Another slow start looked as if it might cost the Skyhawks, but a crucial 11-0 scoring run got them back on track.
The Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team started Saturday’s contest against Adams State going 0-for-7 from the field and 0-for-4 from the free-throw line and had six turnovers before recording an assist.
Trailing 10-6 at the first-half media timeout with 9 minutes, 51 seconds to play, the Skyhawks (4-3, 1-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) came out much sharper, going on the 11-0 run to take a 17-10 lead. FLC carried a 25-17 lead into halftime and never saw its lead dip below that margin on the way to a 71-46 win. It was the Skyhawks’ first win of the conference season and improved the team to 2-0 at home this season.
“We did come out sluggish, and I don’t know the answer why yet,” FLC head coach Jason Flores said. “Our assist-to-turnovers continue to hurt us, and we need to figure that part out. The other part, we were outscrapped from the beginning. ... The good news is we got the result, 71-46, and did some good things.”
The big scoring run started when Kate Bayse intercepted a Grizzlies (0-7, 0-3 RMAC) pass and went the length of the court for an easy layup. Flores saw the steal coming and shouted, “Yes, let’s go.” The team did just that.
Michelle Turner sparked the Skyhawks in the first half, scoring all 11 of her points in the half. She had the team’s first basket, a layup that ended more than 3 minutes of scoreless FLC basketball. She went on to hit 3-of-6 3-point shots in the half.
“I think the past couple of games I haven’t been finding myself. I know I’m a good shooter and haven’t been finding myself,” the junior guard from England said. “I’ve been in the gym putting up shots trying to find myself. That’s my way of getting the team going.”
Turner’s 11 points were a team high. After shooting 32.1 percent in the first half, FLC responded by shooting 53.8 percent in the second half, good for a 42.6 percentage for the game.
FLC’s defense was lights out. Adams State shot a dismal 13.3 percent in the first half and 20.3 percent for the game.
“I mean, that’s what we’re best at,” FLC junior guard Kylie Santos said of the team’s defense. “When things aren’t going, that’s something we really capitalize on. We all came out hard and did what we can do.”
Desiree Anderson scored a game-high 18 points for the Grizzlies. Mariah Gonzales added 12.
FLC outrebounded Adams State 59-37 in the game despite giving up 18 offensive boards. The Skyhawks were led by Kaile Magazzeni’s nine rebounds. Redshirt freshman center Lynette Hepa saw 13 minutes of action off the bench and scored 10 points and had eight rebounds.
It helped FLC rest star forward Mary Brinton, who played only 11 minutes.
“She’s imposing. She’s 6-4 and really long,” Flores said of Hepa. “I wasn’t worried about Mary’s minutes or Kaile’s minutes. It was trying to get her in the game while it’s a game and in some meaningful minutes. She needs to develop for us. If she does, she’s an imposing figure that not a lot of teams have.”
Freshman guard Dallas Dickerson also had a big game for FLC, scoring eight points and hauling in seven rebounds.
Free-throw shooting still was ugly for FLC, though. The Skyhawks made just 55.3 percent on 38 trips to the line.
“It’s frustrating. Those are momentum points. Putting away free throws is the same as scoring, and the team gets momentum off that,” Flores said. “It’s frustrating for everybody when you’re giving away free points.”
FLC will host a pair of RMAC games next Saturday and Sunday before the holiday break. The Skyhawks want to build some momentum for January by remaining perfect at home.
“I feel like now we’ve found a rhythm as a team. We’ll click playing together. I think now it’s time to be on the uprise and be more positive,” Turner said. “We lost to two pretty good teams on the road, and now I think it’s time to win more at home and start winning more in the conference.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
