Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team hasn’t done its head coach Jordan Mast’s heart rate any favors over the last two games. Unlike Thursday’s close win at Western Colorado, FLC couldn’t pull out a close game on the road and lost at Westminster 113-108 in triple overtime Saturday night.
The Skyhawks fell to 9-6 overall and 3-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after it shot 46% from the field, 33% from 3-point range and 68% from the free-throw line.
Senior forward Chuol Deng led FLC with 23 points on 7-16 shooting from the field, 3-7 from 3-point range and 6-9 from the free-throw line. Deng added eight rebounds and did foul out.
Fifth year guard Tru Allen played 50 minutes Saturday night and had 19 points on 8-15 shooting from the field, 1-2 from 3-point range and 2-4 from the free-throw line along with eight rebounds and six assists.
The Skyhawks had five players in double-figures as senior guard Biko Johnson and freshman guard AJ Riggs each had 16 while junior forward Cassius Carmichael finished with 12.
Westminster improved to 9-5 overall and 3-3 in the RMAC after it shot 58% from the field, 44% from 3-point range and 68% from the free-throw line. The two-headed monster of Chase Potter and Simon Akena led the Griffins. Potter finished with 30 points on 11-17 shooting overall, 2-4 from 3-point range and 6-6 from the free-throw line. Akena had 29 points on 11-19 shooting from the field, 2-6 from 3-point range and 5-11 from the free-throw line.
The Skyhawks got out to an early 15-8 lead with 14:41 to go in the first half thanks to a 3-pointer by Riggs. Westminster battled back and took a 19-18 lead with 8:48 to go after five consecutive points by Parker Christensen. The teams battled back and forth to end the half as Christensen’s layup put the Griffins up 38-36 at halftime.
FLC took the lead for the majority of the second half and stretched it to 64-53 with 9:24 left after a Johnson free throw. But the Griffins battled back and a layup by Potter with eight seconds left tied the game at 78. Johnson had the chance to be the hero again but missed a 3-pointer at the top of the key and the game went into overtime.
Westminster had a chance to win the game with eight seconds left in the first overtime when Jonah El-Farra was fouled inside the 3-point arc down 85-84. He made one of two free throws to tie the game. Johnson had another chance for victory but couldn’t make it and the game remained tied at 85.
The Griffins’ size really started to show in the second overtime. Deng fouled out trying to deal with Westminster’s size and the Skyhawks fell behind 93-86 with 2:30 left in the second overtime. But FLC battled back with some good penetration from Allen and Johnson.
Allen had a great dish to junior forward Keither Florence who tied the game at 95 with 14 seconds left. Florence finished strong to send the game into a third overtime.
Florence fouled out early in the third overtime and the Skyhawks were running out of big bodies. FLC was forced to double Westminster’s bigs and this led to open 3-pointers for the Griffins, allowing Westminster to pull away.
The Skyhawks return home to play South Dakota Mines on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
bkelly@durangoherald.com