Fort Lewis College isn’t even looking at its opponents this weekend in terms of what they did the first half of the season.
Head coach Jason Flores knows he’s getting two completely different teams visiting the Skyhawks this weekend.
Colorado Christian and Colorado Mines will step into Whalen Gymnasium to play the FLC women’s basketball team at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Both teams are behind the Skyhawks (9-6, 6-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) in the standings, but Flores envisions Colorado Christian being right in the hunt for an RMAC Shootout spot come conference tournament time.
“Christian had a lot of injuries early and started off (0-8). But I was telling everyone just wait when they said Christian wasn’t very good,” Flores said. “They’ve got players back eligible now, and talent-wise they have as good of a team as anyone second semester.”
Among the players returning to the Cougars’ roster is Christina Whitelaw, a former RMAC Freshman of the Year, honorable mention All-American and first-team All-RMAC player. Joining her is senior transfer Alyssa Fressle, a transfer from Boston College and Colorado who was the top girls high school player in the state in 2008 with Highlands Ranch. She was named to the All-Big 12 Conference Rookie team her freshman season with the Buffaloes before transferring to Boston College.
“She’s a top-echelon talent. It’s going to be a big test for our team,” Flores said. “You don’t add first-team all-conference caliber players and get worse.
“They’ll be a long and athletic team that’s good at rebounding.”
The Cougars (6-11, 6-5 RMAC) shoot 41.1 percent from the field, third-best in the conference.
Added to Fressle and Whitelaw is Kate Louthan, who has averaged 13.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She shoots 51.2 percent from the floor, second-best in the league. She pairs with Claire Paxton, who averages 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game.
They’ll provide a challenge for FLC’s talented post players – junior Mary Brinton and senior Kaile Magazzeni.
Brinton has averaged 13.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, both team highs. Magazzeni averages 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
Defense continues to be FLC’s strength, with Kate Bayes third in the RMAC with 2.3 steals per game. FLC has averaged 10.73 steals per game, second in the league, and has held opponents to an RMAC-low 34.4 shooting percentage.
The Skyhawks found some momentum offensively last week, too, earning a 65-61 overtime win at Metro State. It was the biggest win of the season for FLC.
“More than anything, the experience of a tough game and winning that on the road, I think that does a lot for some of the players’ confidence,” Flores said. “Knowing that they can be in tough games, that’s an experience we can’t simulate in practice.”
After Friday, FLC will turn its focus to Colorado Mines (8-9, 3-8 RMAC). The Orediggers also are a stout defensive team and are very similar to FLC.
Colorado Mines has held opponent’s to 35.6 percent shooting and is the third-best rebounding team in the RMAC at 41.5 per game, including an RMAC-best 30.9 defensive rebounds per game.
Courtney Martin has led Mines with 13.6 points per game, and Sam Rush has averaged 6.3 rebounds while knocking down 2.4 3-pointers per game, good for a 41.3 percentage from long range. The Orediggers also move the ball around well, with Laura Tyree second in the RMAC with 4.6 assists per game.
Their post players are good inside, and Tyree, who I knew a lot about in high school and recruited from D’Evelyn, is quite a player,” Flores said. “They’ve beat Pueblo and Regis, two teams we lost to. When they’re healthy, which they are now, they’re tough.
“It’s gonna be a great weekend. It’s exciting to have two really good teams coming in, and it makes it fun to coach in and fun for our players to play in.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
