ALAMOSA/DURANGO, Colo. – After splitting this past weekend which included their first win of the season, the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team will face Adams State and Fort Lewis on the road this weekend.
First on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. the Mustangs will face the Grizzlies. ASU is 6-4 and 3-4 in the RMAC having won their last two games against Black Hills State and Chadron State. They are 4-1 at home with their only loss coming at the buzzer against Colorado Mesa.
ASU tallies 85.5 points per game while allowing 76.1. They make just over 50 percent (50.9) from the field and hold opponents to a 43.3 percent clip. Five players average in double-digits led by 16.7 per game from Shakir Smith. Juwan Buchanan (14.3), Travante Williams (11.3), Michael Middlebrooks (10.6) and Mike Hemsley (10.1) round out the group in double-figures. Hemsley leads the team in rebounds at 6.3 per night.
The Grizzlies took both matchups last season. During the 2012-13 campaign the teams split with each winning on their home floors.
Live stats, video and audio will be available for the game.
The next night, WNMU will play at Fort Lewis also at 7:30 p.m. FLC is 10-3 overall and 5-2 in the RMAC. They have won three straight over Western State, Chadron State and Black Hills State and hold a 6-1 mark at home. Their only loss came also against Colorado Mesa.
Their scoring offense and defensive points are almost identical to Adams State's. FLC scores 85.5 per game and allows 76.5. From the field they average a 50.9 shooting percent and opponents make 42.5 percent. They have connected on 111 three-pointers.
Alex Herrera, the reigning offensive and defensive RMAC Player of the Week, leads the team in points per game (22.4), rebounds (11.2), blocks (52) and shoots 55.6 percent from the floor. Three other Skyhawks average in double-figures including Cade Kloster (12.9), Rasmus Bach (12.2) and Kofi Josephs (10.8).
FLC took both matchups last season. They also split with WNMU during the 2012-13 season with each team winning on their home floors.
WNMU is 1-11 overall and 1-7 in the RMAC after defeating Regis this past Friday, before falling to #10 Metro State. The Mustangs average 60.1 points per game while allowing 80.3. They shoot 36 percent from the field and opponents connect on 48.7 percent.
Four players average over eight points per game led by
Marcos Castrillo (San Francisco, CA/Pinole Valley)'s 11. He also leads the team in rebounds at 5.8.
Terrez Scott (Santa Clarita, CA/Valencia) tallies 10.8 points along with a team-high 21 steals and 49 assists.
Gavin Wood (Florence, AZ/Florence ) chips in 8.3, while
Brandon Tanter (Long Beach, CA/Los Angeles Prep) tallies 8.0.
In terms of NCAA rankings, Scott is 51
st in assists per game and is tied for 63
rd in steals per game. He is first in the RMAC in steals per game.
Live stats, video and audio will be available for the game.
Following this road swing, WNMU will return home to host Black Hills State and Chadron State on Jan. 16 and 17th.
