GUNNISON, Colo. --- The shorthanded Western Colorado men's basketball team struggled to slow down the inside game and 3-point attack of Fort Lewis as the Mountaineers fell to the Skyhawks 88-74 on Friday at Paul Wright Gym.

Already without 6-10 post Josh Tomasi for much of the season, the Mountaineers (6-10 overall, 3-7 RMAC) played Friday without starting 6-9 post Jackson Ehrlin and reserve guard Kevin Jimenez - both due to injury. 

FLC (11-5, 5-5) took advantage as 6-9 Riley Farris - the second-leading scorer in the RMAC - scored a game-high 27 points while WCU was outrebounded 36-27. When the Mountaineers collapsed to double the post, the Skyhawks took advantage of open looks from beyond the arc as they went 13-for-24 from 3-point range.

The Mountaineers trailed by just one at 29-28 with 4:11 left in the first half, but WCU went cold and didn't score the rest of the half while the Skyhawks went on a 12-0 run to take a 41-28 lead into the half. The Mountaineers wouldn't get within 10 the rest of the game.

WCU got a big game from Matthew Ragsdale in the freshman's first start as he scored a career-high 24 points - going 6-for-9 from 3-point range. Cole Sienknecht added 17 points, three rebounds and three assists while Monroe Porter had a team-high 11 rebounds to go along with eight points, four assists and two steals.

The Mountaineers return to action 7 p.m. Saturday at home against Adams State.