By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=12746">BOX SCORE</a>

HAYS, Kan. – Bjarni Jonsson scored a game-high 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead Fort Hays State to a 63-44 win over Central Christian College in the Tigers home opener on Tuesday at Gross Memorial Colisuem.

The game was played in front of 2,905 mainly elementary and middle school students who were in attendance for the first Kid's Day as the Tigers improve to 3-1 on the season.

The Tigers raced out to an early 12-2 lead and led by 11 at halftime. They would outscore the Tigers out of McPherson 17-3 over the first five minutes of the second half to push their lead to 25.

Jonsson scored the first five points for the Tigers and came within a rebound of his second career double-double. Kaleb Hammeke added 12 points along with six rebounds and six assists. R.J. Crawford scored 10 and pulled down seven rebounds.

FHSU shot only 37.3 percent for the game but went 8-for-21 (38.1%) from beyond the arc while holding Central Christian to 27.9 percent shooting and 3-for-20 from 3-point range.

Jevarrick Butler led the Central Christian with 10 points. Andre Shelby added seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Fort Hays State hosts Manhattan Christian College Saturday night at 7 p.m. It's the second game of a doubleheader which follows the FHSU&nbsp; women's home opener against Tabor College at 5 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700600564401.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Kaleb Hammeke goes in for a layup in the first half of an NCAA basketball game against Central Christian College in Hays, Kan., Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Kaleb Hammeke goes in for a layup in the first half of an NCAA basketball game against Central Christian College in Hays, Kan., Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=12746">BOX SCORE</a>HAYS, Kan. – Bjarni Jonsson scored a game-high 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead Fort Hays State to a 63-44 win over Central Christian College in the Tigers home opener on Tuesday at Gross Memorial Colisuem.The game was played in front of 2,905 mainly elementary and middle school students who were in attendance for the first Kid's Day as the Tigers improve to 3-1 on the season.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1671198147&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-21-23-fhsu-mbkb-vs-central-christian-college-mark-johnson-post-game" title="Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Central Christian College (Nov., 21, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Central Christian College (Nov., 21, 2023)</a></div></div>The Tigers raced out to an early 12-2 lead and led by 11 at halftime. They would outscore the Tigers out of McPherson 17-3 over the first five minutes of the second half to push their lead to 25.Jonsson scored the first five points for the Tigers and came within a rebound of his second career double-double. Kaleb Hammeke added 12 points along with six rebounds and six assists. R.J. Crawford scored 10 and pulled down seven rebounds.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1671220377&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-21-23-kaleb-hammeke-postgame-interview" title="Kaleb Hammeke Postgame vs. Central Christian College (Nov. 21, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Kaleb Hammeke Postgame vs. Central Christian College (Nov. 21, 2023)</a></div></div>FHSU shot only 37.3 percent for the game but went 8-for-21 (38.1%) from beyond the arc while holding Central Christian to 27.9 percent shooting and 3-for-20 from 3-point range.Jevarrick Butler led the Central Christian with 10 points. Andre Shelby added seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1671198186&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-21-23-fhsu-mbkb-vs-central-christian-college-highlights" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Central Christian College (Nov. 21, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Central Christian College (Nov. 21, 2023)</a></div></div>UP NEXTFort Hays State hosts Manhattan Christian College Saturday night at 7 p.m. It's the second game of a doubleheader which follows the FHSU&nbsp; women's home opener against Tabor College at 5 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men win home opener over Central Christian

WILMINGTON, Del. – Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the latest edition of the D2CSC Top 25 Poll, released on Tuesday (Nov. 21). The Tigers were ranked No. 16 in the previous poll after a 2-0 start to the season, but a loss at now nationally ranked MSU Denver this past Sunday slid the Tigers back into the receiving votes section. The D2CSC poll is voted on by a panel of Athletic Communications professionals nationwide.

This is the second regular season release of the D2CSC Poll. For MIAA schools, Central Oklahoma held steady at No. 3 in the poll, while Emporia State is the only other MIAA school in the Top 25 at No. 23. FHSU is among just five teams in the receiving votes section. Fort Hays State is unranked at this time in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll, even though it received votes in the preseason poll.

MSU Denver went from unranked to No. 18 in the D2CSC Poll. The Roadrunners are No. 15 in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll. They defeated a pair of Top 25 teams last week, which included Fort Hays State and West Texas A&amp;M.

Below is the D2CSC Top 25 Poll for November 21, 2023.

Rank	School	Pts.	Record	Prev. 1	Nova Southeastern (7)	364	3-0	2 2	West Liberty (7)	363	4-0	1 3	Central Oklahoma (1)	345	5-0	3 4	Saint Martin's	303	5-0	9 5	Dallas Baptist	274	3-0	13 6	West Georgia	268	3-0	7 7	North Georgia	237	3-0	T16 8	Ferris State	226	4-0	18 9	Bentley	223	3-1	12 10	Cal State San Bernardino	210	3-0	10 11	Chico State	209	3-0	14 12	Minnesota State	199	3-0	11 13	MSU Moorhead	189	4-0	NR 14	Ashland	171	3-0	19 15	Fairmont State	170	4-0	23 16	East Stroudsburg	155	3-0	15 17	Lincoln Memorial	141	3-2	5 18	MSU Denver	137	4-0	NR 19	Auburn-Montgomery	134	2-0	T20 20	West Texas A&amp;M	120	3-1	4 21	Augusta	99	2-1	6 22	St. Thomas Aquinas	76	3-1	T20 23	Emporia State	62	4-1	T24 24	Hillsdale	50	3-0	NR 25	Colorado Mesa	47	3-1	RV

Others Receiving Votes: Florida Southern – 31; California (Pa.) – 20; Pace – 20; Fort Hays State – 9; Midwestern State – 6

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700607166684.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Lucas Hammeke goes in for a layup in the first half of an NCAA basketball game against MSU Denver in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Edward Jacobs, Jr.)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Lucas Hammeke goes in for a layup in the first half of an NCAA basketball game against MSU Denver in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Edward Jacobs, Jr.)</figcaption>
 </figure>WILMINGTON, Del. – Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the latest edition of the D2CSC Top 25 Poll, released on Tuesday (Nov. 21). The Tigers were ranked No. 16 in the previous poll after a 2-0 start to the season, but a loss at now nationally ranked MSU Denver this past Sunday slid the Tigers back into the receiving votes section. The D2CSC poll is voted on by a panel of Athletic Communications professionals nationwide.This is the second regular season release of the D2CSC Poll. For MIAA schools, Central Oklahoma held steady at No. 3 in the poll, while Emporia State is the only other MIAA school in the Top 25 at No. 23. FHSU is among just five teams in the receiving votes section. Fort Hays State is unranked at this time in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll, even though it received votes in the preseason poll.MSU Denver went from unranked to No. 18 in the D2CSC Poll. The Roadrunners are No. 15 in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll. They defeated a pair of Top 25 teams last week, which included Fort Hays State and West Texas A&amp;M.Below is the D2CSC Top 25 Poll for November 21, 2023.Rank	School	Pts.	Record	Prev. 1	Nova Southeastern (7)	364	3-0	2 2	West Liberty (7)	363	4-0	1 3	Central Oklahoma (1)	345	5-0	3 4	Saint Martin's	303	5-0	9 5	Dallas Baptist	274	3-0	13 6	West Georgia	268	3-0	7 7	North Georgia	237	3-0	T16 8	Ferris State	226	4-0	18 9	Bentley	223	3-1	12 10	Cal State San Bernardino	210	3-0	10 11	Chico State	209	3-0	14 12	Minnesota State	199	3-0	11 13	MSU Moorhead	189	4-0	NR 14	Ashland	171	3-0	19 15	Fairmont State	170	4-0	23 16	East Stroudsburg	155	3-0	15 17	Lincoln Memorial	141	3-2	5 18	MSU Denver	137	4-0	NR 19	Auburn-Montgomery	134	2-0	T20 20	West Texas A&amp;M	120	3-1	4 21	Augusta	99	2-1	6 22	St. Thomas Aquinas	76	3-1	T20 23	Emporia State	62	4-1	T24 24	Hillsdale	50	3-0	NR 25	Colorado Mesa	47	3-1	RVOthers Receiving Votes: Florida Southern – 31; California (Pa.) – 20; Pace – 20; Fort Hays State – 9; Midwestern State – 6

🏀 FHSU men receiving votes in latest D2CSC Top 25 poll

LILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team is receiving votes in the first regular season release of the 2023-24 WBCA Division II Coaches Poll, distributed Tuesday&nbsp; by the coaches association. It is the Tigers' first appearance in the poll this season.

Fort Hays State received 42 points in the poll, 31st-most overall and sixth in the others receiving votes category. The Tigers are one of four MIAA schools mentioned in the poll, with Central Missouri slotted fifth, Missouri Western ranked 12th and Missouri Southern also receiving votes.

The Tigers are 4-0 to start the season, including two wins over teams that are also listed in the receiving votes section in Minnesota State and Colorado Mesa.

Three other teams from the Central Region are mentioned in the poll, including No. 25 Minnesota Duluth and two receiving votes - Minnesota State, Southern Nazarene and Harding.

Fort Hays State will make its home debut Saturday evening (Nov. 25) when the Tigers host Tabor College beginning at 5 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

WBCA DII Coaches Poll - November 21, 2023 1 - Ashland (23) - 4-0 - 575 - 1 2 - Grand Valley State - 4-0 - 536 - 3 3 - Catawba - 2-0 - 507 - 4 4 - Assumption - 3-0 - 485 - 6 5 - Central Missouri - 3-0 - 467 - 10 6 - West Chester - 3-0 - 455 - 13 7 - Union, TN - 4-0 - 434 - 17 8 - Bentley - 4-0 - 356 - 18 9 - Texas Woman's - 6-0 - 355 - 24 10 - Montana State Billings - 5-1 - 304 - 15 11 - Ferris State - 3-0 - 292 - 20 12 - Missouri Western State - 2-0 - 215 - 25 13t - Eckerd - 2-1 - 189 - 9 13t - West Virginia State - 3-1 - 189 - 16 15 - Tampa - 4-2 - 164 - 5 16 - Gannon - 5-1 - 158 - RV 17 - Drury - 3-0 - 155 - RV 18 - Regis, CO - 3-0 - 144 - RV 19 - Thomas Jefferson - 4-0 - 139 - RV 20 - California, PA - 3-0 - 127 - RV 21 - Western Washington - 3-1 - 121 - RV 22 - Glenville State - 3-1 - 110 - 23 23 - Wingate - 3-1 - 104 - 14 24 - Azusa Pacific - 4-2 - 94 - 12 25 - Minnesota Duluth - 1-1 - 85 - 8

Dropped Out:&nbsp;No. 2 Minnesota State Mankato (2-3); No. 7 Texas Tyler (3-3); No. 11 Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-2); No. 19 Angelo State (3-2); No. 21 Lee, TN (1-2); No. 22 Cal State San Marcos (2-2).

Receiving Votes:&nbsp;Lubbock Christian (5-1) 76; Anderson, S.C. (4-0) 73; Minnesota State Mankato (2-3) 66; Southern Nazarene (4-0) 63; Missouri Southern State (2-0) 45;&nbsp;Fort Hays State (3-0) 42; Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-2) 41; Texas-Tyler (3-3) 37; North Georgia (3-1) 31; Lincoln, PA (2-0) 24; Savannah State (1-0) 21; Cal State San Marcos (2-2) 20; Colorado Mesa (5-1) 20; Angelo State (3-2) 17; Michigan Tech (3-1) 17; West Georgia (3-0) 14; Fairmont State (4-0) 10; Harding (3-1) 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700655118064.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Ellie Stearns shoots a 3-pointer in an NCAA basketball game against Minot State on Friday, November 10, 2023 in St. Joseph, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Ellie Stearns shoots a 3-pointer in an NCAA basketball game against Minot State on Friday, November 10, 2023 in St. Joseph, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsLILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team is receiving votes in the first regular season release of the 2023-24 WBCA Division II Coaches Poll, distributed Tuesday&nbsp; by the coaches association. It is the Tigers' first appearance in the poll this season.Fort Hays State received 42 points in the poll, 31st-most overall and sixth in the others receiving votes category. The Tigers are one of four MIAA schools mentioned in the poll, with Central Missouri slotted fifth, Missouri Western ranked 12th and Missouri Southern also receiving votes.The Tigers are 4-0 to start the season, including two wins over teams that are also listed in the receiving votes section in Minnesota State and Colorado Mesa.Three other teams from the Central Region are mentioned in the poll, including No. 25 Minnesota Duluth and two receiving votes - Minnesota State, Southern Nazarene and Harding.Fort Hays State will make its home debut Saturday evening (Nov. 25) when the Tigers host Tabor College beginning at 5 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.WBCA DII Coaches Poll - November 21, 2023 1 - Ashland (23) - 4-0 - 575 - 1 2 - Grand Valley State - 4-0 - 536 - 3 3 - Catawba - 2-0 - 507 - 4 4 - Assumption - 3-0 - 485 - 6 5 - Central Missouri - 3-0 - 467 - 10 6 - West Chester - 3-0 - 455 - 13 7 - Union, TN - 4-0 - 434 - 17 8 - Bentley - 4-0 - 356 - 18 9 - Texas Woman's - 6-0 - 355 - 24 10 - Montana State Billings - 5-1 - 304 - 15 11 - Ferris State - 3-0 - 292 - 20 12 - Missouri Western State - 2-0 - 215 - 25 13t - Eckerd - 2-1 - 189 - 9 13t - West Virginia State - 3-1 - 189 - 16 15 - Tampa - 4-2 - 164 - 5 16 - Gannon - 5-1 - 158 - RV 17 - Drury - 3-0 - 155 - RV 18 - Regis, CO - 3-0 - 144 - RV 19 - Thomas Jefferson - 4-0 - 139 - RV 20 - California, PA - 3-0 - 127 - RV 21 - Western Washington - 3-1 - 121 - RV 22 - Glenville State - 3-1 - 110 - 23 23 - Wingate - 3-1 - 104 - 14 24 - Azusa Pacific - 4-2 - 94 - 12 25 - Minnesota Duluth - 1-1 - 85 - 8Dropped Out:&nbsp;No. 2 Minnesota State Mankato (2-3); No. 7 Texas Tyler (3-3); No. 11 Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-2); No. 19 Angelo State (3-2); No. 21 Lee, TN (1-2); No. 22 Cal State San Marcos (2-2).Receiving Votes:&nbsp;Lubbock Christian (5-1) 76; Anderson, S.C. (4-0) 73; Minnesota State Mankato (2-3) 66; Southern Nazarene (4-0) 63; Missouri Southern State (2-0) 45;&nbsp;Fort Hays State (3-0) 42; Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-2) 41; Texas-Tyler (3-3) 37; North Georgia (3-1) 31; Lincoln, PA (2-0) 24; Savannah State (1-0) 21; Cal State San Marcos (2-2) 20; Colorado Mesa (5-1) 20; Angelo State (3-2) 17; Michigan Tech (3-1) 17; West Georgia (3-0) 14; Fairmont State (4-0) 10; Harding (3-1) 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 FHSU women receiving votes in WBCA rankings

Central Christian (2-3) at RV/#16 Fort Hays State (2-1) Tuesday, November 21 – 12 p.m. Hays, Kan. – Gross Memorial Coliseum

Radio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;The MIAA Network&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>

<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/"></a>Promotions:-&nbsp;Kid's Day in Gross Memorial Coliseum- USD 489 Elementary Schools, Hays Middle School, Holy Family Elementary, and TMP Middle School will all be in attendance -&nbsp;Jammin' Randy to perform at halftime

Game Sponsor:&nbsp;Hays Public Library

Fort Hays State Men's Basketball will play host to Central Christian College on Tuesday (Nov. 21) in its first home contest of the 2023-24 season. Tipoff is set for noon in a special promotional contest that will have all of the grade school and middle schools of Hays in attendance. FHSU enters the game ranked No. 16 in the D2CSC Top 25 Poll with an overall record of 2-1, while Central Christian enters at 2-3.

Fort Hays State leads the all-time series with Central Christian 21-0. FHSU won last year's meeting between the teams 65-32, which marked the low for points scored by an opponent last year. This will be the 19th&nbsp;time FHSU plays CCC during&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mark-johnson/1230">Mark Johnson</a>'s tenure as head coach.

Fort Hays State is coming off its first loss of the season, a 75-71 overtime setback against an undefeated MSU Denver team on Sunday in Denver. The Tigers forced overtime when Bjarni Jonnson&nbsp;hit a 3-point field goal as time expired in regulation. FHSU, however, could not overcome an 8-0 run by MSU Denver to start the extra period.

Central Christian has not won since November 4 when it defeated Manhattan Christian by 20 points on its home floor. But CCC has lost three games since (2 regular season, 1 exhibition). Their latest result was a 92-56 loss at Missouri Southern in exhibition play. This game will also serve as an exhibition for Central Christian, but it counts as regular season for FHSU.

Kalab Hammeke&nbsp;leads FHSU in scoring at 16.3 points per game. He has reached double figures in all three games so far this season with 24 as his high mark. R.J. Crawford&nbsp;is also averaging double figures at 11.3 points per game. Jaheim Holden&nbsp;is coming off a season-high 19 points in the game at MSU Denver. Shaun Riley&nbsp;leads the Tigers in rebounding, averaging 5.7 per game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700573540878.jpeg" alt="FHSU-MBKB-GAME-4.jpg" />
 <figcaption>FHSU-MBKB-GAME-4.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsCentral Christian (2-3) at RV/#16 Fort Hays State (2-1) Tuesday, November 21 – 12 p.m. Hays, Kan. – Gross Memorial ColiseumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;The MIAA Network&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a><a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/"></a>Promotions:-&nbsp;Kid's Day in Gross Memorial Coliseum- USD 489 Elementary Schools, Hays Middle School, Holy Family Elementary, and TMP Middle School will all be in attendance -&nbsp;Jammin' Randy to perform at halftimeGame Sponsor:&nbsp;Hays Public LibraryFort Hays State Men's Basketball will play host to Central Christian College on Tuesday (Nov. 21) in its first home contest of the 2023-24 season. Tipoff is set for noon in a special promotional contest that will have all of the grade school and middle schools of Hays in attendance. FHSU enters the game ranked No. 16 in the D2CSC Top 25 Poll with an overall record of 2-1, while Central Christian enters at 2-3.Fort Hays State leads the all-time series with Central Christian 21-0. FHSU won last year's meeting between the teams 65-32, which marked the low for points scored by an opponent last year. This will be the 19th&nbsp;time FHSU plays CCC during&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mark-johnson/1230">Mark Johnson</a>'s tenure as head coach.Fort Hays State is coming off its first loss of the season, a 75-71 overtime setback against an undefeated MSU Denver team on Sunday in Denver. The Tigers forced overtime when Bjarni Jonnson&nbsp;hit a 3-point field goal as time expired in regulation. FHSU, however, could not overcome an 8-0 run by MSU Denver to start the extra period.Central Christian has not won since November 4 when it defeated Manhattan Christian by 20 points on its home floor. But CCC has lost three games since (2 regular season, 1 exhibition). Their latest result was a 92-56 loss at Missouri Southern in exhibition play. This game will also serve as an exhibition for Central Christian, but it counts as regular season for FHSU.Kalab Hammeke&nbsp;leads FHSU in scoring at 16.3 points per game. He has reached double figures in all three games so far this season with 24 as his high mark. R.J. Crawford&nbsp;is also averaging double figures at 11.3 points per game. Jaheim Holden&nbsp;is coming off a season-high 19 points in the game at MSU Denver. Shaun Riley&nbsp;leads the Tigers in rebounding, averaging 5.7 per game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN - Tiger men host Central Christian in home opener

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have scored an NFL-worst 53 points in the second half of games this season, which equates to just over five per game, and they sure could have used that measly total against the Eagles on Monday night.

The Chiefs were shut out in the second half for the third consecutive game, this time by Philadelphia in their highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch, allowing Jalen Hurts and Co. to rally from a 10-point deficit for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-chiefs-4a6675000a3c7bd1a5dabe62742495a7">a 21-17 victory</a>&nbsp;at Arrowhead Stadium.

Whether it was penalties, red-zone turnovers or two dropped passes in the closing minutes, the Chiefs (7-3) made the kind of mistakes on offense that have been rare since Andy Reid — who had never lost in four tries against his former team — took over as their coach in 2013 and Patrick Mahomes began his prolific career as their starting quarterback in 2018.

“All season long,” Mahomes said, “we haven't played good football in the second half. We've got to continue to work. Obviously, we had a pretty good first half running the football, but we've got to find ways to finish games offensively.”

Mahomes was held to 177 yards with two touchdowns and a pick in the end zone. Travis Kelce was his top target, catching seven passes for 44 yards and a score, but he likewise turned the ball over in the red zone with a fourth-quarter fumble.

“Just not playing up to the level I have in the past," Kelce said afterward. "I’ve got to be better.”

Had he held onto the ball, the Chiefs could have turned a 17-14 lead into a two-possession game. Instead, the Eagles went 80 yards the other way, and Hurts tush-pushed his way for the go-ahead touchdown with about six minutes to go.

After the teams traded punts, the Chiefs had one last chance with the ball at their own 9-yard line and 2:49 left. But while that would have been plenty of time in past years, but it seemed no amount would have done them any good Monday night.

Their final series began with a fourth-down conversion, and a roughing-the-passer penalty pushed them near midfield. But then came the letdown: Mahomes had a perfectly-thrown ball to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a would-be 51-yard touchdown go&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1726816763088863487">right through the wide receiver's hands</a>. Then, after Mahomes was called for intentional grounding, he threw one last incompletion&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1726817365592346725">on a ball that Justin Watson could have caught</a>&nbsp;that would have kept the Chiefs alive with a first down.

“The game certainly doesn’t come down to one play. As much as anybody wants to say that, it doesn’t,” Watson said. "I’ve seen Marquez make that play 99 times out of a hundred times. That was just one that he didn’t. And he’s a phenomenal player and he’ll make that for us next week or next time it’s called upon.”

The final drive was a microcosm of the way the second half went for Kansas City, which had led 17-7 at the break. Its first drive was derailed by a holding penalty on Donovan Smith, its second drive on a false start on Jawaan Taylor and the third nearly was nearly sent off track by a holding call on Kelce, who fumbled the ball away later in the drive anyway.

Standout center Creed Humphrey was also called for a false start that led to another punt later in the fourth quarter.

The result of the red-zone turnovers, the seven penalties for 55 yards and the dropped passes and missed assignments was the Chiefs' second loss in their last three games, one that knocked them from their perch atop the AFC.

“Offensively we're just not where I want to be at his point in the season,” Mahomes said. “It starts with me. I have to make better throws at certain times. We have to continue to move the ball downfield and just be more consistent throughout the game.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700568362068.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is unable to catch a pass during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is unable to catch a pass during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have scored an NFL-worst 53 points in the second half of games this season, which equates to just over five per game, and they sure could have used that measly total against the Eagles on Monday night.Instead, they got none.The Chiefs were shut out in the second half for the third consecutive game, this time by Philadelphia in their highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch, allowing Jalen Hurts and Co. to rally from a 10-point deficit for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-chiefs-4a6675000a3c7bd1a5dabe62742495a7">a 21-17 victory</a>&nbsp;at Arrowhead Stadium.Whether it was penalties, red-zone turnovers or two dropped passes in the closing minutes, the Chiefs (7-3) made the kind of mistakes on offense that have been rare since Andy Reid — who had never lost in four tries against his former team — took over as their coach in 2013 and Patrick Mahomes began his prolific career as their starting quarterback in 2018.“All season long,” Mahomes said, “we haven't played good football in the second half. We've got to continue to work. Obviously, we had a pretty good first half running the football, but we've got to find ways to finish games offensively.”Mahomes was held to 177 yards with two touchdowns and a pick in the end zone. Travis Kelce was his top target, catching seven passes for 44 yards and a score, but he likewise turned the ball over in the red zone with a fourth-quarter fumble.“Just not playing up to the level I have in the past," Kelce said afterward. "I’ve got to be better.”Had he held onto the ball, the Chiefs could have turned a 17-14 lead into a two-possession game. Instead, the Eagles went 80 yards the other way, and Hurts tush-pushed his way for the go-ahead touchdown with about six minutes to go.After the teams traded punts, the Chiefs had one last chance with the ball at their own 9-yard line and 2:49 left. But while that would have been plenty of time in past years, but it seemed no amount would have done them any good Monday night.Their final series began with a fourth-down conversion, and a roughing-the-passer penalty pushed them near midfield. But then came the letdown: Mahomes had a perfectly-thrown ball to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a would-be 51-yard touchdown go&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1726816763088863487">right through the wide receiver's hands</a>. Then, after Mahomes was called for intentional grounding, he threw one last incompletion&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1726817365592346725">on a ball that Justin Watson could have caught</a>&nbsp;that would have kept the Chiefs alive with a first down.Instead, the Eagles ran out the clock.“The game certainly doesn’t come down to one play. As much as anybody wants to say that, it doesn’t,” Watson said. "I’ve seen Marquez make that play 99 times out of a hundred times. That was just one that he didn’t. And he’s a phenomenal player and he’ll make that for us next week or next time it’s called upon.”The final drive was a microcosm of the way the second half went for Kansas City, which had led 17-7 at the break. Its first drive was derailed by a holding penalty on Donovan Smith, its second drive on a false start on Jawaan Taylor and the third nearly was nearly sent off track by a holding call on Kelce, who fumbled the ball away later in the drive anyway.Standout center Creed Humphrey was also called for a false start that led to another punt later in the fourth quarter.The result of the red-zone turnovers, the seven penalties for 55 yards and the dropped passes and missed assignments was the Chiefs' second loss in their last three games, one that knocked them from their perch atop the AFC.“Offensively we're just not where I want to be at his point in the season,” Mahomes said. “It starts with me. I have to make better throws at certain times. We have to continue to move the ball downfield and just be more consistent throughout the game.”

🏈 Drop-prone Chiefs get shut out in second half for third straight time

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles insisted that their Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs had nothing to do with revenge.

After allowing the Chiefs to methodically build a 10-point halftime lead Monday night, the Eagles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-second-half-offense-dropped-passes-b734fad510be85c93c35b1aa529f0148">shut out Patrick Mahomes and Co.</a>&nbsp;over the final 30 minutes. Jalen Hurts overcame a poor start in a cold, driving rain to run for a pair of touchdowns, and his go-ahead tush-push in the fourth quarter allowed the Eagles to walk away with a 21-17 victory.

“We weren't thinking, ‘Hey, we’re coming up here to avenge a loss,'" Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said afterward. "That's a different magnitude of game. That was for everything. So we're just pleased to get the win tonight.”

Besides, Sirianni said, “they ain't giving us the rings back. I know that.”

Still, the Eagles (9-1) became the first team to win at least nine of their first 10 games in consecutive seasons since the Colts in 2005-06, and they did it by beating former coach Andy Reid for the first time in five tries since he landed in Kansas City.

Eagles center Jason Kelce also got the best of little brother Travis Kelce for the first time. The Chiefs tight end could have used some luck from pop star and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-travis-kelce-taylor-swift-analysis-nfl-95b2a5cf818b39649c1e6ed49a45d315">love interest Taylor Swift</a>, who had to miss the game — he fumbled the ball away in the red zone in the fourth quarter, when Kansas City was trying to extend a 17-14 lead.

The Chiefs still had a chance with less than 2 minutes to go, converting on fourth down and getting help from a roughing-the-passer penalty. But a perfectly placed ball from Mahomes went right through the hands of Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a would-be 51-yard touchdown, and the Eagles stopped Kansas City on fourth down to put the game away.

“This is a growing moment for us as a team, overall,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said.

Hurts threw for just 150 yards with a pick, but he made the plays Mahomes could not in the second half. He also got some help from D'Andre Swift, who ran for 76 yards and a score, and DeVonta Smith, who caught six balls for 99 yards.

“I don't think we played clean tonight. I don't think we played to our standard,” Hurts said. “But I think the one thing you can't quantify is the resilience that a team has, and the ability to see through things, and this team has that.”

It was only the ninth time that two teams that played in the Super Bowl met in the regular season the following year, and the champion had won the previous four matchups. The last to lose was Dallas against Buffalo during the 1993 season.

Mahomes was held to 177 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception in the end zone. Isiah Pacheco added 89 yards rushing for the Chiefs, who couldn't overcome their two red-zone turnovers and a plethora of penalties.

“I think offensively," Mahomes said, “I’m just not where I want to be at this point in the season.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">Unlike the Super Bowl</a>, when the Eagles blew a 10-point halftime lead, the Chiefs took a 17-7 lead to the break Monday night.

It was knotted 7-all after Hurts and Mahomes traded first-quarter touchdown throws, and it was still tied when Mahomes hit Kelce on third down for the go-ahead TD with 1:45 left. And when the Eagles got the ball back, sacks by Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis made them give it right back with 44 seconds remaining.

Plenty of time for Mahomes to get the Chiefs within range for Harrison Butker to add a 43-yard field goal.

But for all the praise the Chiefs get for their prolific offense, they've been abysmal in the second half this season, scoring a league-low 53 points entering Monday night. And after two quick punts to start the half, Philadelphia finally capitalized on the good field position, marching downfield before Hurts finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run.

The Chiefs kept beating themselves — and the Eagles kept taking advantage.

Along with penalties that derailed their first two drives of the second half, Kelce fumbled the ball away at the Philadelphia 8 early in the fourth quarter. And when the Chiefs got the ball back and had to punt a few minutes later, Justin Watson was unable to down the ball at the Philadelphia 1, resulting in a touchback that gave Hurts and Co. some breathing room.

They proceeded to go 80 yards the other way, and Hurts' sneak gave Philadelphia the lead for good in the fourth quarter.

“It's the resiliency and togetherness that really stood out to me tonight,” Sirianni said, “and I can't say enough about the defense. I can't say enough about the job our defense and our defensive staff did.”

Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra hurt his ankle in the third quarter. DT Fletcher Cox briefly left after a hard collision on a tackle.

Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman left in the first quarter with a thumb injury but returned to the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700543995252.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles for a first down past Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (91) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles for a first down past Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (91) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga).</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles insisted that their Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs had nothing to do with revenge.They got a little bit of it anyway.After allowing the Chiefs to methodically build a 10-point halftime lead Monday night, the Eagles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-second-half-offense-dropped-passes-b734fad510be85c93c35b1aa529f0148">shut out Patrick Mahomes and Co.</a>&nbsp;over the final 30 minutes. Jalen Hurts overcame a poor start in a cold, driving rain to run for a pair of touchdowns, and his go-ahead tush-push in the fourth quarter allowed the Eagles to walk away with a 21-17 victory.“We weren't thinking, ‘Hey, we’re coming up here to avenge a loss,'" Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said afterward. "That's a different magnitude of game. That was for everything. So we're just pleased to get the win tonight.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700543964395.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, right, is unable to catch a pass as Philadelphia Eagles safety Kevin Byard (31) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, right, is unable to catch a pass as Philadelphia Eagles safety Kevin Byard (31) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>Besides, Sirianni said, “they ain't giving us the rings back. I know that.”Still, the Eagles (9-1) became the first team to win at least nine of their first 10 games in consecutive seasons since the Colts in 2005-06, and they did it by beating former coach Andy Reid for the first time in five tries since he landed in Kansas City.Eagles center Jason Kelce also got the best of little brother Travis Kelce for the first time. The Chiefs tight end could have used some luck from pop star and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-travis-kelce-taylor-swift-analysis-nfl-95b2a5cf818b39649c1e6ed49a45d315">love interest Taylor Swift</a>, who had to miss the game — he fumbled the ball away in the red zone in the fourth quarter, when Kansas City was trying to extend a 17-14 lead.The Chiefs still had a chance with less than 2 minutes to go, converting on fourth down and getting help from a roughing-the-passer penalty. But a perfectly placed ball from Mahomes went right through the hands of Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a would-be 51-yard touchdown, and the Eagles stopped Kansas City on fourth down to put the game away.“This is a growing moment for us as a team, overall,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said.Hurts threw for just 150 yards with a pick, but he made the plays Mahomes could not in the second half. He also got some help from D'Andre Swift, who ran for 76 yards and a score, and DeVonta Smith, who caught six balls for 99 yards.“I don't think we played clean tonight. I don't think we played to our standard,” Hurts said. “But I think the one thing you can't quantify is the resilience that a team has, and the ability to see through things, and this team has that.”It was only the ninth time that two teams that played in the Super Bowl met in the regular season the following year, and the champion had won the previous four matchups. The last to lose was Dallas against Buffalo during the 1993 season.Mahomes was held to 177 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception in the end zone. Isiah Pacheco added 89 yards rushing for the Chiefs, who couldn't overcome their two red-zone turnovers and a plethora of penalties.“I think offensively," Mahomes said, “I’m just not where I want to be at this point in the season.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">Unlike the Super Bowl</a>, when the Eagles blew a 10-point halftime lead, the Chiefs took a 17-7 lead to the break Monday night.It was knotted 7-all after Hurts and Mahomes traded first-quarter touchdown throws, and it was still tied when Mahomes hit Kelce on third down for the go-ahead TD with 1:45 left. And when the Eagles got the ball back, sacks by Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis made them give it right back with 44 seconds remaining.Plenty of time for Mahomes to get the Chiefs within range for Harrison Butker to add a 43-yard field goal.But for all the praise the Chiefs get for their prolific offense, they've been abysmal in the second half this season, scoring a league-low 53 points entering Monday night. And after two quick punts to start the half, Philadelphia finally capitalized on the good field position, marching downfield before Hurts finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run.The Chiefs kept beating themselves — and the Eagles kept taking advantage.Along with penalties that derailed their first two drives of the second half, Kelce fumbled the ball away at the Philadelphia 8 early in the fourth quarter. And when the Chiefs got the ball back and had to punt a few minutes later, Justin Watson was unable to down the ball at the Philadelphia 1, resulting in a touchback that gave Hurts and Co. some breathing room.They proceeded to go 80 yards the other way, and Hurts' sneak gave Philadelphia the lead for good in the fourth quarter.“It's the resiliency and togetherness that really stood out to me tonight,” Sirianni said, “and I can't say enough about the defense. I can't say enough about the job our defense and our defensive staff did.”INJURIES:Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra hurt his ankle in the third quarter. DT Fletcher Cox briefly left after a hard collision on a tackle.Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman left in the first quarter with a thumb injury but returned to the game.UP NEXTEagles: Host Buffalo on Sunday.Chiefs: At Las Vegas on Sunday.

🏈 Hurts leads second-half rally as Eagles beat Chiefs in Super Bowl rematch

HONOLULU (AP) —&nbsp;Kevin McCullar Jr. recorded the program’s first back-to-back triple-double performance and Hunter Dickinson had 31 points and 11 rebounds as No. 1 Kansas beat Chaminade 83-56 in the first-round game of the Maui Invitational on Monday.

The Jayhawks (4-0) led throughout and shot a blistering 60.0 percent from the field. They held the Silverswords (1-3) to 33.9 percent shooting.

Chaminade, a Division II school in Honolulu with an enrollment of 2,342 students, was unable to muster an upset against the nation’s top-ranked team, as it did nearly 41 years ago against Ralph Sampson-led Virginia.

Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 Michigan transfer and AP Preseason All-American, made 15 of his 18 shots from the field. Kevin McCullar Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds with 10 assists, three steals and two blocks. Dajuan Harris Jr. added seven points, eight assists and four rebounds.

Dickinson, the preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, was coming off of a 27-point, 21-rebound game in a 89-84 win over No. 17 Kentucky a week ago.

It was McCullar’s second triple-double in as many games. The graduate senior guard had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Wildcats.

“It’s a blessing. Super fun out there today. Credit to my teammates for helping me out and getting assists and boxing out and things like that, so it’s a collective unit effort,” McCullar said.

Jamir Thomas, Ross Reeves and Wyatt Lowell scored 12 points apiece for Chaminade.

Kansas scored 58 points in the paint compared to 22 for Chaminade, and also had the edge in fast-break points, 27-6.

As expected, Kansas showcased its talent-rich roster against an overmatched Chaminade team, but it did not come without some adversity. It held a 21-9 lead about midway through the first half, but saw the Silverswords go on a 9-2 run over the next four-plus minutes to cut it to 25-20 at the 6:22 mark. That led Kansas coach Bill Self to call a timeout. His team responded with a 14-5 run.

Chaminade has won eight games all-time in the Maui Invitational, with its last win coming against Cal, 96-72, in 2017.

Kansas: Advances to the tournament semifinals Tuesday to face either UCLA or No. 4 Marquette.

Chaminade: Will play either the Bruins or Golden Eagles in a consolation game Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700542392441.jpeg" alt="Kansas forward Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) goes in for a layup in an NCAA basketball game against Chaminade in Honolulu, Monday, November 20, 2023. (Kansas Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas forward Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) goes in for a layup in an NCAA basketball game against Chaminade in Honolulu, Monday, November 20, 2023. (Kansas Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>HONOLULU (AP) —&nbsp;Kevin McCullar Jr. recorded the program’s first back-to-back triple-double performance and Hunter Dickinson had 31 points and 11 rebounds as No. 1 Kansas beat Chaminade 83-56 in the first-round game of the Maui Invitational on Monday.The Jayhawks (4-0) led throughout and shot a blistering 60.0 percent from the field. They held the Silverswords (1-3) to 33.9 percent shooting.Chaminade, a Division II school in Honolulu with an enrollment of 2,342 students, was unable to muster an upset against the nation’s top-ranked team, as it did nearly 41 years ago against Ralph Sampson-led Virginia.Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 Michigan transfer and AP Preseason All-American, made 15 of his 18 shots from the field. Kevin McCullar Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds with 10 assists, three steals and two blocks. Dajuan Harris Jr. added seven points, eight assists and four rebounds.Dickinson, the preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, was coming off of a 27-point, 21-rebound game in a 89-84 win over No. 17 Kentucky a week ago.It was McCullar’s second triple-double in as many games. The graduate senior guard had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Wildcats.“It’s a blessing. Super fun out there today. Credit to my teammates for helping me out and getting assists and boxing out and things like that, so it’s a collective unit effort,” McCullar said.Jamir Thomas, Ross Reeves and Wyatt Lowell scored 12 points apiece for Chaminade.Kansas scored 58 points in the paint compared to 22 for Chaminade, and also had the edge in fast-break points, 27-6.Kansas led at the half, 39-27.BIG PICTUREAs expected, Kansas showcased its talent-rich roster against an overmatched Chaminade team, but it did not come without some adversity. It held a 21-9 lead about midway through the first half, but saw the Silverswords go on a 9-2 run over the next four-plus minutes to cut it to 25-20 at the 6:22 mark. That led Kansas coach Bill Self to call a timeout. His team responded with a 14-5 run.Chaminade has won eight games all-time in the Maui Invitational, with its last win coming against Cal, 96-72, in 2017.UP NEXTKansas: Advances to the tournament semifinals Tuesday to face either UCLA or No. 4 Marquette.Chaminade: Will play either the Bruins or Golden Eagles in a consolation game Tuesday.

🏀 Kansas rolls by Chaminade in opening round of Maui Invitational

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/msu-denver/boxscore/12777">BOX SCORE</a>

DENVER - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team moved to 4-0 to start the 2023-24 season after a 64-45 win over MSU Denver Monday afternoon (Nov. 20). The Tigers never trailed in the game for a third time this season, leading for more than 38 minutes on the day.

Emma Ruddle opened the scoring with a 3-pointer before adding four early points at the free-throw line, scoring seven of FHSU's first 14 points. The Tigers led by as many as nine after Ruddle's second trip to the line, 14-5, before the Roadrunners scored the final four points in the quarter to close within five, 16-11.

MSU Denver clawed within one possession twice in the second quarter, but Fort Hays State bounced back on the next trip down the floor on each occasion. The home team scored first in the period to close within three before Sydney Golladay&nbsp;hit a jumper to push the lead back to five. Ashlyn Yow later scored five points in 36 seconds for the Roadrunners, helping MSU Denver pull within two, 20-18. Jessie Sallach&nbsp;drew a foul on a drive to the basket before hitting two free throws to extend the lead to multiple possessions, where it would remain for the rest of the afternoon.

Sallach's free throws triggered a 12-2 Tiger run over the final five-plus minutes of the second quarter, helping FHSU lead by 12 at the break, 32-20.Back-to-back 3-pointers from Katie Wagner and&nbsp;Ruddle to open the second half quickly ballooned the lead to 18 points, 38-20. Kate Dilssaver&nbsp;and Megan Earney&nbsp;&nbsp;both added triples in the third period, pushing the Tiger lead as high as 25 before FHSU led by 24 heading into the final frame, 53-29.

A 6-0 Tiger run midway through the fourth quarter gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game at 26, 64-38, before MSU Denver scored the final seven points to trim the final margin to 19.

Fort Hays State turned the ball over a season-low seven times while forcing 19 MSU Denver turnovers thanks to 10 steals. The Tigers shot 35.5 percent from the floor (22-of-62) and buried seven 3-pointers. After hitting their first 12 free throws, the Tigers finished 13-for-16 from the line (81.3 percent).<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/olivia-hollenbeck/7525">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;racked up a team-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting while blocking three shots on the day. Golladay and Ruddle added 12 points each, while Wagner paced the team with four assists and nine rebounds alongside nine points.

The Tigers will finally make their home debut this Saturday when FHSU hosts Tabor College beginning at 5 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700565092496.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State guard Sydney Golladay attempts a 3-point shot over&nbsp; MSU Denver's Brooklynn Jones (14) in the first half of an NCAA basketball game against MSU Denver in Denver, Monday, November 20, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Edwards Jacobs Jr.)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State guard Sydney Golladay attempts a 3-point shot over&nbsp; MSU Denver's Brooklynn Jones (14) in the first half of an NCAA basketball game against MSU Denver in Denver, Monday, November 20, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Edwards Jacobs Jr.)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/msu-denver/boxscore/12777">BOX SCORE</a>DENVER - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team moved to 4-0 to start the 2023-24 season after a 64-45 win over MSU Denver Monday afternoon (Nov. 20). The Tigers never trailed in the game for a third time this season, leading for more than 38 minutes on the day.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1670342277&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-20-2023-talia-kahrs-post-game-interview" title="Talia Kahrs Postgame at MSU Denver (Nov. 20, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Talia Kahrs Postgame at MSU Denver (Nov. 20, 2023)</a></div></div>Emma Ruddle opened the scoring with a 3-pointer before adding four early points at the free-throw line, scoring seven of FHSU's first 14 points. The Tigers led by as many as nine after Ruddle's second trip to the line, 14-5, before the Roadrunners scored the final four points in the quarter to close within five, 16-11.MSU Denver clawed within one possession twice in the second quarter, but Fort Hays State bounced back on the next trip down the floor on each occasion. The home team scored first in the period to close within three before Sydney Golladay&nbsp;hit a jumper to push the lead back to five. Ashlyn Yow later scored five points in 36 seconds for the Roadrunners, helping MSU Denver pull within two, 20-18. Jessie Sallach&nbsp;drew a foul on a drive to the basket before hitting two free throws to extend the lead to multiple possessions, where it would remain for the rest of the afternoon.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1670926557&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/at-msu-denver-nov-20-2023" title="Fort Hays State WBB Highlights at MSU Denver (Nov. 20, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State WBB Highlights at MSU Denver (Nov. 20, 2023)</a></div></div>Sallach's free throws triggered a 12-2 Tiger run over the final five-plus minutes of the second quarter, helping FHSU lead by 12 at the break, 32-20.Back-to-back 3-pointers from Katie Wagner and&nbsp;Ruddle to open the second half quickly ballooned the lead to 18 points, 38-20. Kate Dilssaver&nbsp;and Megan Earney&nbsp;&nbsp;both added triples in the third period, pushing the Tiger lead as high as 25 before FHSU led by 24 heading into the final frame, 53-29.A 6-0 Tiger run midway through the fourth quarter gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game at 26, 64-38, before MSU Denver scored the final seven points to trim the final margin to 19.Fort Hays State turned the ball over a season-low seven times while forcing 19 MSU Denver turnovers thanks to 10 steals. The Tigers shot 35.5 percent from the floor (22-of-62) and buried seven 3-pointers. After hitting their first 12 free throws, the Tigers finished 13-for-16 from the line (81.3 percent).<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/olivia-hollenbeck/7525">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;racked up a team-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting while blocking three shots on the day. Golladay and Ruddle added 12 points each, while Wagner paced the team with four assists and nine rebounds alongside nine points.UP NEXTThe Tigers will finally make their home debut this Saturday when FHSU hosts Tabor College beginning at 5 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 FHSU women move to 4-0 with win over Roadrunners

The TMP-Marian Monarchs landed eight players on the 2023 MCL
All-League football team released Monday by the league.

Of the eight players the Monarchs earned 13 spots on the
all-league teams.

You can find the complete list of all-league selection below.

Griffin Schumacher was a first-team selection at running
back and linebacker. He was also a second-team selection as a returner on
special teams.

Despite missing nearly two full games, Schumacher rushed for
853 yards and 13 touchdown. 

Joining Schumacher on the first-team offense was offensive
lineman Kendall Walker. Walker is a two-time first-team selection on the
offensive line.

Kolten Hagans earned his second all-league selection, being
named to the second team. He was joined on the second team by wide receiver
Adler Brown.

Evan Balthazor was an honorable mention selection.

Balthazor and Walker were both named to the first-team
defensive on the line. Walker is a two-time all MCL selection on defense.

Balthazor led the Monarchs with four sacks. Walker finished
with 3.5 sacks. 

TMP landed a pair of linebackers on the all-league team. 

Schumacher was a first-team selection and Ryan Casey was an
honorable mention pick. Casey led the Monarchs in tackles.

Peyton Schwartz was a first-team pick in the defensive
secondary, his second all-league honor, and Caden Dinkel was an honorable
mention pick. Dinkel finished with a team-high four interceptions.

Quarterback: Name: School 1st Team Eli Jones Norton 11

Honorable Mention Logan Russell Ellis 12

Running Backs: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Luke Franklin Smith Center 12 Rad Rodriquez Phillipsburg 12 *** Griffin Schumacher TMP 12

2nd Team Tyler Backman Norton 10 Jason Desbien Smith Center 12 Logan Willour Norton 11

Honorable Mention Tanner Horinek Phillipsburg 10 Logan Pfannenstiel Norton 12 Brayden Suchy Russell 11

Receivers: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Tyce Melvin Norton 11 Walker Middleton Russell 10 Caleb Noble Ellis 11 Mason Younger Ellis 12 ***

2nd Team Adler Brown TMP 11 Max Evans Russell 10 Dominick Hernandez Russell 10 Bodie Pfannenstiel Norton 12

Honorable Mention Bodie Bright, Jr. Plainville 11

Tight End: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Roman Hauser Norton 12 ***

2nd Team Roy Bright Jr. Plainville 11

Offensive Line: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Ivan Jirak Oakley 12 Kharson Montgomery Smith Center 10 Caden Seems Phillipsburg 11 Colton Stover Norton 11 Kendall Walker TMP 12

2nd Team Eli Franklin Smith Center 12 Kolten Hagans TMP 12 Mason Hogan Plainville 12 Zach Martinez Russell 12 Corbin Puga Norton 11

Honorable Mention Evan Balthazor TMP 12 Brody Mullins Norton 11 Zordyn Taylor Phillipsburg 12 Dylan Teselle Smith Center 12 Kaden Weltmer Smith Center 12 Defensive Line: Name: School: Grade:

1st Team Evan Balthazor TMP 12 Jason Desbien Smith Center 12 Roman Hauser Norton 12 Rad Rodriguez Phillipsburg 12 Kendall Walker TMP 12

2nd Team Kolten Hagans TMP 12 Roman Hernandez Russell 12 Mason Hogan Plainville 12 Corbin Puga Norton 11 Kharson Montgomery Smith Center 10

Honorable Mention Ryddik Bethel Plainville 10 Trevan Enfield Norton 11 Ivan Jirak Oakley 12 Caden Seems Phillipsburg 11 Colton Stover Norton 11 Logan Willour Norton 11 3-way tie for 5th spot in honorable mention. All 3 were honored.

Line Backers: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Eli Franklin Smith Center 12 Luke Franklin Smith Center 12 Seth Keeten Phillipsburg 11 Griffin Schumacher TMP 12

2nd Team Eli Jones Norton 11 Cole Keeten Phillipsburg 11 Brennen Pfannenstiel Norton 11 Brayden Suchy Russell 11

Honorable Mention Ryan Casey TMP 11 Max Evans Russell 10 Jesse Wilkerson Plainville 12 Mason Younger Ellis 12

Defensive Backs: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team AJ Brown Plainville 12 Parker Hutchinson Smith Center 10 Tyce Melvin Norton 11 Peyton Schwartz TMP 12

2nd Team Cooper Jones Smith Center 12 Ace Plummer Oakley 12 Hunter Sisson Phillipsburg 11 Trey Zorn Russell 10

Honorable Mention Roy Bright Jr Plainville 11 Caden Dinkel TMP 10 Tegan McKenzie Smith Center 12 Jatin Wiegel Norton 10

Kicker: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Eli Jones Norton 11

Honorable Mention Luke Franklin Smith Center 12 Ivan Reyes Oakley 12

Punter: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Eli Jones Norton 11 ***

2nd Team Jason Desbien Smith Center 12

Returner: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Aj Brown Plainville 12

Honorable Mention Mason Yonger Ellis 12

The TMP-Marian Monarchs landed eight players on the 2023 MCL
All-League football team released Monday by the league.Of the eight players the Monarchs earned 13 spots on the
all-league teams.You can find the complete list of all-league selection below.Griffin Schumacher was a first-team selection at running
back and linebacker. He was also a second-team selection as a returner on
special teams.Despite missing nearly two full games, Schumacher rushed for
853 yards and 13 touchdown. Joining Schumacher on the first-team offense was offensive
lineman Kendall Walker. Walker is a two-time first-team selection on the
offensive line.Kolten Hagans earned his second all-league selection, being
named to the second team. He was joined on the second team by wide receiver
Adler Brown.Evan Balthazor was an honorable mention selection.Balthazor and Walker were both named to the first-team
defensive on the line. Walker is a two-time all MCL selection on defense.Balthazor led the Monarchs with four sacks. Walker finished
with 3.5 sacks. Hagans was a second-team selection. TMP landed a pair of linebackers on the all-league team. Schumacher was a first-team selection and Ryan Casey was an
honorable mention pick. Casey led the Monarchs in tackles.Peyton Schwartz was a first-team pick in the defensive
secondary, his second all-league honor, and Caden Dinkel was an honorable
mention pick. Dinkel finished with a team-high four interceptions.Quarterback: Name: School 1st Team Eli Jones Norton 112nd Team AJ Brown Plainville 12Honorable Mention Logan Russell Ellis 12Running Backs: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Luke Franklin Smith Center 12 Rad Rodriquez Phillipsburg 12 *** Griffin Schumacher TMP 122nd Team Tyler Backman Norton 10 Jason Desbien Smith Center 12 Logan Willour Norton 11Honorable Mention Tanner Horinek Phillipsburg 10 Logan Pfannenstiel Norton 12 Brayden Suchy Russell 11Receivers: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Tyce Melvin Norton 11 Walker Middleton Russell 10 Caleb Noble Ellis 11 Mason Younger Ellis 12 ***2nd Team Adler Brown TMP 11 Max Evans Russell 10 Dominick Hernandez Russell 10 Bodie Pfannenstiel Norton 12Honorable Mention Bodie Bright, Jr. Plainville 11Tight End: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Roman Hauser Norton 12 ***2nd Team Roy Bright Jr. Plainville 11Offensive Line: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Ivan Jirak Oakley 12 Kharson Montgomery Smith Center 10 Caden Seems Phillipsburg 11 Colton Stover Norton 11 Kendall Walker TMP 122nd Team Eli Franklin Smith Center 12 Kolten Hagans TMP 12 Mason Hogan Plainville 12 Zach Martinez Russell 12 Corbin Puga Norton 11Honorable Mention Evan Balthazor TMP 12 Brody Mullins Norton 11 Zordyn Taylor Phillipsburg 12 Dylan Teselle Smith Center 12 Kaden Weltmer Smith Center 12 Defensive Line: Name: School: Grade:1st Team Evan Balthazor TMP 12 Jason Desbien Smith Center 12 Roman Hauser Norton 12 Rad Rodriguez Phillipsburg 12 Kendall Walker TMP 122nd Team Kolten Hagans TMP 12 Roman Hernandez Russell 12 Mason Hogan Plainville 12 Corbin Puga Norton 11 Kharson Montgomery Smith Center 10Honorable Mention Ryddik Bethel Plainville 10 Trevan Enfield Norton 11 Ivan Jirak Oakley 12 Caden Seems Phillipsburg 11 Colton Stover Norton 11 Logan Willour Norton 11 3-way tie for 5th spot in honorable mention. All 3 were honored.Line Backers: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Eli Franklin Smith Center 12 Luke Franklin Smith Center 12 Seth Keeten Phillipsburg 11 Griffin Schumacher TMP 122nd Team Eli Jones Norton 11 Cole Keeten Phillipsburg 11 Brennen Pfannenstiel Norton 11 Brayden Suchy Russell 11Honorable Mention Ryan Casey TMP 11 Max Evans Russell 10 Jesse Wilkerson Plainville 12 Mason Younger Ellis 12Defensive Backs: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team AJ Brown Plainville 12 Parker Hutchinson Smith Center 10 Tyce Melvin Norton 11 Peyton Schwartz TMP 122nd Team Cooper Jones Smith Center 12 Ace Plummer Oakley 12 Hunter Sisson Phillipsburg 11 Trey Zorn Russell 10Honorable Mention Roy Bright Jr Plainville 11 Caden Dinkel TMP 10 Tegan McKenzie Smith Center 12 Jatin Wiegel Norton 10Kicker: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Eli Jones Norton 112nd Team Logan Russell Ellis 12Honorable Mention Luke Franklin Smith Center 12 Ivan Reyes Oakley 12Punter: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Eli Jones Norton 11 ***2nd Team Jason Desbien Smith Center 12Honorable Mention Logan Russell Ellis 12Returner: Name: School: Grade: 1st Team Aj Brown Plainville 122nd Team Griffin Schumacher TMP 12Honorable Mention Mason Yonger Ellis 12

🏈 TMP lands eight on the All-MCL team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s CEO Council has approved a request from Northeastern State University to temporarily pause its MIAA football membership to compete as an NCAA Division II independent.

Last week, the MIAA approved Northeastern State University’s request to compete in the sport of football as an independent NCAA Division II football institution. Northeastern State will remain committed to MIAA membership in the nine remaining Division II teams the University sponsors.

The decision and approval give NSU a greater chance to gain success and rebuild its football program to MIAA standards. It also allows MIAA football programs to strengthen their schedules to better position themselves for postseason play.

Northeastern State will begin competing as an NCAA Division II independent in football in the 2024 season.

With the 2024 MIAA football schedule already released last spring, NSU will play their 2024 football season as a non-conference opponent for all MIAA schools. With NSU’s agreement and approval from the MIAA, football playing institutions will have the option to find other non-conference opponents the week they are scheduled to play the RiverHawks next fall.

The MIAA will soon approve schedules for the 2025 and 2026 seasons that will not include NSU.  

Following the 2025 season, NSU and the MIAA CEO Council will reassess the state of NSU's football program to determine its status for the 2027 and 2028 football seasons.

The MIAAKANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s CEO Council has approved a request from Northeastern State University to temporarily pause its MIAA football membership to compete as an NCAA Division II independent.Last week, the MIAA approved Northeastern State University’s request to compete in the sport of football as an independent NCAA Division II football institution. Northeastern State will remain committed to MIAA membership in the nine remaining Division II teams the University sponsors.The decision and approval give NSU a greater chance to gain success and rebuild its football program to MIAA standards. It also allows MIAA football programs to strengthen their schedules to better position themselves for postseason play.Northeastern State will begin competing as an NCAA Division II independent in football in the 2024 season.With the 2024 MIAA football schedule already released last spring, NSU will play their 2024 football season as a non-conference opponent for all MIAA schools. With NSU’s agreement and approval from the MIAA, football playing institutions will have the option to find other non-conference opponents the week they are scheduled to play the RiverHawks next fall.The MIAA will soon approve schedules for the 2025 and 2026 seasons that will not include NSU. Following the 2025 season, NSU and the MIAA CEO Council will reassess the state of NSU's football program to determine its status for the 2027 and 2028 football seasons.

🏈 MIAA approves Northeastern State's request to play as an Independent

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The Fort Hays State women's basketball team improved to 3-0 overall after defeating Colorado Mesa 65-62 on Sunday (Nov. 19). The win for the Tigers was highlighted by a 24-point, 10 rebound double-double from Katie Wagner. Three other Tigers also finished in double figures to help secure the victory.

The Mavericks came out strong on Sunday with two 3-pointers in the first 1:17 of the game. Fort Hays State found themselves in a hole, trailing 15-6 at the first timeout. The Tigers outscored Mesa 8-4 to close the first quarter, shrinking the gap to five points at 19-14. Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;led the scoring attack in the opening period with six points off two layups and two free throws.

Katie Wagner&nbsp;came alive in the second quarter with two quick buckets. The Tigers continued to pound the ball inside and were able to tie the game at 22-22 with 6:12 left to go in the second.

Colorado Mesa shot it at a 44.4 percent clip (4-of-9) from behind the 3-point line in the first half making it hard for FHSU to grab a lead, but the Tigers finally did with 3:41 to go in the half. From there, the lead was stretch to five for FHSU after five-straight points from Jessie Sallach. Both teams would exchange jabs to end the first half, but the Tigers went into the break with a 31-28 lead.

FHSU scored its most points on the day in the third quarter (22). The offense posted a 64.3 field percentage (9-of-14) in that frame, including seven points from Wagner and six from Sydney Golladay.

Down the stretch in the final quarter Emma Ruddle&nbsp;hit a shot to stretch the Tiger lead to eight, 62-54, but CMU would score six unanswered to increase the tension. After a few missed free throws and multiple defensive stands, there was a just a total of five points scored in the final 2:45.Despite shooting 9-of-15 from the free throw line as a team, Ellie Stearns&nbsp;stepped up to the line and netted the front end of a two-shot foul to make it a three point advantage for FHSU with 0:33 seconds left. Stearns would deliver again moments later when the Mavericks attempted to hoist the game-tying shot. Stearns was able to cleanly get her hand on the shot, misdirecting it straight up into the air during the closing second.

Hollenbeck finished with 12 points, while Golladay and Sallach both added 10. Wagner finished a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line on her way to a game-high 24 points. Golladay led the distributing efforts with four assists.

The Tigers will take the court again on Monday against MSU-Denver at the Auraria Event Center. The game is set to tip at 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700443115693.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Katie Wagner (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Katie Wagner (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsLAKEWOOD, Colo. – The Fort Hays State women's basketball team improved to 3-0 overall after defeating Colorado Mesa 65-62 on Sunday (Nov. 19). The win for the Tigers was highlighted by a 24-point, 10 rebound double-double from Katie Wagner. Three other Tigers also finished in double figures to help secure the victory.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1669489488&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-19-23-talia-kahrs-postgame" title="Talia Kahrs postgame vs. Colorado Mesa (Nov. 19, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Talia Kahrs postgame vs. Colorado Mesa (Nov. 19, 2023)</a></div></div>The Mavericks came out strong on Sunday with two 3-pointers in the first 1:17 of the game. Fort Hays State found themselves in a hole, trailing 15-6 at the first timeout. The Tigers outscored Mesa 8-4 to close the first quarter, shrinking the gap to five points at 19-14. Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;led the scoring attack in the opening period with six points off two layups and two free throws.Katie Wagner&nbsp;came alive in the second quarter with two quick buckets. The Tigers continued to pound the ball inside and were able to tie the game at 22-22 with 6:12 left to go in the second.Colorado Mesa shot it at a 44.4 percent clip (4-of-9) from behind the 3-point line in the first half making it hard for FHSU to grab a lead, but the Tigers finally did with 3:41 to go in the half. From there, the lead was stretch to five for FHSU after five-straight points from Jessie Sallach. Both teams would exchange jabs to end the first half, but the Tigers went into the break with a 31-28 lead.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1669488801&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-vs-colorado-mesa-highlights-11-19-23" title="Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Colorado Mesa (Nov. 19, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Colorado Mesa (Nov. 19, 2023)</a></div></div>FHSU scored its most points on the day in the third quarter (22). The offense posted a 64.3 field percentage (9-of-14) in that frame, including seven points from Wagner and six from Sydney Golladay.Down the stretch in the final quarter Emma Ruddle&nbsp;hit a shot to stretch the Tiger lead to eight, 62-54, but CMU would score six unanswered to increase the tension. After a few missed free throws and multiple defensive stands, there was a just a total of five points scored in the final 2:45.Despite shooting 9-of-15 from the free throw line as a team, Ellie Stearns&nbsp;stepped up to the line and netted the front end of a two-shot foul to make it a three point advantage for FHSU with 0:33 seconds left. Stearns would deliver again moments later when the Mavericks attempted to hoist the game-tying shot. Stearns was able to cleanly get her hand on the shot, misdirecting it straight up into the air during the closing second.Hollenbeck finished with 12 points, while Golladay and Sallach both added 10. Wagner finished a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line on her way to a game-high 24 points. Golladay led the distributing efforts with four assists.UP NEXT&nbsp;The Tigers will take the court again on Monday against MSU-Denver at the Auraria Event Center. The game is set to tip at 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger women hold off Colorado Mesa in Denver

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2023-24/msu-denver/boxscore/12745">BOX SCORE</a>

DENVER – Bjarni Jonsson hit a&nbsp;3-point field goal as time expired to force overtime but the Fort Hays State men's basketball team couldn't overcome an eight-point deficit in the extra period and lost 75-71 to MSU Denver Sunday afternoon at the Auraria Event Center.

The Tigers (2-1) rallied from a 14-point deficit with a little under eight minutes to play but the Roadrunners (4-0) scored the first eight points of the overtime then held off the Tigers late rally.

MSU Denver opened the game on a 7-1 run before FHSU answered with eight straight points to to up 9-7. It was part of a bigger 19-6 run capped by a Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;3-pointer which pushed the Tiger lead to 20-13. 

The Roadrunners closed out the first half on a 20-8 run for a 33-28 lead at the break then extended it 14 points with 7:50 remaining in the game.

The Tigers answered with a 9-0 run to get within four with just under three minutes to play. They and closed the second half on a 22-8 run to force the OT.

&nbsp;The Tigers forced a turnover to get the ball back with 28 seconds. They then worked the ball around and Jahiem Holden found an open Jonsson in the right corner who buried a three to tie the game as time expired.

MSU Denver scored the first eight points in the overtime as the Tigers missed their first five shots. A Conner Landell&nbsp;triggered an 8-2 FHSU run. Kaleb Hemmeke&nbsp;hit a pair 3-pointers to get the Tigers back within two with a little over a minute to play. 

The Tigers trailed by three again with just over 30 seconds to play and forced another turnover out of the Roadrunners. However, they turnedc the ball over. MSU Denver went made one of two free throws for the final margin.

Holden led the Tigers with 19 points and five assists, going 8-of-15 from the field and 3-of-7 beyond the 3-point line. Kaleb Hammeke added 13 points. Hammeke tied Shaun Riley&nbsp;for the team lead in rebounds with five each.

Brayden Maldonado led the MSU Denver effort with 21 points and five assists, hitting 8-of-13 field goal attempts with a 3-of-3 effort at the free-throw line. Mario Lacy, who scored the first six points of overtime for MSU Denver, finished with 14 points. McGill also reached double figures in scoring with 15 points. Lacy had a double-double, adding 16 rebounds.

Fort Hays State will host Central Christian College for its first home game of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for noon at Gross Memorial Coliseum.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700438442671.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Bjarni Jonsson shoots a 3-pointer in the second half of an NCAA basketball game against MSU Denver in Denver, Colo., Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Edward Jacobs Jr.)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Bjarni Jonsson shoots a 3-pointer in the second half of an NCAA basketball game against MSU Denver in Denver, Colo., Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Edward Jacobs Jr.)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2023-24/msu-denver/boxscore/12745">BOX SCORE</a>DENVER – Bjarni Jonsson hit a&nbsp;3-point field goal as time expired to force overtime but the Fort Hays State men's basketball team couldn't overcome an eight-point deficit in the extra period and lost 75-71 to MSU Denver Sunday afternoon at the Auraria Event Center.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1669490571&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-19-23-mark-johnson-postgame-interview-vs-msu" title="Mark Johnson postgame at MSU Denver (Nov. 19, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson postgame at MSU Denver (Nov. 19, 2023)</a></div></div>The Tigers (2-1) rallied from a 14-point deficit with a little under eight minutes to play but the Roadrunners (4-0) scored the first eight points of the overtime then held off the Tigers late rally.MSU Denver opened the game on a 7-1 run before FHSU answered with eight straight points to to up 9-7. It was part of a bigger 19-6 run capped by a Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;3-pointer which pushed the Tiger lead to 20-13. The Roadrunners closed out the first half on a 20-8 run for a 33-28 lead at the break then extended it 14 points with 7:50 remaining in the game.The Tigers answered with a 9-0 run to get within four with just under three minutes to play. They and closed the second half on a 22-8 run to force the OT.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1669489980&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-19-23-fhsu-mbkb-vs-msu-highlights" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at MSU Denver (Nov. 19, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at MSU Denver (Nov. 19, 2023)</a></div></div>&nbsp;The Tigers forced a turnover to get the ball back with 28 seconds. They then worked the ball around and Jahiem Holden found an open Jonsson in the right corner who buried a three to tie the game as time expired.MSU Denver scored the first eight points in the overtime as the Tigers missed their first five shots. A Conner Landell&nbsp;triggered an 8-2 FHSU run. Kaleb Hemmeke&nbsp;hit a pair 3-pointers to get the Tigers back within two with a little over a minute to play. The Tigers trailed by three again with just over 30 seconds to play and forced another turnover out of the Roadrunners. However, they turnedc the ball over. MSU Denver went made one of two free throws for the final margin.Holden led the Tigers with 19 points and five assists, going 8-of-15 from the field and 3-of-7 beyond the 3-point line. Kaleb Hammeke added 13 points. Hammeke tied Shaun Riley&nbsp;for the team lead in rebounds with five each.Brayden Maldonado led the MSU Denver effort with 21 points and five assists, hitting 8-of-13 field goal attempts with a 3-of-3 effort at the free-throw line. Mario Lacy, who scored the first six points of overtime for MSU Denver, finished with 14 points. McGill also reached double figures in scoring with 15 points. Lacy had a double-double, adding 16 rebounds.UP NEXTFort Hays State will host Central Christian College for its first home game of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for noon at Gross Memorial Coliseum.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men fall in overtime at MSU Denver

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Tournament MVP Nijel Pack scored 20 of his 28 points in the first half against his former school, and No. 12 Miami topped Kansas State 91-83 on Sunday to win the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas championship.

Norchad Omier scored 23 for the Hurricanes (5-0), who are essentially assured of tying a school record by being in the AP Top 25 for the 17th consecutive week when the new poll comes out Monday. Miami also had a run of 17 consecutive appearances in the 2015-16 season.

Wooga Poplar and Matthew Cleveland each scored 15 for Miami.

“It was so much fun for me,” Pack said. “We all came out ready to play. It was a really good game for us.”

Cam Carter scored 28 points — 24 in the second half — and Arthur Kaluma had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Kansas State (3-2), which fell to 0-2 against ranked opponents this season. The Wildcats started the year with a loss to then-No. 21 USC in Las Vegas.

Tylor Perry and David N'Guessan had 10 apiece for Kansas State, which trailed by as many as 24 early in the second half but outscored Miami 30-16 over the final 6 1/2 minutes.

“That's the character of our team," Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “I'm very, very proud of them for the second half.”

The difference was 3-point shooting — Miami was 12 of 24 from beyond the arc, Kansas State just 4 of 28. Pack's seven 3's tied his best in a Miami uniform; he had eight on two occasions while playing for the Wildcats.

“I think everybody knows that Nijel was probably extremely well motivated because he had been a player for the Kansas State Wildcats," Miami coach Jim Larrañaga said.

Pack spent his first two college seasons at Kansas State, averaging 15.3 points and 2.9 assists in 53 games there. He transferred before last season, helped the Hurricanes reach the Final Four and is now three makes shy of 100 3-pointers at Miami.

“He was always a really good player. ... I thought we did a better job on him in the second half, but first half, he was pretty special,” Tang said.

Pack's seventh 3-pointer on Sunday gave Miami a 73-51 lead with 7:17 left. That cushion got cut down considerably in the next few minutes.

Kansas State outscored Miami 19-4 over a 4-minute stretch of the second half, getting within 79-70 on a jumper by Carter with 2:48 remaining. Carter had 11 of Kansas State's points during that spurt.

But Miami would hang on. Cleveland had a putback tip-in to give Miami an 11-point lead with 2:26 left and Omier had the next eight points for the Hurricanes — who matched their best start since the 2018-19 season. It’s the fifth time in Larrañaga's 13-year tenure at Miami that the Hurricanes have opened a season 5-0 or better.

“I'm most pleased that we're 5-0,” Larrañaga said. “The teams we've played are good.”

Kansas State: The Wildcats had won eight consecutive games against Division I teams from the state of Florida until last March, when they lost to Florida Atlantic in the Elite Eight — and now, they've lost to Miami as well. Their next game against a team from the Sunshine State is Jan. 6, when they open Big 12 play against UCF.

Miami: It was the first game of the season in which the Hurricanes didn't have a run of at least 10 consecutive unanswered points. They didn't need one — a pair of 7-0 runs in the opening minutes built a 15-4 lead, and an 8-0 run early in the second half pushed Miami's edge to 57-33.

The tournament announced the field for the 2024 Baha Mar event. It'll be Virginia, Baylor, St. John's and Tennessee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700432412678.png" alt="Miami's Nigel Pack (24) brings the ball up the court against Kansas State's Cam Carter (5) in the finals of the&nbsp; Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship in&nbsp; NASSAU, The Bahamas, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (Kansas State Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Miami's Nigel Pack (24) brings the ball up the court against Kansas State's Cam Carter (5) in the finals of the&nbsp; Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship in&nbsp; NASSAU, The Bahamas, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (Kansas State Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Tournament MVP Nijel Pack scored 20 of his 28 points in the first half against his former school, and No. 12 Miami topped Kansas State 91-83 on Sunday to win the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas championship.Norchad Omier scored 23 for the Hurricanes (5-0), who are essentially assured of tying a school record by being in the AP Top 25 for the 17th consecutive week when the new poll comes out Monday. Miami also had a run of 17 consecutive appearances in the 2015-16 season.Wooga Poplar and Matthew Cleveland each scored 15 for Miami.“It was so much fun for me,” Pack said. “We all came out ready to play. It was a really good game for us.”Cam Carter scored 28 points — 24 in the second half — and Arthur Kaluma had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Kansas State (3-2), which fell to 0-2 against ranked opponents this season. The Wildcats started the year with a loss to then-No. 21 USC in Las Vegas.Tylor Perry and David N'Guessan had 10 apiece for Kansas State, which trailed by as many as 24 early in the second half but outscored Miami 30-16 over the final 6 1/2 minutes.“That's the character of our team," Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “I'm very, very proud of them for the second half.”The difference was 3-point shooting — Miami was 12 of 24 from beyond the arc, Kansas State just 4 of 28. Pack's seven 3's tied his best in a Miami uniform; he had eight on two occasions while playing for the Wildcats.“I think everybody knows that Nijel was probably extremely well motivated because he had been a player for the Kansas State Wildcats," Miami coach Jim Larrañaga said.Pack spent his first two college seasons at Kansas State, averaging 15.3 points and 2.9 assists in 53 games there. He transferred before last season, helped the Hurricanes reach the Final Four and is now three makes shy of 100 3-pointers at Miami.“He was always a really good player. ... I thought we did a better job on him in the second half, but first half, he was pretty special,” Tang said.Pack's seventh 3-pointer on Sunday gave Miami a 73-51 lead with 7:17 left. That cushion got cut down considerably in the next few minutes.Kansas State outscored Miami 19-4 over a 4-minute stretch of the second half, getting within 79-70 on a jumper by Carter with 2:48 remaining. Carter had 11 of Kansas State's points during that spurt.But Miami would hang on. Cleveland had a putback tip-in to give Miami an 11-point lead with 2:26 left and Omier had the next eight points for the Hurricanes — who matched their best start since the 2018-19 season. It’s the fifth time in Larrañaga's 13-year tenure at Miami that the Hurricanes have opened a season 5-0 or better.“I'm most pleased that we're 5-0,” Larrañaga said. “The teams we've played are good.”BIG PICTUREKansas State: The Wildcats had won eight consecutive games against Division I teams from the state of Florida until last March, when they lost to Florida Atlantic in the Elite Eight — and now, they've lost to Miami as well. Their next game against a team from the Sunshine State is Jan. 6, when they open Big 12 play against UCF.Miami: It was the first game of the season in which the Hurricanes didn't have a run of at least 10 consecutive unanswered points. They didn't need one — a pair of 7-0 runs in the opening minutes built a 15-4 lead, and an 8-0 run early in the second half pushed Miami's edge to 57-33.NEXT YEARThe tournament announced the field for the 2024 Baha Mar event. It'll be Virginia, Baylor, St. John's and Tennessee.UP NEXTKansas State: Host Central Arkansas on Wednesday.Miami: Visit Kentucky on Nov. 28 in the ACC-SEC challenge.