DURANGO, Colo. – The Westminster men's basketball team was even with No. 18 Fort Lewis with eight minutes to play before the Skyhawks went on a run to avoid the upset, 90-83, on Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
 
Westminster (4-4*, 4-2 RMAC) tied the game at 67-67 with a Travis Devashrayee bucket at the 8:10 mark of the second half. Fort Lewis (11-1, 6-0 RMAC) then scored 11 straight points in the ensuing 4:37 of action to secure the victory.
 
During the decisive run, the Griffins missed all five of their shot attempts as the home squad hit 4 of 5, including one 3-pointer. The burst broke the game's ninth tie and the night also featured six lead changes.
 
It was the solid shooting performance from Fort Lewis that proved to be the difference as they shot 55.8 percent from the floor and 47.1 percent from three. The Griffins countered that shooting by making 11 threes and committing a season-low nine turnovers.
 
Westminster got a combined 47 points from Dayon Goodman and Zerrion Payton. Goodman scored his 24 points – a Westminster season high – on 7 of 15 shooting and he grabbed six rebounds. Payton added seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals to his 23 points.
 
FLC finished with a 36-29 edge on the boards with each team grabbing 10 offensive rebounds. The Griffins scored 12 points from those chances and got another 12 points from 13 Skyhawks turnovers.
 
Devashrayee and Casey Evans added 10 points apiece in the loss.
 
Fort Lewis had four players score in double figures with Joshua Blaylock leading the team with 24 points.
 
Westminster will now take 12 days off before facing Colorado School of Mines on December 30 in Golden, Colo. That game will begin at 3 p.m. MST and be broadcast live on the RMAC Network.
 
(*) NCAA non-countable game rules prohibit men's basketball victories vs. California Miramar and Bristol to be counted in season record.