SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – John Morrill-Keeler put together a solid game Friday tallying 14 points and just missing a double-double with nine rebounds. Tyreek Price tied for the team-high in scoring also adding 14 points. The Western Oregon University men's basketball team ran into a tough Fort Lewis squad as the Skyhawks built a big first half lead on their way to taking the 89-63 victory in a neutral site game that was played at Behnken Fieldhouse on the campus of Westminster.
Morrill-Keeler went 6-10 from the field and added a three-pointer and a foul shot in 28 minutes. Price tied for the team-high in scoring with 14 points connecting on four three-pointers. WOU (1-5) had six players score at least five points with Antonio Salinas adding eight points, Yosani Clay with seven points, Qiant Myers with six points and Cameron Cranston with five points.
WOU had a solid shooting night connecting on 25-54 (46.3) from the field, 7-20 (35) from three and 6-9 (66.7) at the foul line.
FLC (4-1) received big games from Riley Farris with 21 points, Will Wittman with 18 points and Brenden Boatwright with 14 points. The Skyhawks connected on 33-64 (51.6) from the field, 9-18 (50) from three and 14-20 (70) at the foul line. They used big advantages on bench points (46-15), points off turnovers (21-10), and points in the paint (44-34).
The Skyhawks opened the game on a 6-2 run with Price hitting a three-pointer, Morrill-Keller hitting a jumper and a foul shot by Cranston had the game tied at eight nearly four minutes in.
After FLC came back with a 12-3 run, Price dialed long distance again and Morrill-Keeper hit a jumper in the paint to cut the deficit back to four near the midway point of the opening half. A layup by Myers kept the deficit at four when the Skyhawks reeled off a 10-0 run to push the lead to 14.
Morrill-Keeler and Price continued their strong play in the first half with Morrill-Keeler sinking a three-pointer and Price following with a triple at the 5:34 mark that had WOU right back in it down seven.
Over the final minutes of the half, FLC took off outscoring the Wolves by 12 to take a 52-33 lead into halftime.
A Clay three-pointer, three-point-play by Salinas and a layup by Elihu Cobb gave WOU a quick 8-2 run a few minutes into the second half that had the deficit down to 14. FLC answered with a 7-0 run and never looked back.
WOU would only be able to get as close as 18 the rest of the way with FLC taking the 89-63 victory.
The Wolves will turn right back around and face host Westminster tomorrow (Saturday) night with tip set for 6 p.m. (Pacific) in Salt Lake City.
