despite the Skyhawk having a size advantage.
Zuniga was happy with how her team pushed the pace all night and the aggressiveness they displayed.
After having a huge foul disadvantage against UCCS, the Skyhawks did a great job of getting to the line in the second quarter and were in the bonus with over five minutes left. However, they couldn’t stop Baldessari, who hit another 3-pointer to put CSM up 45-40 with 3:59 left in the half. CSM led 52-49 at the half.
“With the teams that we’ve played lately, they’ve had girls who … are good enough that they’re going to get their points no matter what,” Zuniga said. “The ultimate goal is to make it hard on everyone else.”
The third quarter wasn’t the easiest for Skyhawks or Orediggers fans to watch, with the teams combining for 17 points on 9% shooting from the field. CSM didn’t make a single shot, relying on the free-throw line to get all of its points.
Zuniga was happy with how her team came out of halftime with a great mindset, leading to defensive success. FLC has struggled in third quarters recently, and Zuniga thought the mindset led to good energy in the third.
After trailing 60-58 after the third quarter, FLC had one of its better offensive quarters of the season, with sophomore guard Claudia Palacio Gámez and Lamb hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to give FLC a 64-60 lead with 7:20 left.
The Skyhawks then got into the paint. After two free throws by freshman guard Josie Davis, FLC led 75-68 with four minutes left.
CSM fought back, cutting the deficit to 77-75 with two minutes left. But the Orediggers couldn’t get a stop, and a Lamb 3-pointer off a nice set, an old-fashioned 3-point play by Porter gave FLC an 83-77 lead with 52 seconds left.
Orediggers’ Emma Sixta made a 3-pointer to cut the Orediggers’ deficit to 83-80. CSM got the ball back down three with 29 seconds left, but Sixta took a terrible, deep step-back 3-pointer and air ball it, giving FLC the ball back
Baldessari used a great shot fake to get room to make a contested 3-pointer from the top of the key down four, cutting FLC’s lead to one with 13 seconds left. Davis made two free throws, giving CSM the ball back down three. Baldessari dribbled up the court and threw up a desperation 3-pointer that wasn’t close.
FLC stays at home to play against MSU Denver on Saturday at 1 p.m.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
