CHADRON, Neb. -- January 19, 2017 -- The Chadron State College basketball teams will be playing in the high country in southern Colorado this weekend against the RMAC teams they hosted three weeks ago at the end of 2016.

The Eagles will visit Adams State in Alamosa on Friday night and Fort Lewis in Durango on Saturday night.

When those teams came to Chadron, Fort Lewis swept the Eagles, but CSC won over both Adams State quintets.

The Adams State women are still seeking their first conference victory after dropping their first 12 RMAC contests.  They almost slipped past the Eagles, but CSC came from seven points behind to win 60-59 by making eight of its 12 field goal shots in the fourth quarter. 

Since then the Lady Grizzlies have lost four game by an average of 25.2 points. 

"Since they came so close to beating us, I know they'll be fired up for our game," CSC coach Janet Raymer said. "We'll have to play well to win, but that's how it always is."

With just seven players available, the Chadron State men downed Adams State 66-58 on New Year's Eve. The Grizzlies also lost their first game in 2017 to Colorado-Colorado Springs 94-81, but since then have won three nail-biters.  They upset Metro State in Denver 85-81 and last weekend nipped South Dakota Mines 60-59 and Black Hills State 75-73 at home.

CSC coach Houston Reed noted that the Eagles employed a 2-3 zone the entire game against Adams State and the Grizzlies shot just 38 percent from the field, but wasn't certain Monday if that would be the best strategy while playing on the opponents' home court. The Grizzlies have five players averaging in double digits, led by 5-10 Brandon Sly at 16 points a game.

Led by 6-foot sophomore Alyssa Yocky with 21 points and 17 rebounds, the Fort Lewis women had five players score in double figures and won 76-69 during a hard-fought, well-played game in Chadron on Dec. 30. The Lady Skyhawks clinched the verdict by going 6-of-6 at the free throw line in the final 1:42.

Since then, Fort Lewis has won three of its five games and is 13-4 overall and 8-4 in the RMAC. Guard Briana Clah leads the team in scoring at 14.8 points a game while Yocky is averaging 12.4 points and 8.9 rebounds.

The Fort Lewis men are 15-3 overall and lead the RMAC with a 10-2 record, although Colorado Mines and CSU-Pueblo are both 9-2.

After defeating the Eagles 86-59 in the game in which CSC lost both Darius Polley and Austin Hall to sprained ankles in the first half, the Skyhawks were upset by Regis 78-76 in Denver the next day.  Fort Lewis also lost 80-65 to Metro State in its first game in 2017, but since then has edged Colorado-Colorado Springs 83-79 and last weekend stopped Black Hills State 68-44 and South Dakota Mines 98-75 at home.

Josh Blaylock, a 6-2 senior, and Rasmus Bach, a 6-4 junior, are the Fort Lewis leaders.  Both are shooting at least 53 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free throw line while averaging 19.5 and 19.3 points, respectively. Blaylock, who played for Reed at Otero Junior College two years ago, has made 62 of 121 three-point shots this winter, despite having a rather herky-jerky shooting form.

Fort Lewis point guard Will Morse has one of college basketball most spectacular stats.  He is credited with 95 assists and is charged with only 25 turnovers.

The CSC women are 4-10 overall and 4-7 in the RMAC while the Eagles' men are 2-13 and 2-9.

The CSC men are led in scoring by guards Warren Gordon and Darius Polley, both a just over 13 points a game.  The Lady Eagles have three players averaging in double figures—Kalli Feddersen at 13.1, Erin Graham at 12.1 and Kylah Collins at 11.0.  At least four CSC women have scored in double digits in four of the last five game. 

Following this weekend's trip, the Eagles will play their next four games at home.