DURANGO, Colo. – Fort Lewis finished the first half with a 7-2 run to take a seven-point lead, then scored eight of the first 12 points of the second half to take control in a 78-65 victory Friday night over MSU Denver in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men's basketball.
 
After building a 40-29 advantage with 17:55 to play, the Skyhawks led by at least seven points the rest of the way, building the lead to as many as 16, at 67-51, with 7:59 left.
 
The Roadrunners had a couple of clean looks at 3s after cutting the margin to 69-59 with 3:30 to go but couldn't connect.
 
Fort Lewis improved to 10-2 overall and 4-2 in the RMAC, while MSU Denver dropped to 6-6 and 2-4.
 
Druce Asah led MSU Denver with 15 points while also adding seven rebounds. Elijah Straughter had 12 points and seven rebounds, while Maris Colton had a double-double of 10 points and 10 boards. Mitch Lombard had five assists and no turnovers.
 
After Riley Farris, Fort Lewis' high-scoring center, was held to seven points on 2 of 10 shooting in the first half, the 6-foot-9 junior responded with 18 points on 7 of 8 shooting in the second half.
 
MSU Denver's Kendall McIntosh, the RMAC's leader in blocked shots, was limited to nine minutes due to foul trouble.
 
MSU Denver plays again at 7 p.m. Saturday at Adams State.
 
"In times of adversity you have two choices," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Michael Bahl said. "You can pull apart, or you can come together. I love this team and I am 100 percent sure that we are going to come together."