Last-second free throws give Fort Lewis RMAC Men's Basketball Tournament crown - Mar 7, 2016

A pair of last-second free throws by Josh Blaylock (6'1''-G) secured an RMAC Men's Basketball Tournament title for Fort Lewis on Saturday, as the Skyhawks edged Colorado Mines 73-72 in front of a raucous crowd at Whalen Gymnasium.
After Colorado Mines took a 72-71 lead with just nine seconds left, Blaylock ran the ball down the court and was fouled by Gokul Natesan (6'5''-G) with 0.7 seconds left on the clock.
In the biggest moment of the game, Blaylock made both shots from the free throw line to claim the Skyhawks fourth RMAC Tournament Tournament title, securing the RMAC's automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament.
Fort Lewis was the No. 1 seed entering the RMAC Tournament after also claiming the regular-season RMAC title. With the win, Fort Lewis improved to a 27-3 overall record, extending its winning streak to 15 games. The No. 2 seed Colorado Mines dropped to 24-7 overall with the loss.
"Colorado Mines is a very classy program," said Fort Lewis Head Coach Bob Pietrack , "They're a championship [team] all the way through and they deserve this just as much as us."
Both teams shot well from the floor, with Fort Lewis shooting nearly 44 percent from the field, while Colorado Mines shot better than 48 percent. The difference came from behind the arc, where the Skyhawks were red hot, knocking down 13-of-32 (40.6%). Saturday marked the 20th time this season the Skyhawks have hit at least 10 3-pointers.
Not only was Blaylock the late-game hero, he was also a main offensive cog all night for the Skyhawks. The junior poured in a game-high 25 points on his way to earning Tournament MVP. He finished 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-7 from long range. He also added five rebounds and three assists to his stat line.
Three other Skyhawks finished with double-figure scoring. Cade Kloster (6'4''-G) and Jared Smith added 13 points each, while Rasmus Bach (6'4''-G, college: Fort Lewis) chipped in with 11. Smith, in particular, was efficient, knocking down all three of his three-point attempts.
Juniors Caleb Waitsman and Gokul Natesan (6'5''-G) led the Orediggers scoring 17 points, nine rebounds and made 4-of-5 free throws apiece.
"I just couldn't be prouder of this group of guys," stated Pietrack, "What a special season they have had -- to go 17-0 at home is just unfathomable to be honest with you considering how tough this league is and [the] tough games that we have."
The Skyhawks led at the end of the first half 38-36, notching 24 of their points from downtown.
The second half became a crowd thriller, as both teams were similar in offense and defense. Battling for every point and rebound, it was unsure who would take home the trophy, until Blaylock's free throws iced the game.
"We talk in our program about deserving success or earning success and deserving anything you get," Pietrack said. "No one in our program puts more work or time in than Josh Blaylock (6'1''-G) in the gym. No one deserved to lose the game, but Josh with those free throws, he had earned the right to make those from hours and hours of hard work and time he's put in."
The Skyhawks, along with the rest of the RMAC teams hoping to continue their seasons, will find out where they play next during the NCAA Selection Show at 8:30 p.m. (MT) Sunday.

RMAC Tournament Final: Fort Lewis - Colorado Mines 73-72
RMAC Tournament Semifinals:
Colorado Mines - Colorado Mesa 84-73
Fort Lewis - MSU Denver 89-78

Courtesy of RMAC