ST. JOSEPH, Mo – Fort Hays State saw its five-game win streak snapped on Saturday (Jan. 4) in a 47-44 loss at Missouri Western. The Tigers turned in another strong defensive performance, but could not find enough offense in the second half to keep their streak alive. FHSU moved to 9-4 overall, 2-2 in the MIAA, while MWSU moved to 10-4 overall, also 2-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State took its first lead of the game on a Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;basket at the 12:39 mark of the first half. It was part of a 7-0 run by the Tigers on the way to a 12-8 lead just over halfway through the opening half. A 6-0 burst just a few moments later put the Tigers up 18-10, their largest lead of the game. FHSU went on to lead 22-18 at the break.

With his first assist of the game in the first half, Hammeke became the fourth player in FHSU men's basketball history to reach 500 career assists. He also became the first player in program history to have at least 1,700 points and 500 assists after being part of the club of at least 1,600 points and 400 assists with Raymond Lee and Mark Wilson.

After FHSU made the first basket of the second half, Missouri Western crawled back in front 26-24 with an 8-0 run over a span of about three minutes. Muhamed Kante&nbsp;briefly put the Tigers back on top 27-26 with a baseline jumper at the 12:49 mark, but it would be the final lead of the game for FHSU. The Tigers were able to tie the game twice more, the latest at the 9:37 mark, but a 6-0 burst by the Griffons a bit later pushed their advantage to eight, their largest of the game.

The Tigers made a late 11-4 run at the Griffons to get the lead back down to one twice. They had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds, but a stepback jumper by Hammeke just inside the 3-point arc was long and the Griffons secured the rebound and closed the game with a pair of free throws with under a second to play.

Free throws wound up being the difference in the game. Missouri Western made 12 compared to seven for FHSU. The Griffons shot 16 attempts and missed four, while the Tigers shot 10 attempts and missed three. FHSU made one more field goal than MWSU and had a high shooting percentage from the field, while both teams went 3-of-15 beyond the 3-point line.

Fort Hays State held Missouri Western to just 28.1 percent shooting overall, but mustered just a 34 percent effort of its own. FHSU turned the ball over 11 times compared to nine for MWSU.

Just a couple of days after holding Northwest Missouri State to its fewest points in a game since the 1959-60 season, the Tigers were held to their fewest points since the 2011-12 season when they scored just 40 in a loss at Central Missouri. However, the Tigers still managed to hold the Griffons to less than 50 points for the fourth-straight games between the teams and fifth time in the last six meetings.

Hammeke led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points and tied for the team lead in rebounds with Shaun Riley, each securing six. Hammeke led in assists as well with four. He was the only Tiger to reach double figures in scoring.

Zane Nelson was the only Griffons player to reach double figures in scoring with 12 points. Zion Swader and Ethan Killgore each had nine, combining for seven of MWSU's 12 made free throws in the game.

Fort Hays State will be at home for its next four games in a row, starting with contests against Nebraska-Kearney (Tue. Jan. 7) and Emporia State (Thur. Jan. 9) next week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736056121816.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsST. JOSEPH, Mo – Fort Hays State saw its five-game win streak snapped on Saturday (Jan. 4) in a 47-44 loss at Missouri Western. The Tigers turned in another strong defensive performance, but could not find enough offense in the second half to keep their streak alive. FHSU moved to 9-4 overall, 2-2 in the MIAA, while MWSU moved to 10-4 overall, also 2-2 in the MIAA.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2001141255&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-814667509/01-04-24-fhsu-mbkb-coach-interview-v-miss-w-state" title="Mark Johnson Postgame at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State took its first lead of the game on a Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;basket at the 12:39 mark of the first half. It was part of a 7-0 run by the Tigers on the way to a 12-8 lead just over halfway through the opening half. A 6-0 burst just a few moments later put the Tigers up 18-10, their largest lead of the game. FHSU went on to lead 22-18 at the break.With his first assist of the game in the first half, Hammeke became the fourth player in FHSU men's basketball history to reach 500 career assists. He also became the first player in program history to have at least 1,700 points and 500 assists after being part of the club of at least 1,600 points and 400 assists with Raymond Lee and Mark Wilson.After FHSU made the first basket of the second half, Missouri Western crawled back in front 26-24 with an 8-0 run over a span of about three minutes. Muhamed Kante&nbsp;briefly put the Tigers back on top 27-26 with a baseline jumper at the 12:49 mark, but it would be the final lead of the game for FHSU. The Tigers were able to tie the game twice more, the latest at the 9:37 mark, but a 6-0 burst by the Griffons a bit later pushed their advantage to eight, their largest of the game.The Tigers made a late 11-4 run at the Griffons to get the lead back down to one twice. They had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds, but a stepback jumper by Hammeke just inside the 3-point arc was long and the Griffons secured the rebound and closed the game with a pair of free throws with under a second to play.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2001141251&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-814667509/1-4-25-fhsu-mbkb-hilights-v-miss-w-state" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)</a></div></div>Free throws wound up being the difference in the game. Missouri Western made 12 compared to seven for FHSU. The Griffons shot 16 attempts and missed four, while the Tigers shot 10 attempts and missed three. FHSU made one more field goal than MWSU and had a high shooting percentage from the field, while both teams went 3-of-15 beyond the 3-point line.Fort Hays State held Missouri Western to just 28.1 percent shooting overall, but mustered just a 34 percent effort of its own. FHSU turned the ball over 11 times compared to nine for MWSU.Just a couple of days after holding Northwest Missouri State to its fewest points in a game since the 1959-60 season, the Tigers were held to their fewest points since the 2011-12 season when they scored just 40 in a loss at Central Missouri. However, the Tigers still managed to hold the Griffons to less than 50 points for the fourth-straight games between the teams and fifth time in the last six meetings.Hammeke led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points and tied for the team lead in rebounds with Shaun Riley, each securing six. Hammeke led in assists as well with four. He was the only Tiger to reach double figures in scoring.Zane Nelson was the only Griffons player to reach double figures in scoring with 12 points. Zion Swader and Ethan Killgore each had nine, combining for seven of MWSU's 12 made free throws in the game.UP NEXTFort Hays State will be at home for its next four games in a row, starting with contests against Nebraska-Kearney (Tue. Jan. 7) and Emporia State (Thur. Jan. 9) next week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men come up short at Missouri Western

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the 2024-25 season on Saturday, losing to Missouri Western by one, 67-66. The Tigers (12-1, 3-1 MIAA) led by as many as 11 in the first half, but a basket with less than four seconds remaining handed the Griffons (9-3, 4-0 MIAA) the lead for good.

The Griffons have now won five of the last seven games against the Tigers, with all five of those MWSU wins being decided by three or fewer points.

Despite the early 11 a.m. start, both teams showed up to the gym ready to play. The Tigers hit 62.8 percent from the floor over the first 10 minutes (10-of-16), while the Griffons poured in 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter (8-of-16). Five of Missouri Western's first six field goals were 3-pointers, allowing the Griffons to lead by as many as four early on. Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;got things going early and often, scoring eight points in the first four minutes. Those eight points allowed the graduate student to climb into second place on the FHSU all-time scoring list, passing Kate Lehman (1,917 points). DeGarmo finished the game with a season-high 23 points, giving her 1,933 points in 136 career games in a Tiger uniform.

The lead changed hands four times in the opening frame, with FHSU leading 23-22 after 10 minutes of action. The Tigers kept things rolling on offense in the second quarter while turning up the pressure on defense, opening the frame on a 13-3 run to build an 11-point lead, 36-25. The Griffons hit just 1-of-7 from the floor and turned the ball over six times over the first seven minutes of the frame before clicking back into gear heading into halftime. The home team closed the half on a 10-0 run, closing within 36-35 at the break.

DeGarmo was perfect from the floor in the first half, knocking down all eight of her attempts to total 17 points alongside seven rebounds, one assist and one steal.

An Ellie Stearns&nbsp;3-pointer put the Tigers up four early in the second half before Missouri Western used a 10-2 run to take a four-point lead of its own, 47-43. The Griffons later led by as many as five three separate times, tied for FHSU's largest deficit of the season.

The Griffons went up by five for the final time with 7:18 remaining in the contest before Brooke Loewe&nbsp;responded with her second 3-pointer of the game. Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;then knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the score with six minutes on the clock. Missouri Western answered with a triple two possessions later, but Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;punched right back with a long-range make of her own to tie the score again at 62.Hollenbeck later tied the score again at 64 with a basket before handing FHSU a two-point lead with three minutes to go with two more free throws. The Tiger defense did all it could down the stretch to seal the win, forcing five-straight misses and a pair of turnovers over a four-minute stretch to cling to the lead.

The offense, however, struggled down the stretch, with FHSU combining to miss its final three shots from the floor and its final four free-throw attempts while turning the ball over twice in the final two minutes.

After two Tiger free-throw attempts rattled out with 15 seconds to go, the Griffons were able to regain the lead for the final time on a layup with less than four seconds to go.

DeGarmo finished the game with 10 rebounds alongside her game-high 23 points, giving her a second double-double of the season. Loewe contributed 10 points and a career-high 12 assists, giving the Tigers a pair of double-doubles in the same game for the first time since December 2023.Hollenbeck scored 10 points and added four rebounds, while Talexa Weeter&nbsp;scored 11 points and added one block off the bench.

Fort Hays State created 19 Griffon turnovers while the Tigers turned the ball over 16 times themselves. Both teams collected 36 rebounds. Missouri Western finished the game with 12 made 3-pointers.

The Tigers will return home to play their next four games inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The homestand begins Tuesday when FHSU hosts Nebraska-Kearney beginning at 5:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736055744322.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the 2024-25 season on Saturday, losing to Missouri Western by one, 67-66. The Tigers (12-1, 3-1 MIAA) led by as many as 11 in the first half, but a basket with less than four seconds remaining handed the Griffons (9-3, 4-0 MIAA) the lead for good.The Griffons have now won five of the last seven games against the Tigers, with all five of those MWSU wins being decided by three or fewer points.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2001072147&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-814667509/01-04-24-fhsu-wbkb-coach-interview-v-miss-w-state" title="Talia Kahrs Postgame at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Talia Kahrs Postgame at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)</a></div></div>Despite the early 11 a.m. start, both teams showed up to the gym ready to play. The Tigers hit 62.8 percent from the floor over the first 10 minutes (10-of-16), while the Griffons poured in 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter (8-of-16). Five of Missouri Western's first six field goals were 3-pointers, allowing the Griffons to lead by as many as four early on. Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;got things going early and often, scoring eight points in the first four minutes. Those eight points allowed the graduate student to climb into second place on the FHSU all-time scoring list, passing Kate Lehman (1,917 points). DeGarmo finished the game with a season-high 23 points, giving her 1,933 points in 136 career games in a Tiger uniform.The lead changed hands four times in the opening frame, with FHSU leading 23-22 after 10 minutes of action. The Tigers kept things rolling on offense in the second quarter while turning up the pressure on defense, opening the frame on a 13-3 run to build an 11-point lead, 36-25. The Griffons hit just 1-of-7 from the floor and turned the ball over six times over the first seven minutes of the frame before clicking back into gear heading into halftime. The home team closed the half on a 10-0 run, closing within 36-35 at the break.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2001072103&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-814667509/1-4-25-fhsu-wbkb-hilights-v-miss-w-state" title="#3 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">#3 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights at Missouri Western State (Jan. 4, 2025)</a></div></div>DeGarmo was perfect from the floor in the first half, knocking down all eight of her attempts to total 17 points alongside seven rebounds, one assist and one steal.An Ellie Stearns&nbsp;3-pointer put the Tigers up four early in the second half before Missouri Western used a 10-2 run to take a four-point lead of its own, 47-43. The Griffons later led by as many as five three separate times, tied for FHSU's largest deficit of the season.The Griffons went up by five for the final time with 7:18 remaining in the contest before Brooke Loewe&nbsp;responded with her second 3-pointer of the game. Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;then knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the score with six minutes on the clock. Missouri Western answered with a triple two possessions later, but Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;punched right back with a long-range make of her own to tie the score again at 62.Hollenbeck later tied the score again at 64 with a basket before handing FHSU a two-point lead with three minutes to go with two more free throws. The Tiger defense did all it could down the stretch to seal the win, forcing five-straight misses and a pair of turnovers over a four-minute stretch to cling to the lead.The offense, however, struggled down the stretch, with FHSU combining to miss its final three shots from the floor and its final four free-throw attempts while turning the ball over twice in the final two minutes.After two Tiger free-throw attempts rattled out with 15 seconds to go, the Griffons were able to regain the lead for the final time on a layup with less than four seconds to go.DeGarmo finished the game with 10 rebounds alongside her game-high 23 points, giving her a second double-double of the season. Loewe contributed 10 points and a career-high 12 assists, giving the Tigers a pair of double-doubles in the same game for the first time since December 2023.Hollenbeck scored 10 points and added four rebounds, while Talexa Weeter&nbsp;scored 11 points and added one block off the bench.Fort Hays State created 19 Griffon turnovers while the Tigers turned the ball over 16 times themselves. Both teams collected 36 rebounds. Missouri Western finished the game with 12 made 3-pointers.UP NEXTThe Tigers will return home to play their next four games inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The homestand begins Tuesday when FHSU hosts Nebraska-Kearney beginning at 5:30 p.m.

🏀 Griffons clip No. 3 Tiger women

Fort Hays State (9-3, 2-1 MIAA) at Missouri Western (9-4, 1-2 MIAA) Saturday, January 4&nbsp;• 1 p.m. St. Joseph, Mo.&nbsp;• MWSU Fieldhouse

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

Fort Hays State continues its two-game road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western. Tipoff has been moved up 2 1/2 hours to 1 p.m. due to winter weather forecasted this weekend. The Tigers enter on a five-game win streak with a record of 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while the Griffons are 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State ended its eight-game winless drought at Northwest Missouri State on Thursday night in dominating fashion defensively. The Tigers posted a 58-39 win over the Bearcats, their largest win ever in Maryville and first at Bearcat Arena since 2013. Northwest Missouri was held inside of 40 points in a game for the first time since the 1959-60 season. FHSU lowered its season scoring defense average to 60.8 per game, which leads the MIAA and ranks sixth nationally. FHSU is now 6-0 this season when holding teams inside of 60 points.

Missouri Western dropped its second-straight game on Thursday night. Nebraska-Kearney escaped MWSU Fieldhouse with 75-69 win, pushing the Griffons a game under .500 in conference play. Missouri Western started the season 8-1, but has lost three of its last four contests, all at home. Missouri Western joined Fort Hays State in the receiving votes section of the latest NABC Top 25 Poll released back on Tuesday.

Fort Hays State owns a three-game win streak over Missouri Western going back to the 2022-23 season. The Tigers swept the regular season series between the teams last year by scores of 73-49 in Hays and 55-40 in St. Joseph. FHSU has won two of the last three meetings with MWSU in St. Joseph and five of the last six overall between the schools.

The Tigers are currently on their longest win streak since the 2022-23 season, when they had a six-game win streak. The Tigers also had a seven-game streak earlier that season. The Tigers lead the MIAA and rank third nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.8 percent. The Tigers also lead the MIAA and rank fifth nationally in fewest turnovers per game at 9.3. The Tigers are holding teams to 39.1 percent shooting overall, which ranks 13th&nbsp;nationally.

Kaleb Hammeke is on the verge of a couple more milestones heading into Saturday's contest. He is only one assist from 500 for his career, which would make him the only player in program history with at least 1,700 points and 500 assists. He is only 27 points shy of the all-time scoring record at Fort Hays State of 1,766 points, held by Alonzo Goldston. Hammeke averages 15.0 points and 4.8 assists per game this season.

Kyle Grill&nbsp;ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, while Shaun Riley is third at 11.5 per game. Grill leads the team in 3-point field goals made with 22, while Riley leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 per game.

Zane Nelson leads three Missouri Western players who average double figures in scoring at 16.2 points per game. Zion Swader averages 11.3 and Julius Dixon averages 11.1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735938472999.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State (9-3, 2-1 MIAA) at Missouri Western (9-4, 1-2 MIAA) Saturday, January 4&nbsp;• 1 p.m. St. Joseph, Mo.&nbsp;• MWSU FieldhouseRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>Fort Hays State continues its two-game road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western. Tipoff has been moved up 2 1/2 hours to 1 p.m. due to winter weather forecasted this weekend. The Tigers enter on a five-game win streak with a record of 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while the Griffons are 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.Fort Hays State ended its eight-game winless drought at Northwest Missouri State on Thursday night in dominating fashion defensively. The Tigers posted a 58-39 win over the Bearcats, their largest win ever in Maryville and first at Bearcat Arena since 2013. Northwest Missouri was held inside of 40 points in a game for the first time since the 1959-60 season. FHSU lowered its season scoring defense average to 60.8 per game, which leads the MIAA and ranks sixth nationally. FHSU is now 6-0 this season when holding teams inside of 60 points.Missouri Western dropped its second-straight game on Thursday night. Nebraska-Kearney escaped MWSU Fieldhouse with 75-69 win, pushing the Griffons a game under .500 in conference play. Missouri Western started the season 8-1, but has lost three of its last four contests, all at home. Missouri Western joined Fort Hays State in the receiving votes section of the latest NABC Top 25 Poll released back on Tuesday.Fort Hays State owns a three-game win streak over Missouri Western going back to the 2022-23 season. The Tigers swept the regular season series between the teams last year by scores of 73-49 in Hays and 55-40 in St. Joseph. FHSU has won two of the last three meetings with MWSU in St. Joseph and five of the last six overall between the schools.The Tigers are currently on their longest win streak since the 2022-23 season, when they had a six-game win streak. The Tigers also had a seven-game streak earlier that season. The Tigers lead the MIAA and rank third nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.8 percent. The Tigers also lead the MIAA and rank fifth nationally in fewest turnovers per game at 9.3. The Tigers are holding teams to 39.1 percent shooting overall, which ranks 13th&nbsp;nationally.Kaleb Hammeke is on the verge of a couple more milestones heading into Saturday's contest. He is only one assist from 500 for his career, which would make him the only player in program history with at least 1,700 points and 500 assists. He is only 27 points shy of the all-time scoring record at Fort Hays State of 1,766 points, held by Alonzo Goldston. Hammeke averages 15.0 points and 4.8 assists per game this season.Kyle Grill&nbsp;ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, while Shaun Riley is third at 11.5 per game. Grill leads the team in 3-point field goals made with 22, while Riley leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 per game.Zane Nelson leads three Missouri Western players who average double figures in scoring at 16.2 points per game. Zion Swader averages 11.3 and Julius Dixon averages 11.1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN: Tigers continue road swing at Missouri Western State

#3/#4 Fort Hays State (12-0, 3-0 MIAA) at Missouri Western (8-3, 3-0 MIAA) Saturday, January 4, 2025 • 11 a.m. St. Joseph, Mo. • MWSU Fieldhouse

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

The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will look to continue its undefeated season Saturday (Jan. 4) when the Tigers take on Missouri Western beginning at 11 a.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph, Mo. Opening tipoff has been moved up 2 1/2 hours due to the&nbsp;impending winter weather.

The matchup will feature two of the last three teams that are undefeated in MIAA play, with the Tigers entering the contest 12-0 overall and 3-0 in MIAA play and the Griffons heading into the weekend 8-3 on the year and 3-0 in conference action. 14th-ranked Pittsburg State (11-2, 3-0 MIAA) is the only other MIAA women's basketball team yet to lose a conference game this season.

Fort Hays State is hoping to avenge a pair of losses from last year when the Griffons completed the season sweep of FHSU thanks to a pair of come-from-behind wins.

Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;nearly averages a double-double when playing Missouri Western, with the graduate student averaging 17.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 10 games against the Griffons. She's scored 20-plus in each of the last four meetings and has five double-doubles and seven games with 10 or more points against MWSU.

DeGarmo heads into the contest with 1,910 points in her storied career, seven behind tying Tiger Sports Hall-of-Famer Kate Lehman for second all-time on the FHSU scoring list (1,917 points).

After totaling 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting to help the Tigers defeat Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;climbed to third across all Division II with a shooting percentage of 67.2 percent. She ranks fourth in the conference with a team-best 17.3 points per game while she leads the conference with 2.83 steals per game and sits fourth in the league with 1.67 blocks per night.

Hollenbeck has scored in double figures eight times in 10 tries against the Griffons, averaging 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists when playing the Griffons.

Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;opened the new year with a sharp-shooting effort in Maryville, with the senior knocking down a career-best four 3-pointers on seven attempts in Thursday's win. She has now scored in double figures five times this season, more than any other season in her FHSU tenure.

Dilsaver has scored in double figures three times in eight career matchups with Missouri Western.

Brooke Loewe&nbsp;dished out six more assists in the win over the Bearcats, giving her 74 dimes for the year, fourth-most in all Division II. She leads the conference and ranks ninth in DII with an average of 6.2 assists per game. That pace would set the all-time program record for season assist average, breaking All-American Jaden Hobb's mark of 6.0 assists per game in the 2020-21 season.

The Tigers are 34-27 all-time against the Griffons, while Missouri Western leads 17-11 in games played in St. Joseph, Mo. The Griffons hold a two-game winning streak after the Tigers had won nine of 12 meetings from 2018 to 2023. Fort Hays State is 0-2 against MWSU during the Talia Kahrs&nbsp;era, including an 0-1 mark on the road. The road team has won six of the last eight on-campus meetings. Fort Hays State is 17-12 against the Griffons in MIAA regular season conference contests.

The defending MIAA champions are 8-3 on the year and 3-0 in conference play. After starting the year 2-3, the Griffons have rattled off six-straight wins and have not lost since November 20. First-year head coach Ashton Feldhaus' team lives and dies by the 3-pointer, with the Griffons currently ranking fourth in all Division II in both long-range makes (9.9 per game) and attempts (29.5 per game). Alyssa Bonilla leads the team and ranks sixth in the MIAA with an average of 16.5 points per game, while she is second in the league behind Loewe with an average of 4.9 assists per contest. Matilda Soderlund hits more than three shots from behind the arc per contest, tops in the MIAA and eighth-most in DII.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735932721912.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics#3/#4 Fort Hays State (12-0, 3-0 MIAA) at Missouri Western (8-3, 3-0 MIAA) Saturday, January 4, 2025 • 11 a.m. St. Joseph, Mo. • MWSU FieldhouseRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a>| Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will look to continue its undefeated season Saturday (Jan. 4) when the Tigers take on Missouri Western beginning at 11 a.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph, Mo. Opening tipoff has been moved up 2 1/2 hours due to the&nbsp;impending winter weather.The matchup will feature two of the last three teams that are undefeated in MIAA play, with the Tigers entering the contest 12-0 overall and 3-0 in MIAA play and the Griffons heading into the weekend 8-3 on the year and 3-0 in conference action. 14th-ranked Pittsburg State (11-2, 3-0 MIAA) is the only other MIAA women's basketball team yet to lose a conference game this season.Fort Hays State is hoping to avenge a pair of losses from last year when the Griffons completed the season sweep of FHSU thanks to a pair of come-from-behind wins.Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;nearly averages a double-double when playing Missouri Western, with the graduate student averaging 17.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 10 games against the Griffons. She's scored 20-plus in each of the last four meetings and has five double-doubles and seven games with 10 or more points against MWSU.DeGarmo heads into the contest with 1,910 points in her storied career, seven behind tying Tiger Sports Hall-of-Famer Kate Lehman for second all-time on the FHSU scoring list (1,917 points).After totaling 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting to help the Tigers defeat Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;climbed to third across all Division II with a shooting percentage of 67.2 percent. She ranks fourth in the conference with a team-best 17.3 points per game while she leads the conference with 2.83 steals per game and sits fourth in the league with 1.67 blocks per night.Hollenbeck has scored in double figures eight times in 10 tries against the Griffons, averaging 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists when playing the Griffons.Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;opened the new year with a sharp-shooting effort in Maryville, with the senior knocking down a career-best four 3-pointers on seven attempts in Thursday's win. She has now scored in double figures five times this season, more than any other season in her FHSU tenure.Dilsaver has scored in double figures three times in eight career matchups with Missouri Western.Brooke Loewe&nbsp;dished out six more assists in the win over the Bearcats, giving her 74 dimes for the year, fourth-most in all Division II. She leads the conference and ranks ninth in DII with an average of 6.2 assists per game. That pace would set the all-time program record for season assist average, breaking All-American Jaden Hobb's mark of 6.0 assists per game in the 2020-21 season.The Tigers are 34-27 all-time against the Griffons, while Missouri Western leads 17-11 in games played in St. Joseph, Mo. The Griffons hold a two-game winning streak after the Tigers had won nine of 12 meetings from 2018 to 2023. Fort Hays State is 0-2 against MWSU during the Talia Kahrs&nbsp;era, including an 0-1 mark on the road. The road team has won six of the last eight on-campus meetings. Fort Hays State is 17-12 against the Griffons in MIAA regular season conference contests.The defending MIAA champions are 8-3 on the year and 3-0 in conference play. After starting the year 2-3, the Griffons have rattled off six-straight wins and have not lost since November 20. First-year head coach Ashton Feldhaus' team lives and dies by the 3-pointer, with the Griffons currently ranking fourth in all Division II in both long-range makes (9.9 per game) and attempts (29.5 per game). Alyssa Bonilla leads the team and ranks sixth in the MIAA with an average of 16.5 points per game, while she is second in the league behind Loewe with an average of 4.9 assists per contest. Matilda Soderlund hits more than three shots from behind the arc per contest, tops in the MIAA and eighth-most in DII.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN: #3 FHSU women battle Griffons Saturday morning

Voice of the Chiefs Mitch Holthus previews Sunday's regular season finale in Denver.

The Holthus Hotline airs Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. on 96.9, KFIX.

Voice of the Chiefs Mitch Holthus previews Sunday's regular season finale in Denver.The Holthus Hotline airs Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. on 96.9, KFIX.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2000334295%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-o211rkEJmja&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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/holthus-hotline-jan-4-2025/s-o211rkEJmja" title="Holthus Hotline (Jan. 4, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Holthus Hotline (Jan. 4, 2025)</a></div></div>

🎧 Holthus Hotline with Voice of the Chiefs Mitch Holthus

Saturday, January 4
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Missouri Western State, 1:05pm

Sunday, January 5
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at
UCF, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 2pm

Saturday, January 4
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Missouri Western State, 1:05pmSunday, January 5
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at
UCF, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 2pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Fort Hays State defensive lineman Myles Menges&nbsp;was named one of 14 finalists from NCAA Division II for the annual Cliff Harris Award. The award is given to the top small college defensive player in the country at the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA levels. Starting last year, winners from all three levels are selected for the award instead of only one award given to just one individual combining all three levels.

Menges, the 2024 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, is the fifth Tiger defensive player under head coach Chris Brown's tenure to be named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award. Menges joins Brock Long (2015), Sie Doe, Jr. (2016), Nathan Shepherd (2017), and Jose Delgado (2018) as Fort Hays State players to be named finalists for this annual award, which began in 2013. Doe, Shepherd, Delgado, and Menges all earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Year honors in the year they were selected as finalists for the Cliff Harris Award. Shepherd was the closest to winning the award, tying as the top vote getter from NCAA Division II in 2017.

Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. He finished the season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category. Menges finished his FHSU career with 182 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 2 interceptions, 23 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

The winner of the Cliff Harris Award for NCAA Division II is selected by the Cliff Harris Award committee, which includes Pro Football Hall of Famer, Cliff Harris. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025.

Below are the finalists for the award from NCAA Division II. Benari Black - Sr, LB, Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) Peyton Buckley - Sr, DB, Augustana (S.D.) Micah Cretsinger - Sr, DB, Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) Jamair Diaz - So, DL, Glenville State (W.Va.) Larry Elder - Gr, DB, Valdosta State (Ga.) Marquise Fleming - Gr, DL, Wingate (N.C.) Ricky Freymond - Jr, DL, Western Colorado Cam Hollobaugh - Jr, LB, Walsh (Ohio) Josiah Johnson - Sr, S, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) Dion Kuinlan - Gr, DB, Assumption (Mass.) Myles Menges&nbsp;- Gr, DL, Fort Hays State (Kan.) Clay Schulte - Sr, LB, University of Indianapolis Tanner Volk - Sr- S, Central Washington Lashon Young - Fr, DB, Miles (Ala.)

About the Cliff Harris Award:&nbsp;The Cliff Harris Award is an annual recognition program dedicated to celebrating exceptional defensive players in small college football. Named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Cliff Harris, the award acknowledges players who exhibit excellence on the field. The winners from each division are honored in the spring with an all expenses paid trip and VIP tour of 'The Star' in Frisco, TX alongside Cliff. There, they get a one of a kind, behind the scenes look at the most valuable and recognizable sports franchise in the world.

The Trophy: One of the most unique awards in all of college football, the Cliff Harris Award trophy stands almost two-feet tall and weighs 35 pounds. A rare two-figurine sports action bronze sculpture, the Cliff Harris Award represents an actual tackle by NFL Hall of Fame and Dallas Cowboy great Cliff Harris, against Harold Jackson of the Los Angeles Rams. What makes this trophy truly exceptional is its intricate design, showcasing extreme angles and attachment points that secure the two bronze players to a three-tier walnut wood base, setting it apart from any other trophy in all levels of college football. Crafted from fourteen distinct bronze pieces, its assembly process ranks among the most intricate and complex in sports awards. Every winner from DII, DIII and NAIA will receive their own Cliff Harris Award trophy. Sculpted by Raymond Gibby and designed by David Bazzel, this trophy embodies excellence in both craftsmanship and football achievement.

Past Winners 2023: NCAA Division II - Tanner Volk, DB, Central Washington / NCAA Division III - Owen Grover, LB, Wartburg College / NAIA - Tristin Waugh, DL, Grand View University (First year of a winner for all 3 levels) 2022: Caleb Murphy, DL, Ferris State (NCAA Division II) 2021: Sam Roberts, DL, Northwest Missouri State (NCAA Division II) 2019: Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne (NCAA Division II) 2018: Corey Ballentine, DB, Washburn (NCAA Division II) 2017: Michael Joseph, DB, University of Dubuque (NCAA Division III) 2016: Connor Harris, LB, Lindenwood (NCAA Division II) 2015: Marqui Christian, S, Midwestern State (NCAA Division II) 2014: Darius Allen, DL, CSU-Pueblo (NCAA Division II) 2013: Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood (NCAA Division II)

Cliff Harris Award Social Media Facebook: Facebook.com/CliffHarrisAward Twitter (X): @CliffHarrisAwdInstagram: @TheCliffHarrisAward

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735952065798.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsLITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Fort Hays State defensive lineman Myles Menges&nbsp;was named one of 14 finalists from NCAA Division II for the annual Cliff Harris Award. The award is given to the top small college defensive player in the country at the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA levels. Starting last year, winners from all three levels are selected for the award instead of only one award given to just one individual combining all three levels.Menges, the 2024 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, is the fifth Tiger defensive player under head coach Chris Brown's tenure to be named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award. Menges joins Brock Long (2015), Sie Doe, Jr. (2016), Nathan Shepherd (2017), and Jose Delgado (2018) as Fort Hays State players to be named finalists for this annual award, which began in 2013. Doe, Shepherd, Delgado, and Menges all earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Year honors in the year they were selected as finalists for the Cliff Harris Award. Shepherd was the closest to winning the award, tying as the top vote getter from NCAA Division II in 2017.Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. He finished the season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category. Menges finished his FHSU career with 182 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 2 interceptions, 23 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.The winner of the Cliff Harris Award for NCAA Division II is selected by the Cliff Harris Award committee, which includes Pro Football Hall of Famer, Cliff Harris. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025.Below are the finalists for the award from NCAA Division II. Benari Black - Sr, LB, Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) Peyton Buckley - Sr, DB, Augustana (S.D.) Micah Cretsinger - Sr, DB, Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) Jamair Diaz - So, DL, Glenville State (W.Va.) Larry Elder - Gr, DB, Valdosta State (Ga.) Marquise Fleming - Gr, DL, Wingate (N.C.) Ricky Freymond - Jr, DL, Western Colorado Cam Hollobaugh - Jr, LB, Walsh (Ohio) Josiah Johnson - Sr, S, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) Dion Kuinlan - Gr, DB, Assumption (Mass.) Myles Menges&nbsp;- Gr, DL, Fort Hays State (Kan.) Clay Schulte - Sr, LB, University of Indianapolis Tanner Volk - Sr- S, Central Washington Lashon Young - Fr, DB, Miles (Ala.)About the Cliff Harris Award:&nbsp;The Cliff Harris Award is an annual recognition program dedicated to celebrating exceptional defensive players in small college football. Named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Cliff Harris, the award acknowledges players who exhibit excellence on the field. The winners from each division are honored in the spring with an all expenses paid trip and VIP tour of 'The Star' in Frisco, TX alongside Cliff. There, they get a one of a kind, behind the scenes look at the most valuable and recognizable sports franchise in the world.The Trophy: One of the most unique awards in all of college football, the Cliff Harris Award trophy stands almost two-feet tall and weighs 35 pounds. A rare two-figurine sports action bronze sculpture, the Cliff Harris Award represents an actual tackle by NFL Hall of Fame and Dallas Cowboy great Cliff Harris, against Harold Jackson of the Los Angeles Rams. What makes this trophy truly exceptional is its intricate design, showcasing extreme angles and attachment points that secure the two bronze players to a three-tier walnut wood base, setting it apart from any other trophy in all levels of college football. Crafted from fourteen distinct bronze pieces, its assembly process ranks among the most intricate and complex in sports awards. Every winner from DII, DIII and NAIA will receive their own Cliff Harris Award trophy. Sculpted by Raymond Gibby and designed by David Bazzel, this trophy embodies excellence in both craftsmanship and football achievement.Past Winners 2023: NCAA Division II - Tanner Volk, DB, Central Washington / NCAA Division III - Owen Grover, LB, Wartburg College / NAIA - Tristin Waugh, DL, Grand View University (First year of a winner for all 3 levels) 2022: Caleb Murphy, DL, Ferris State (NCAA Division II) 2021: Sam Roberts, DL, Northwest Missouri State (NCAA Division II) 2019: Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne (NCAA Division II) 2018: Corey Ballentine, DB, Washburn (NCAA Division II) 2017: Michael Joseph, DB, University of Dubuque (NCAA Division III) 2016: Connor Harris, LB, Lindenwood (NCAA Division II) 2015: Marqui Christian, S, Midwestern State (NCAA Division II) 2014: Darius Allen, DL, CSU-Pueblo (NCAA Division II) 2013: Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood (NCAA Division II)Cliff Harris Award Social Media Facebook: Facebook.com/CliffHarrisAward Twitter (X): @CliffHarrisAwdInstagram: @TheCliffHarrisAward

🏈 Menges named finalist for Cliff Harris Award

Friday, January 3 noneSaturday, January 4
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Missouri Western State, 1:05pmSunday, January 5
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at
UCF, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 2pm

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Fort Hays State picked up its first win in over a decade Thursday night at Northwest Missouri State by posting its largest win ever in Maryville. The Tigers turned in a dominating defensive effort and won by 19 points, 58-39 over the Bearcats. FHSU moved to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while NWMSU moved to 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State picked up its first win in Maryville since the 2012-13 season when it won 64-60. That season, the Tigers went on to claim a share of the MIAA regular season title with Central Missouri. Since then, Northwest Missouri State has won 11-straight MIAA regular season titles. In their over-a-decade long run of conference titles, the Bearcats won eight-straight games over the Tigers in Bearcat Arena until the Tigers snapped the run on Thursday night. FHSU previous largest margin in a win in Maryville was 11 points in a 79-68 win back during the 2008-09 season.

The 39 points scored by the Bearcats were their fewest ever in the all-time series with FHSU, five less than the 44 they scored in a 15-point loss in Hays back in 1949. Researching all-time scores in the NWMSU record book, it was the first time the Bearcats were held under 40 points since the 1959-60 season when they won a one-point decision 39-38 over Southeast Missouri State. It was the first time the Tigers held a team under 40 points since a 65-32 win over Central Christian in 2022. It was the fewest points the Tigers held an opponent to in an MIAA game since 2021-22 when FHSU defeated Lincoln 73-35 in Jefferson City.

Northwest Missouri State is now 0-3 at home so far this season. It is the first time since that 2012-13 season when FHSU won the conference title that the Bearcats have lost at least three games in a season at home. It was the first time NWMSU has lost three-straight games at home since the 2010-11 season, when they lost five straight at home.

The Tigers pulled away methodically in the contest after trailing by five in the early going. FHSU took the lead for good early in the game when Dan Makuna&nbsp;made a basket to push the Tigers in front 9-7. It was part of a 9-0 run that put the Tigers up by six. The first basket of eight-straight points from Kyle Grill&nbsp;pushed the lead into double figures for the first time and FHSU went on to lead by 14 at the half by a score of 32-18.Northwest Missouri brought the lead back inside of 10 points just once in the second half by opening on an 8-3 burst. But, the Tigers countered with a 12-0 run to blow the game open, leading by 21 with 7:27 to play. Muhamed Kante&nbsp;scored six of the final eight points in the run. FHSU held NWMSU scoreless for nearly seven and a half minutes in the run.

The Tigers struggled to score for a little while after their run as the Bearcats battled back within 10 thanks to an 11-0 run, holding FHSU scoreless for just over four minutes. But, that was as close as the Bearcats could get as&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/r-j-crawford/8221">R.J. Crawford</a>&nbsp;snapped the run with a pair of free throws. It started a string of seven-straight points for the Tigers to get the lead back up to 17 before the final margin was 19.

Kaleb Hammeke led the Tigers with 13 points, going 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Crawford reached double figures as well with 10. Grill provided all eight of his points in his individual burst in the first half. Shaun Riley&nbsp;led the Tigers in rebounds with seven, while Hammeke led in assists with four. The Tigers as a team went 19-of-23 at the charity stripe (82.6 percent). The Tigers had an 11-point advantage at the free-throw line and outscored the Bearcats 17-7 on points off turnovers.

The Tigers held the Bearcats to 27.5 percent shooting percentage from the field, including just 16.7 percent beyond the 3-point line. Emorie Knox was the only NWMSU player to reach double figures in scoring with 10, while Jack Ratigan had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Fort Hays State continues the weekly road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western in St. Joseph. The game time was moved up to 1 p.m. due to the potential winter storm moving into the middle of the United States this weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735880186625.png" alt="Fort Hays State's R.J. Crawford (11) defends NW Missouri State's Luke Mustakas (24) in an NCAA college basketball game on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Maryville, Mo. (NW Missouri State Athletics photo/Aaron Hare)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's R.J. Crawford (11) defends NW Missouri State's Luke Mustakas (24) in an NCAA college basketball game on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Maryville, Mo. (NW Missouri State Athletics photo/Aaron Hare)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsMARYVILLE, Mo. – Fort Hays State picked up its first win in over a decade Thursday night at Northwest Missouri State by posting its largest win ever in Maryville. The Tigers turned in a dominating defensive effort and won by 19 points, 58-39 over the Bearcats. FHSU moved to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while NWMSU moved to 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999826947&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-mbkb-coach-mark-johnson-postgame-interview-vs-northwest-missouri-state-jan-2nd-25" title="Mark Johnson Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State picked up its first win in Maryville since the 2012-13 season when it won 64-60. That season, the Tigers went on to claim a share of the MIAA regular season title with Central Missouri. Since then, Northwest Missouri State has won 11-straight MIAA regular season titles. In their over-a-decade long run of conference titles, the Bearcats won eight-straight games over the Tigers in Bearcat Arena until the Tigers snapped the run on Thursday night. FHSU previous largest margin in a win in Maryville was 11 points in a 79-68 win back during the 2008-09 season.The 39 points scored by the Bearcats were their fewest ever in the all-time series with FHSU, five less than the 44 they scored in a 15-point loss in Hays back in 1949. Researching all-time scores in the NWMSU record book, it was the first time the Bearcats were held under 40 points since the 1959-60 season when they won a one-point decision 39-38 over Southeast Missouri State. It was the first time the Tigers held a team under 40 points since a 65-32 win over Central Christian in 2022. It was the fewest points the Tigers held an opponent to in an MIAA game since 2021-22 when FHSU defeated Lincoln 73-35 in Jefferson City.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999827211&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-mbkb-postgame-rj-crawford-interview-vs-northwest-missouri-state-jan-2nd-25" title="R.J. Crawford Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">R.J. Crawford Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>Northwest Missouri State is now 0-3 at home so far this season. It is the first time since that 2012-13 season when FHSU won the conference title that the Bearcats have lost at least three games in a season at home. It was the first time NWMSU has lost three-straight games at home since the 2010-11 season, when they lost five straight at home.The Tigers pulled away methodically in the contest after trailing by five in the early going. FHSU took the lead for good early in the game when Dan Makuna&nbsp;made a basket to push the Tigers in front 9-7. It was part of a 9-0 run that put the Tigers up by six. The first basket of eight-straight points from Kyle Grill&nbsp;pushed the lead into double figures for the first time and FHSU went on to lead by 14 at the half by a score of 32-18.Northwest Missouri brought the lead back inside of 10 points just once in the second half by opening on an 8-3 burst. But, the Tigers countered with a 12-0 run to blow the game open, leading by 21 with 7:27 to play. Muhamed Kante&nbsp;scored six of the final eight points in the run. FHSU held NWMSU scoreless for nearly seven and a half minutes in the run.The Tigers struggled to score for a little while after their run as the Bearcats battled back within 10 thanks to an 11-0 run, holding FHSU scoreless for just over four minutes. But, that was as close as the Bearcats could get as&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/r-j-crawford/8221">R.J. Crawford</a>&nbsp;snapped the run with a pair of free throws. It started a string of seven-straight points for the Tigers to get the lead back up to 17 before the final margin was 19.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999825667&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-mbkb-highlights-vs-1" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>Kaleb Hammeke led the Tigers with 13 points, going 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Crawford reached double figures as well with 10. Grill provided all eight of his points in his individual burst in the first half. Shaun Riley&nbsp;led the Tigers in rebounds with seven, while Hammeke led in assists with four. The Tigers as a team went 19-of-23 at the charity stripe (82.6 percent). The Tigers had an 11-point advantage at the free-throw line and outscored the Bearcats 17-7 on points off turnovers.The Tigers held the Bearcats to 27.5 percent shooting percentage from the field, including just 16.7 percent beyond the 3-point line. Emorie Knox was the only NWMSU player to reach double figures in scoring with 10, while Jack Ratigan had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.UP NEXTFort Hays State continues the weekly road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western in St. Joseph. The game time was moved up to 1 p.m. due to the potential winter storm moving into the middle of the United States this weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men down NW Missouri State for fifth-straight win

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team improved to 12-0 with a 70-60 win over Northwest Missouri State Thursday evening inside Bearcat Arena.

The Tigers (12-0, 3-0 MIAA) rallied from a two-point deficit at halftime, just the second time FHSU has not led at the break this season. It was the Tigers' 11th double-digit victory of the year.

Fort Hays State shot a blistering 51.0 percent from the floor (26-of-51), its best shooting game against a DII team on the year.

The teams traded the lead twice in the first quarter. Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;got the Tigers going with a jumper before adding a 3-pointer on the next possession, propelling the visitors to a 12-6 lead. The Bearcats (7-6, 0-3 MIAA) bounced back by scoring the last seven points of the quarter, leading 13-12 after 10 minutes of action.

Fort Hays State responded early in the second quarter, scoring 13 of the first 17 points to race in front by eight, 25-17. Talexa Weeter&nbsp;scored five points during the run, with Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;adding a pair of baskets. Northwest Missouri State mounted another rally, however, with the Bearcats using a 13-4 run to go in front by one, 30-29.The lead changed hands two more times in the frame, with the Tigers trailing by as many as four late in the frame before a Hollenbeck bucket pulled them within 38-36 at the break.

After shooting 76.9 percent from the floor in the second quarter (10-of-13), the Tigers continued their hot shooting in the third period, knocking down 8-of-16 from the floor. FHSU also ratcheted up the defense in the third, limiting the Bearcats to eight points on 3-of-10 shooting while forcing eight turnovers in the stanza.

The momentum shifted for good midway through the frame when Dilsaver drilled back-to-back 3-pointers, helping the Tigers turn a four-point deficit into a 44-42 lead. FHSU led the rest of the way, going up by as many as 13 late in the final period.

Dilsaver, Hollenbeck and Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;all scored over the next two minutes, stretching the Tiger run to 12-0 and building the lead to eight, 50-42. A pair of Hollenbeck baskets in the final minute of the frame gave FHSU a 56-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Dilsaver knocked down her career-best fourth 3-pointer midway through the final frame, helping FHSU maintain a three-possession lead. The Tigers hit 7-of-7 from the free-throw line in the final stanza to secure the win.

Hollenbeck led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting while adding three steals and two blocks. Dilsaver contributed a season-high 16 points, one off her career high, while adding five rebounds, three steals and two assists. DeGarmo chipped in 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Brooke Loewe&nbsp;dished out six assists alongside seven points, four rebounds and two steals.

Fort Hays State created 15 Bearcat turnovers thanks to 11 steals, with the Tigers scoring 15 points off those turnovers. Both teams collected 28 rebounds in the game.

The Tigers will wrap up the weekend on Saturday when the play Missouri Western beginning at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph, Mo. That game was moved up 3.5 hours due to this weekend's predicted winter storm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735879443640.png" alt="Fort Hays State's Olivia Hollenbeck defends a shot in an NCAA college basketball game against Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Maryville, Mo, (FHSU Athletics photo/Aaron Hare)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Olivia Hollenbeck defends a shot in an NCAA college basketball game against Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Maryville, Mo, (FHSU Athletics photo/Aaron Hare)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsMARYVILLE, Mo. - The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team improved to 12-0 with a 70-60 win over Northwest Missouri State Thursday evening inside Bearcat Arena.The Tigers (12-0, 3-0 MIAA) rallied from a two-point deficit at halftime, just the second time FHSU has not led at the break this season. It was the Tigers' 11th double-digit victory of the year.Fort Hays State shot a blistering 51.0 percent from the floor (26-of-51), its best shooting game against a DII team on the year.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999826231&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-coach-talia-kahrs-vs" title="Talia Kahrs Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Talia Kahrs Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>The teams traded the lead twice in the first quarter. Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;got the Tigers going with a jumper before adding a 3-pointer on the next possession, propelling the visitors to a 12-6 lead. The Bearcats (7-6, 0-3 MIAA) bounced back by scoring the last seven points of the quarter, leading 13-12 after 10 minutes of action.Fort Hays State responded early in the second quarter, scoring 13 of the first 17 points to race in front by eight, 25-17. Talexa Weeter&nbsp;scored five points during the run, with Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;adding a pair of baskets. Northwest Missouri State mounted another rally, however, with the Bearcats using a 13-4 run to go in front by one, 30-29.The lead changed hands two more times in the frame, with the Tigers trailing by as many as four late in the frame before a Hollenbeck bucket pulled them within 38-36 at the break.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999825939&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=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-highlights-vs" title="#3 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">#3 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>After shooting 76.9 percent from the floor in the second quarter (10-of-13), the Tigers continued their hot shooting in the third period, knocking down 8-of-16 from the floor. FHSU also ratcheted up the defense in the third, limiting the Bearcats to eight points on 3-of-10 shooting while forcing eight turnovers in the stanza.The momentum shifted for good midway through the frame when Dilsaver drilled back-to-back 3-pointers, helping the Tigers turn a four-point deficit into a 44-42 lead. FHSU led the rest of the way, going up by as many as 13 late in the final period.Dilsaver, Hollenbeck and Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;all scored over the next two minutes, stretching the Tiger run to 12-0 and building the lead to eight, 50-42. A pair of Hollenbeck baskets in the final minute of the frame gave FHSU a 56-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.Dilsaver knocked down her career-best fourth 3-pointer midway through the final frame, helping FHSU maintain a three-possession lead. The Tigers hit 7-of-7 from the free-throw line in the final stanza to secure the win.Hollenbeck led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting while adding three steals and two blocks. Dilsaver contributed a season-high 16 points, one off her career high, while adding five rebounds, three steals and two assists. DeGarmo chipped in 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Brooke Loewe&nbsp;dished out six assists alongside seven points, four rebounds and two steals.Fort Hays State created 15 Bearcat turnovers thanks to 11 steals, with the Tigers scoring 15 points off those turnovers. Both teams collected 28 rebounds in the game.UP NEXTThe Tigers will wrap up the weekend on Saturday when the play Missouri Western beginning at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph, Mo. That game was moved up 3.5 hours due to this weekend's predicted winter storm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 No. 3 Tiger women fend off Bearcats, move to 12-0

Fort Hays State's Shane Watts and Myles Menges&nbsp;have been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team. The Elite 100 Team is the D2Football.com version of an All-America team, selected by staff with input from head coaches and professional football scouts. Watts and Menges have already raked in multiple All-America honors for their performances in 2024, helping the Tigers to a strong 8-3 season.

Both Watts and Menges were named to the Squad portion of the Elite 100 Team, Watts at running back and Menges on the defensive line. The team represents the top 100 players in Division II. Included are selections for first and second team offense, defense and special teams as well as 25 "squad" players for both offense and defense. Squad players are equivalent to honorable mention in similar post-season award lists.

Watts ranked fourth in NCAA Division II for total rushing yards (1,303) and all-purpose yards per game (160.8). He ranked seventh in points per game (9.3), eighth in total touchdowns (17) and 10th in total points scored (102). He produced the 20th&nbsp;1,000-yard rushing season in FHSU and first since Kenneth Iheme in 2017. The 1,303 rushing yards ranks sixth for a season in FHSU program history.'

Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. He finished the season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category.

This was Watts' fourth All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from D2CCA (Second Team), AP (Second Team), and Don Hansen Football Committee (Second Team). This was Menges' third All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from the AFCA (First Team) and Don Hansen Football Committee (Honorable Mention).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
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 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State's Shane Watts and Myles Menges&nbsp;have been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team. The Elite 100 Team is the D2Football.com version of an All-America team, selected by staff with input from head coaches and professional football scouts. Watts and Menges have already raked in multiple All-America honors for their performances in 2024, helping the Tigers to a strong 8-3 season.Both Watts and Menges were named to the Squad portion of the Elite 100 Team, Watts at running back and Menges on the defensive line. The team represents the top 100 players in Division II. Included are selections for first and second team offense, defense and special teams as well as 25 "squad" players for both offense and defense. Squad players are equivalent to honorable mention in similar post-season award lists.Watts ranked fourth in NCAA Division II for total rushing yards (1,303) and all-purpose yards per game (160.8). He ranked seventh in points per game (9.3), eighth in total touchdowns (17) and 10th in total points scored (102). He produced the 20th&nbsp;1,000-yard rushing season in FHSU and first since Kenneth Iheme in 2017. The 1,303 rushing yards ranks sixth for a season in FHSU program history.'Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. He finished the season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category.This was Watts' fourth All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from D2CCA (Second Team), AP (Second Team), and Don Hansen Football Committee (Second Team). This was Menges' third All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from the AFCA (First Team) and Don Hansen Football Committee (Honorable Mention).&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 FHSU's Watts, Menges named to D2Football.com Elite 100 team

Fort Hays State (8-3, 1-1 MIAA) at Northwest Missouri State (3-8, 1-1 MIAA) Thursday, January 2 • 7:30 p.m. Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Arena

Fort Hays State returns to action on Thursday night at Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Mo. It will be the start of 17-straight conference games for FHSU, which enters with a record of 8-3 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA. Northwest Missouri State enters with a record of 3-8 overall, also 1-1 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll, released on Tuesday. The Tigers are the fifth-highest team among the receiving votes list with 17 points in the poll.

This will be the first time the Tigers play an unranked Northwest Missouri State squad since 2016. The Bearcats held a national ranking in the last 14 games against the Tigers, which dates back to March of the 2016 season. The last time the Tigers met an unranked Bearcat squad was in January of 2016 when the Bearcats won at home.

Fort Hays State is in search of its first win at Bearcat Arena since February 13, 2013. The 2012-13 season was the last time Northwest Missouri State did not win an MIAA regular season title, shared by Fort Hays State and Central Missouri. The Bearcats have won 11-straight MIAA regular season titles since, which includes eight-straight wins over FHSU at home in that span.

Last year, FHSU knocked off a nationally ranked NWMSU team in Hays before falling to NWMSU in Maryville in double overtime. Both teams were nationally ranked for the meeting in Maryville, and both eventually went on to compete in the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament in March. FHSU fell in the opening round of the national tournament by just one point to Minnesota Duluth, while NWMSU won a pair of games before falling to eventual national champion Minnesota State in the regional final.

Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;continues to move closer to the all-time scoring record at FHSU, now with 1,726 points in his career. He is coming off a season-high 24-point performance in the 80-62 win over Regis University back on December 22. He leads the Tigers at 15.2 points and 4.9 assists per game.

Kyle Grill and Shaun Riley&nbsp;continue to average double figures in scoring, Grill at 12.6 points and Riley at 12.0 points per game. Riley is the team leader in rebounds at 6.7 per game. Aiden McDowell&nbsp;and Muhamaed Kante both produced season highs in scoring within the last two games for FHSU. McDowell had 24 in the win over MSU Denver, while Kante had 12 against Regis.

Fort Hays State has been efficient in 3-point shooting so far this season at 42.2 percent, which leads the MIAA and ranks third in NCAA Division II. FHSU also leads the MIAA and ranks third nationally in fewest turnovers per game at just 9.2. The Tigers have been in the process of lowering their scoring defense, a category they led the nation in last year. FHSU is allowing 62.7 points per game, which ranks 10th&nbsp;best in NCAA Division II. The Tigers have held five of 11 opponents inside 60 points this season.

Northwest Missouri State had a coaching change in the offseason with the departure of Ben McCollum, now the head coach at Drake University. Great Bend native Matt Keeley now leads the Bearcats after spending seven seasons leading Ottawa University (Ariz.). Emorie Knox, transfer from Ouachita Baptist University, leads NWMSU at 14.8 points and 3.7 assists per game. Luke Moustakas (10.6) and Spencer Schomers (10.1) also average double figures in scoring for the Bearcats.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
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 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State (8-3, 1-1 MIAA) at Northwest Missouri State (3-8, 1-1 MIAA) Thursday, January 2 • 7:30 p.m. Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat ArenaRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>Fort Hays State returns to action on Thursday night at Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Mo. It will be the start of 17-straight conference games for FHSU, which enters with a record of 8-3 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA. Northwest Missouri State enters with a record of 3-8 overall, also 1-1 in the MIAA.Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll, released on Tuesday. The Tigers are the fifth-highest team among the receiving votes list with 17 points in the poll.This will be the first time the Tigers play an unranked Northwest Missouri State squad since 2016. The Bearcats held a national ranking in the last 14 games against the Tigers, which dates back to March of the 2016 season. The last time the Tigers met an unranked Bearcat squad was in January of 2016 when the Bearcats won at home.Fort Hays State is in search of its first win at Bearcat Arena since February 13, 2013. The 2012-13 season was the last time Northwest Missouri State did not win an MIAA regular season title, shared by Fort Hays State and Central Missouri. The Bearcats have won 11-straight MIAA regular season titles since, which includes eight-straight wins over FHSU at home in that span.Last year, FHSU knocked off a nationally ranked NWMSU team in Hays before falling to NWMSU in Maryville in double overtime. Both teams were nationally ranked for the meeting in Maryville, and both eventually went on to compete in the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament in March. FHSU fell in the opening round of the national tournament by just one point to Minnesota Duluth, while NWMSU won a pair of games before falling to eventual national champion Minnesota State in the regional final.Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;continues to move closer to the all-time scoring record at FHSU, now with 1,726 points in his career. He is coming off a season-high 24-point performance in the 80-62 win over Regis University back on December 22. He leads the Tigers at 15.2 points and 4.9 assists per game.Kyle Grill and Shaun Riley&nbsp;continue to average double figures in scoring, Grill at 12.6 points and Riley at 12.0 points per game. Riley is the team leader in rebounds at 6.7 per game. Aiden McDowell&nbsp;and Muhamaed Kante both produced season highs in scoring within the last two games for FHSU. McDowell had 24 in the win over MSU Denver, while Kante had 12 against Regis.Fort Hays State has been efficient in 3-point shooting so far this season at 42.2 percent, which leads the MIAA and ranks third in NCAA Division II. FHSU also leads the MIAA and ranks third nationally in fewest turnovers per game at just 9.2. The Tigers have been in the process of lowering their scoring defense, a category they led the nation in last year. FHSU is allowing 62.7 points per game, which ranks 10th&nbsp;best in NCAA Division II. The Tigers have held five of 11 opponents inside 60 points this season.Northwest Missouri State had a coaching change in the offseason with the departure of Ben McCollum, now the head coach at Drake University. Great Bend native Matt Keeley now leads the Bearcats after spending seven seasons leading Ottawa University (Ariz.). Emorie Knox, transfer from Ouachita Baptist University, leads NWMSU at 14.8 points and 3.7 assists per game. Luke Moustakas (10.6) and Spencer Schomers (10.1) also average double figures in scoring for the Bearcats.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN: Tigers return to MIAA play at Northwest Missouri State Thursday

#3/#4 Fort Hays State (11-0, 2-0 MIAA) at Northwest Missouri State (7-5, 0-2 MIAA) Thursday, January 2, 2025 • 5:30 p.m. Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Arena

The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will resume conference play this week when the Tigers travel to Missouri for a pair of MIAA matchups. First up is a matchup with Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, with the opening tip set for 5:30 p.m. from Bearcat Arena.

Now 11-0 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play, the Tigers are one of four remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division II and one of 20 undefeated teams across all levels of NCAA women's basketball (seven DI, nine DIII). Other undefeated DII teams include Cal State-Dominguez Hills at 12-0, North Georgia at 10-0 and Chowan at 7-0.FHSU's 11 wins to start the season makes this the second-best start in program history behind only the 15-0 start to start the 2018-19 season. This is tied for the seventh-longest winning streak in program history.

The Tigers lead the country with 31.9 defensive rebounds per night. FHSU also ranks second in DII with 19.0 assists per contest, third with a field goal percentage defense of 31.7 percent, fifth in assist/turnover ratio at 1.30 and sixth in scoring margin at plus-23.0.

Brooke Loewe is averaging 6.2 assists per night, tops in the MIAA and eighth-best across all Division II. The junior guard boasts and assist/turnover ratio of 2.27, second-best in the conference and 13th in the country.

Olivia Hollembeck&nbsp;ranks fourth in the conference in scoring, putting up a team-best 16.8 points per contest while knocking down 66.4 percent from the floor, the fourth-best shooting percentage in DII. She also leads the team in steals and blocks, averaging 2.82 steals per game and 1.64 blocks per outing. The graduate student is the conference leader in steals while ranking third in the MIAA in blocks.

Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;needs 19 points to tie Kate Lehman for second all-time on the FHSU scoring list (1,917 pts). The Maize, Kan. native leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game, eighth-best in the conference.

Talexa Weeter&nbsp;has scored in double figures in each of the last nine game, tied for the longest active streak on the team with DeGarmo. She ranks 11th in the league in scoring (13.9 ppg) and is fifth in field-goal percentage (55.0 percent).The Tigers are 24-11 all-time against the Bearcats, including an 8-8 tie in games played in Maryville. Fort Hays State is 3-1 against NWMSU during the Talia Kahrs&nbsp;era, including an 0-1 mark on the road. The Tigers have won each of the last two meetings, 12 of the last 13 since 2018 and 20 of the last 22 since 2011. Fort Hays State is 21-8 against Northwest in MIAA regular season conference contests.

In the most recent meeting the Tigers led wire-to-wire in a 62-47 win over Northwest Missouri State in the regional quarterfinals last March (3/15/24). Fort Hays State held the Bearcats to one field goal in the first quarter and forced six first period turnovers, with the Tigers leading 16-8 after 10 minutes. FHSU hit 8-of-14 in the final period to secure the victory. Hollenbeck led all scorers with 20 points, adding seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. DeGarmo recorded her fourth-consecutive double-double, totaling 19 points and 15 rebounds.

After opening the year 7-1, including wins over fifth-ranked Ashland and top-ranked Minnesota State, the Bearcats have dropped each of the last four games to dip to 7-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play. The Bearcats average 63.3 points per game and knock down 6.7 3-pointers per game. NWMSU is tied for third in the MIAA with just 13.8 turnovers per night. Caely Kesten leads the team with 11.8 points per game, while Kelsey Fields also averages in double figures with 10.6 points per contest. Freshman Sadie Maas leads the conference with 21 blocks on the year, averaging 1.8 per game.

Hollenbeck averages 15.3 points in nine career games against NWMSU, including eight games scoring in double figures. DeGarmo has played 10 times against the Bearcats, averaging 12.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. She's scored in double figures in six of those games, including a pair of double-doubles.

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 </figure>FHSU Athletics#3/#4 Fort Hays State (11-0, 2-0 MIAA) at Northwest Missouri State (7-5, 0-2 MIAA) Thursday, January 2, 2025 • 5:30 p.m. Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat ArenaRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a>| Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will resume conference play this week when the Tigers travel to Missouri for a pair of MIAA matchups. First up is a matchup with Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, with the opening tip set for 5:30 p.m. from Bearcat Arena.Now 11-0 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play, the Tigers are one of four remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division II and one of 20 undefeated teams across all levels of NCAA women's basketball (seven DI, nine DIII). Other undefeated DII teams include Cal State-Dominguez Hills at 12-0, North Georgia at 10-0 and Chowan at 7-0.FHSU's 11 wins to start the season makes this the second-best start in program history behind only the 15-0 start to start the 2018-19 season. This is tied for the seventh-longest winning streak in program history.The Tigers lead the country with 31.9 defensive rebounds per night. FHSU also ranks second in DII with 19.0 assists per contest, third with a field goal percentage defense of 31.7 percent, fifth in assist/turnover ratio at 1.30 and sixth in scoring margin at plus-23.0.Brooke Loewe is averaging 6.2 assists per night, tops in the MIAA and eighth-best across all Division II. The junior guard boasts and assist/turnover ratio of 2.27, second-best in the conference and 13th in the country.Olivia Hollembeck&nbsp;ranks fourth in the conference in scoring, putting up a team-best 16.8 points per contest while knocking down 66.4 percent from the floor, the fourth-best shooting percentage in DII. She also leads the team in steals and blocks, averaging 2.82 steals per game and 1.64 blocks per outing. The graduate student is the conference leader in steals while ranking third in the MIAA in blocks.Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;needs 19 points to tie Kate Lehman for second all-time on the FHSU scoring list (1,917 pts). The Maize, Kan. native leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game, eighth-best in the conference.Talexa Weeter&nbsp;has scored in double figures in each of the last nine game, tied for the longest active streak on the team with DeGarmo. She ranks 11th in the league in scoring (13.9 ppg) and is fifth in field-goal percentage (55.0 percent).The Tigers are 24-11 all-time against the Bearcats, including an 8-8 tie in games played in Maryville. Fort Hays State is 3-1 against NWMSU during the Talia Kahrs&nbsp;era, including an 0-1 mark on the road. The Tigers have won each of the last two meetings, 12 of the last 13 since 2018 and 20 of the last 22 since 2011. Fort Hays State is 21-8 against Northwest in MIAA regular season conference contests.In the most recent meeting the Tigers led wire-to-wire in a 62-47 win over Northwest Missouri State in the regional quarterfinals last March (3/15/24). Fort Hays State held the Bearcats to one field goal in the first quarter and forced six first period turnovers, with the Tigers leading 16-8 after 10 minutes. FHSU hit 8-of-14 in the final period to secure the victory. Hollenbeck led all scorers with 20 points, adding seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. DeGarmo recorded her fourth-consecutive double-double, totaling 19 points and 15 rebounds.After opening the year 7-1, including wins over fifth-ranked Ashland and top-ranked Minnesota State, the Bearcats have dropped each of the last four games to dip to 7-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play. The Bearcats average 63.3 points per game and knock down 6.7 3-pointers per game. NWMSU is tied for third in the MIAA with just 13.8 turnovers per night. Caely Kesten leads the team with 11.8 points per game, while Kelsey Fields also averages in double figures with 10.6 points per contest. Freshman Sadie Maas leads the conference with 21 blocks on the year, averaging 1.8 per game.Hollenbeck averages 15.3 points in nine career games against NWMSU, including eight games scoring in double figures. DeGarmo has played 10 times against the Bearcats, averaging 12.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. She's scored in double figures in six of those games, including a pair of double-doubles.

🏀🎧 LISTEN: #3 FHSU women open 2025 at Northwest Missouri State

The Kansas Shrine Bowl has announced the 88 players who have received invitations to play in the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City, Kansas. The initial invitations are the result of a selection process combining statewide media votes and Kansas Shrine Bowl coaching staff selections from a list of 447 nominees. In addition to filling position-specific needs on the roster, the selection process includes additional criteria regarding geographic restrictions, classification size, and limits on the number of players that may be selected per school. To learn more about the full selection process, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/SelectionProcess">www.KansasShrineBowl.com/SelectionProcess</a>.

Dalton Meyers of Hays High School and Roy Bright Jr. of Plainville have been selected to play from northwest Kansas. Alex McMillian of Plainville will be one of the coaches for the West squad.

Additional invitations to play in the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth may be extended to nominees who were not among the initial 88 selections. Roster replacements are selected by the Kansas Shrine Bowl coaching staff in a case where an invited player declines their invitation to play or must withdraw from participating for any reason.

“We are excited to extend an invitation to this group of young men to represent themselves, their families, their communities and their high school football programs in a showcase that is so much bigger than just an all-star football game,” said Brice Kesler, Executive Director of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “I hope the players understand how difficult of a roster this is to get selected for, and I want to congratulate them for all their hard-work and dedication that has earned them this opportunity. They are joining a very select fraternity of Kansas high school football players who have had the opportunity, since 1974, to play a game they love and make a life changing impact for the kids of Shriners Children’s.”

In addition to playing in the annual East vs. West all-star football game, Kansas Shrine Bowl participants get the opportunity to meet and interact with the Patient Ambassadors from Shriners Children’s during the Hospital Experience event during game week. For many, the Hospital Experience is the highlight of their time at the Kansas Shrine Bowl and showcases the true purpose of the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

The Shrine Bowl of Kansas Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s Hospital. Since 1974, nearly $4 million has been sent to Shriners Children’s thanks to the supporters of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Shriners Children’s is a world-renowned healthcare system with hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care centers and outreach locations across the globe. Shriners Children’s is dedicated to improving the lives of children every day by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay.

To show your support for these players and the children and families that benefit from the efforts of the Kansas Shrine Bowl, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/Support">www.KansasShrineBowl.com/Support</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735834590030.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Shrine Bowl&nbsp;The Kansas Shrine Bowl has announced the 88 players who have received invitations to play in the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City, Kansas. The initial invitations are the result of a selection process combining statewide media votes and Kansas Shrine Bowl coaching staff selections from a list of 447 nominees. In addition to filling position-specific needs on the roster, the selection process includes additional criteria regarding geographic restrictions, classification size, and limits on the number of players that may be selected per school. To learn more about the full selection process, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/SelectionProcess">www.KansasShrineBowl.com/SelectionProcess</a>.Dalton Meyers of Hays High School and Roy Bright Jr. of Plainville have been selected to play from northwest Kansas. Alex McMillian of Plainville will be one of the coaches for the West squad.Additional invitations to play in the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth may be extended to nominees who were not among the initial 88 selections. Roster replacements are selected by the Kansas Shrine Bowl coaching staff in a case where an invited player declines their invitation to play or must withdraw from participating for any reason.“We are excited to extend an invitation to this group of young men to represent themselves, their families, their communities and their high school football programs in a showcase that is so much bigger than just an all-star football game,” said Brice Kesler, Executive Director of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “I hope the players understand how difficult of a roster this is to get selected for, and I want to congratulate them for all their hard-work and dedication that has earned them this opportunity. They are joining a very select fraternity of Kansas high school football players who have had the opportunity, since 1974, to play a game they love and make a life changing impact for the kids of Shriners Children’s.”In addition to playing in the annual East vs. West all-star football game, Kansas Shrine Bowl participants get the opportunity to meet and interact with the Patient Ambassadors from Shriners Children’s during the Hospital Experience event during game week. For many, the Hospital Experience is the highlight of their time at the Kansas Shrine Bowl and showcases the true purpose of the Kansas Shrine Bowl.The Shrine Bowl of Kansas Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s Hospital. Since 1974, nearly $4 million has been sent to Shriners Children’s thanks to the supporters of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Shriners Children’s is a world-renowned healthcare system with hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care centers and outreach locations across the globe. Shriners Children’s is dedicated to improving the lives of children every day by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay.To show your support for these players and the children and families that benefit from the efforts of the Kansas Shrine Bowl, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/Support">www.KansasShrineBowl.com/Support</a>.

Hays High, Plainville players selected for 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl

Fort Hays State men's basketball closes out 2024 against Regis (Colo.) on Sunday, December 22, 2024 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.

Fort Hays State men's basketball closes out 2024 against Regis (Colo.) on Sunday, December 22, 2024 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. Regis (December 22, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5jqhf-178ccd2-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. Regis 

Thursday, January 2
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Northwest Missouri State, 5:05pm
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6pm

Thursday, January 2
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Northwest Missouri State, 5:05pm
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6pmFriday, January 3 noneSaturday, January 4
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Missouri Western State, 1:05pmSunday, January 5
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at
UCF, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 2pm

5th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball closes out first semester play against Quincy (Ill.) at the Big Island Holiday Classic in Hilo, Hawai'i on Friday, December 20, 2024.

5th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball closes out first semester play against Quincy (Ill.) at the Big Island Holiday Classic in Hilo, Hawai'i on Friday, December 20, 2024.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Quincy (December 20, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=dihqe-178ccb9-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Quincy (Ill.)

Wednesday, January 1 noneThursday, January 2
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Northwest Missouri State, 5:05pm
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6pmFriday, January 3 noneSaturday, January 4
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Missouri Western State, 1:05pmSunday, January 5
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at
UCF, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 2pm

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Javon Small hit the go-ahead free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining, and short-handed West Virginia held on after blowing an 18-point second-half lead to beat seventh-ranked Kansas 62-61 in an intense Big 12 opener for both teams Tuesday.

Eduardo Andre had 15 points and Small finished with 13 for the Mountaineers (10-2, 1-0), who built a 38-20 lead despite missing two of their three leading scorers to injuries, only to watch Kansas (9-3, 0-1) use a 15-2 run to get back in the game.

Zeke Mayo, who led the Jayhawks with 27 points, converted a three-point play to tie the game 61-all with 16 seconds left. Small was fouled by Kansas freshman Flory Bidunga at the other end and made the second of two free throws, and KJ Adams missed a contested shot as time expired that would have sent the game to overtime.

It was the first conference-opening loss for Kansas since Jan. 8, 1991, and the first win for the Mountaineers in 12 tries in Allen Fieldhouse. They had lost six of their last seven games to the Jayhawks.

West Virginia played its fourth game without star forward Tucker DeVries and also was missing big man Amani Hansberry to an ankle injury. But the Mountaineers committed just six turnovers while never getting rattled by the noise in the Phog.

Kansas missed 15 of its first 19 shots, digging a hole that it spend the entire game trying to escape. Mayo gave the Jayhawks a chance, going 13 for 13 at the foul line, including several of them in the closing minutes.

Small struggled from the field, going 0 for 6 from the 3-point arc. But he also had 11 rebounds and six assists, and he made the free throw that mattered with 1.8 seconds to go.

Kansas went 19 of 21 from the foul line. West Virginia only attempted six free throws, making four — including the winner.

West Virginia plays Oklahoma State on Saturday. Kansas heads to UCF on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735679295068.png" alt="Photo West Virginia Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo West Virginia Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Javon Small hit the go-ahead free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining, and short-handed West Virginia held on after blowing an 18-point second-half lead to beat seventh-ranked Kansas 62-61 in an intense Big 12 opener for both teams Tuesday.Eduardo Andre had 15 points and Small finished with 13 for the Mountaineers (10-2, 1-0), who built a 38-20 lead despite missing two of their three leading scorers to injuries, only to watch Kansas (9-3, 0-1) use a 15-2 run to get back in the game.Zeke Mayo, who led the Jayhawks with 27 points, converted a three-point play to tie the game 61-all with 16 seconds left. Small was fouled by Kansas freshman Flory Bidunga at the other end and made the second of two free throws, and KJ Adams missed a contested shot as time expired that would have sent the game to overtime.It was the first conference-opening loss for Kansas since Jan. 8, 1991, and the first win for the Mountaineers in 12 tries in Allen Fieldhouse. They had lost six of their last seven games to the Jayhawks.<h2>Takeaways</h2>West Virginia played its fourth game without star forward Tucker DeVries and also was missing big man Amani Hansberry to an ankle injury. But the Mountaineers committed just six turnovers while never getting rattled by the noise in the Phog.Kansas missed 15 of its first 19 shots, digging a hole that it spend the entire game trying to escape. Mayo gave the Jayhawks a chance, going 13 for 13 at the foul line, including several of them in the closing minutes.<h2>Key moment</h2>Small struggled from the field, going 0 for 6 from the 3-point arc. But he also had 11 rebounds and six assists, and he made the free throw that mattered with 1.8 seconds to go.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kansas went 19 of 21 from the foul line. West Virginia only attempted six free throws, making four — including the winner.<h2>Up next</h2>West Virginia plays Oklahoma State on Saturday. Kansas heads to UCF on Sunday.

🏀 West Virginia hits go-ahead FT with 1.8 seconds left to beat KU

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Longtime coach Jack Hartman and Utah State star Wayne Estes, who was tragically killed while trying to provide help at the site of an auto accident after his final game, are among eight coaches and players who will be posthumously inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame revealed its latest class Tuesday. The date of the induction ceremony has not been announced.

The other members include Dave Meyers, who helped UCLA win the NCAA title in 1973 and ‘75; Duquesne’s Sihugo Green, the first overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft; Lennie Rosenbluth, who led North Carolina to a 32-0 record and then 1957 NCAA title; New Mexico State's Sam Lacey, the fifth overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft; John Rudometkin, the first Southern California player to score more than 1,000 points in two seasons; and Tom Stith of St. Bonaventure, who average 26.5 points for his career.

Hartman, who played football and basketball at Oklahoma State, is perhaps the most high-profile member of the class. He played quarterback in the Canadian Football League after college before turning his attention to coaching, first as an assistant at his alma mater and later at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College and Southern Illinois.

It was at Kansas State where Hartman made his biggest splash. He followed Tex Winter and Cotton Fitzsimmons in leading the Wildcats to four Elite Eights during 16 seasons, finishing first or second in the Big Eight in 10 of those years.

Hartman retired in 1986 with a 589–279 record. He died in 1998 at the age of 73.

Estes was just 21 when he died on Feb. 8, 1965. The 6-foot-6 forward had just scored 48 points for Utah State against Denver in his final game, pushing him past 2,000 points for his career, when he stopped at the scene of a car accident near campus. Estes was crossing the street when he accidentally touched a downed power line, fatally electrocuting him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735670756194.png" alt="Longtime coach Jack Hartman -photo courtesy KSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Longtime coach Jack Hartman -photo courtesy KSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Longtime coach Jack Hartman and Utah State star Wayne Estes, who was tragically killed while trying to provide help at the site of an auto accident after his final game, are among eight coaches and players who will be posthumously inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.The Hall of Fame revealed its latest class Tuesday. The date of the induction ceremony has not been announced.The other members include Dave Meyers, who helped UCLA win the NCAA title in 1973 and ‘75; Duquesne’s Sihugo Green, the first overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft; Lennie Rosenbluth, who led North Carolina to a 32-0 record and then 1957 NCAA title; New Mexico State's Sam Lacey, the fifth overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft; John Rudometkin, the first Southern California player to score more than 1,000 points in two seasons; and Tom Stith of St. Bonaventure, who average 26.5 points for his career.Hartman, who played football and basketball at Oklahoma State, is perhaps the most high-profile member of the class. He played quarterback in the Canadian Football League after college before turning his attention to coaching, first as an assistant at his alma mater and later at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College and Southern Illinois.It was at Kansas State where Hartman made his biggest splash. He followed Tex Winter and Cotton Fitzsimmons in leading the Wildcats to four Elite Eights during 16 seasons, finishing first or second in the Big Eight in 10 of those years.Hartman retired in 1986 with a 589–279 record. He died in 1998 at the age of 73.Estes was just 21 when he died on Feb. 8, 1965. The 6-foot-6 forward had just scored 48 points for Utah State against Denver in his final game, pushing him past 2,000 points for his career, when he stopped at the scene of a car accident near campus. Estes was crossing the street when he accidentally touched a downed power line, fatally electrocuting him.

Former K-State coach named to National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame

LILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will ring in the new year as the third-ranked team in the country after the Tigers jumped two spots in the latest WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll, released Tuesday by the coaches association.

The Tigers accumulated 509 points in the balloting process, 56 points behind top-ranked Grand Valley State. Pittsburg State is the only other MIAA team mentioned in this week's poll, with the Gorillas slotted 14th.

The 11-0 Tigers are one of four remaining undefeated teams in Division II and one of 20 undefeated teams across all divisions of NCAA women's basketball (seven DI, nine DIII). Other DII yet to lose this season include fifth-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills (12-0), seventh-ranked North Georgia (10-0) and unranked Chowan (7-0).

This is the 110th time the Tigers have been ranked in the national coaches poll during the program's DII era. It is the 10th time FHSU has been ranked third, the 42nd time they have been in the top five and the 71st time the Tigers have occupied a spot in the top 10. It's the first time the Tigers have been ranked third in the country since January 4, 2022.

Fort Hays State is 168-43 when ranked in the poll, including a 20-6 mark when ranked third, a 72-16 record when ranked in the top five and a 117-24 mark when ranked in the top 10.After a pair of wins in Hawaii as the fifth-ranked team in the country, FHSU has now played 28 games when ranked fifth, more than any other spot in the poll. The Tigers will match that total this week when they play twice as the third-ranked team. FHSU will resume conference play Thursday (Jan. 2, 5:30 p.m.) when they take on Northwest Missouri State on the road before taking on Missouri Western on Saturday (Jan. 4, 1:30 p.m.).

WBCA NCAA DII Coaches Poll - December 31, 2024 Rk. - School (1st) - W-L - Pts. - Last 1 - Grand Valley State (19) - 12-1 - 565 - 1 2 - Texas Woman's (2) - 11-1 - 542 - 2 3 - Fort Hays State - 11-0 - 509 - 5 T4 - Bentley - 11-1 - 498 - 5 T5 - Cal State Dominguez Hills (1) - 12-0 - 479 - 9 6 - Montana State Billings - 13-2 - 434 - 3 7 - North Georgia (1) - 10-0 - 366 - 18 8 - Azusa Pacific - 10-1 - 363 - 11 9 - Gannon - 13-2 - 361 - 4 10 - Minnesota State Mankato - 11-2 - 351 - 13 11 - Seton Hill - 12-1 - 293 - 12 12 - Tampa - 11-2 - 290 - 15 13 - Union (Tenn.) - 10-2 - 272 - 17 14 - Pittsburg State - 10-2 - 261 - 8 15 - Carson-Newman - 10-2 - 258 - 10 16 - Concordia-St. Paul - 12-1 - 227 - 14 17 - Cal Poly Pomona - 9-1 - 225 - 23 18 - Texas-Tyler - 9-2 - 212 - 16 19 - Ashland - 11-3 - 179 - 21 20 - Lubbock Christian - 10-3 - 165 - 7 21 - Embry-Riddle - 10-1 - 110 - 25 22 - Nova Southeastern - 9-2 - 77 - RV 23 - Coker - 10-1 - 64 - RV 24 - Belmont Abbey - 10-2 - 61 - RV 25 - Southwest Minnesota State - 11-2 - 47 - RV

Dropped Out:&nbsp;No. 19 Ferris State (8-3); No. 20 Lee, TN (9-3); No. 22 Northern Michigan (8-2); No. 24 Central Washington (8-2).

Receiving Votes:&nbsp;Francis Marion (9-1) 42; Indiana, PA (10-1) 38; Assumption (10-2) 32; California State L.A. (7-2) 26; Ferris State (8-3) 25; Alaska Anchorage (11-2) 18; Fairmont State (9-3)16; Miles (7-2) 15; Harding (9-2) 13; UNC Pembroke (10-3) 9; Northern Michigan (8-2) 7; Central Washington (8-2 5; West Virginia Wesleyan (9-1) 5; Lee, TN, (9-3) 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735681499666.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsLILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will ring in the new year as the third-ranked team in the country after the Tigers jumped two spots in the latest WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll, released Tuesday by the coaches association.The Tigers accumulated 509 points in the balloting process, 56 points behind top-ranked Grand Valley State. Pittsburg State is the only other MIAA team mentioned in this week's poll, with the Gorillas slotted 14th.The 11-0 Tigers are one of four remaining undefeated teams in Division II and one of 20 undefeated teams across all divisions of NCAA women's basketball (seven DI, nine DIII). Other DII yet to lose this season include fifth-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills (12-0), seventh-ranked North Georgia (10-0) and unranked Chowan (7-0).This is the 110th time the Tigers have been ranked in the national coaches poll during the program's DII era. It is the 10th time FHSU has been ranked third, the 42nd time they have been in the top five and the 71st time the Tigers have occupied a spot in the top 10. It's the first time the Tigers have been ranked third in the country since January 4, 2022.Fort Hays State is 168-43 when ranked in the poll, including a 20-6 mark when ranked third, a 72-16 record when ranked in the top five and a 117-24 mark when ranked in the top 10.After a pair of wins in Hawaii as the fifth-ranked team in the country, FHSU has now played 28 games when ranked fifth, more than any other spot in the poll. The Tigers will match that total this week when they play twice as the third-ranked team. FHSU will resume conference play Thursday (Jan. 2, 5:30 p.m.) when they take on Northwest Missouri State on the road before taking on Missouri Western on Saturday (Jan. 4, 1:30 p.m.).WBCA NCAA DII Coaches Poll - December 31, 2024 Rk. - School (1st) - W-L - Pts. - Last 1 - Grand Valley State (19) - 12-1 - 565 - 1 2 - Texas Woman's (2) - 11-1 - 542 - 2 3 - Fort Hays State - 11-0 - 509 - 5 T4 - Bentley - 11-1 - 498 - 5 T5 - Cal State Dominguez Hills (1) - 12-0 - 479 - 9 6 - Montana State Billings - 13-2 - 434 - 3 7 - North Georgia (1) - 10-0 - 366 - 18 8 - Azusa Pacific - 10-1 - 363 - 11 9 - Gannon - 13-2 - 361 - 4 10 - Minnesota State Mankato - 11-2 - 351 - 13 11 - Seton Hill - 12-1 - 293 - 12 12 - Tampa - 11-2 - 290 - 15 13 - Union (Tenn.) - 10-2 - 272 - 17 14 - Pittsburg State - 10-2 - 261 - 8 15 - Carson-Newman - 10-2 - 258 - 10 16 - Concordia-St. Paul - 12-1 - 227 - 14 17 - Cal Poly Pomona - 9-1 - 225 - 23 18 - Texas-Tyler - 9-2 - 212 - 16 19 - Ashland - 11-3 - 179 - 21 20 - Lubbock Christian - 10-3 - 165 - 7 21 - Embry-Riddle - 10-1 - 110 - 25 22 - Nova Southeastern - 9-2 - 77 - RV 23 - Coker - 10-1 - 64 - RV 24 - Belmont Abbey - 10-2 - 61 - RV 25 - Southwest Minnesota State - 11-2 - 47 - RVDropped Out:&nbsp;No. 19 Ferris State (8-3); No. 20 Lee, TN (9-3); No. 22 Northern Michigan (8-2); No. 24 Central Washington (8-2).Receiving Votes:&nbsp;Francis Marion (9-1) 42; Indiana, PA (10-1) 38; Assumption (10-2) 32; California State L.A. (7-2) 26; Ferris State (8-3) 25; Alaska Anchorage (11-2) 18; Fairmont State (9-3)16; Miles (7-2) 15; Harding (9-2) 13; UNC Pembroke (10-3) 9; Northern Michigan (8-2) 7; Central Washington (8-2 5; West Virginia Wesleyan (9-1) 5; Lee, TN, (9-3) 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger women climb to No. 3 in WBCA poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After starting the 2024-25 season ranked No. 16 in the NABC Top 25 Poll, Fort Hays State Men's Basketball has played it's way back into the receiving votes section national poll. In the latest poll released on Tuesday, the Tigers, now 8-3 overall on the season, received 17 votes in the poll. They are the fifth-highest team listed in the receiving votes section.

Fort Hays State fell short in a couple of tough games to open the season in Minnesota against Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul, a pair of teams also among the receiving votes list of the poll. Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul are both 10-3 overall on the season. The Tigers have gone 8-1 overall since their 0-2 start to the season. Their only other loss was to Washburn, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation at 12-0 overall.

The Tigers have won their last four games, which included a 16-point win over a No. 22 ranked MSU Denver squad in Hays on December 20. MSU Denver slipped back into the receiving votes list in the latest Top 25 Poll.

Fort Hays State goes on the road this week to Northwest Missouri State (Thur. Jan. 2) and Missouri Western (Sat. Jan. 4). FHSU is looking for its first win at Northwest Missouri State since 2013, and Missouri Western is also in the receiving votes list of the national poll this week. With a new coach at the helm, NWMSU is 3-8 so far this season and this will be the first time in 15 meetings the Bearcats will not hold a national ranking in the matchup with FHSU. Missouri Western is currently 9-3 overall.

The Tigers will be back at home the following week for games against Nebraska-Kearney (Tue. Jan. 7) and Emporia State (Thur. Jan. 9).

NABC Top 25 Poll for Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Rank - School - Record - Points - Prev. 1. Nova Southeastern, Fla. (15) - 11-0 - 398 - 1 2. Washburn, Kan. - 12-0 - 383 - 2 3. Daemen, N.Y. (1) - 11-0 - 354 - 4 4. Ferris State, Mich. - 12-1 - 338 - 5 5. Minot State, N.D. - 15-0 - 328 - 12 6. Alabama Huntsville - 11-1 - 308 - 13 7. Pace, N.Y. - 12-0 - 304 - 11 8. West Liberty, W.Va. - 11-1 - 279 - 3 9. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. - 9-1 - 261 - 14 10. DBU, Texas - 12-2 - 221 - 15 11. Fairmont State, W.Va. - 10-1 - 216 - 7 12. MSU Moorhead, Minn. - 10-2 - 207 - 6 13. West Texas A&amp;M - 9-2 - 181 - 8 14. Lake Superior State, Mich. - 9-2 - 177 - 17 15. Florida Southern - 12-2 - 174 - 20 16. Colorado School of Mines - 9-2 - 168 - 10 17. Findlay, Ohio - 10-1 - 166 - 25 18. Coker, S.C. - 11-1 - 120 - 16 19. Columbus State, Ga.9-1 - 83 - NR 20. Missouri S&amp;T - 8-1 - 78 - NR 21. Lenoir-Rhyne, N.C. - 10-2 - 61 - NR 22. Saint Martin's, Wash. - 13-2 - 53 - NR 23. Cal State San Bernardino - 10-3 - 44 - 18 24. Hillsdale, Mich. - 10-2 - 33 - 19 T25. Cal Poly Pomona - 8-2 - 24 - 21 T25. Valdosta State, Ga. - 9-2 - 24 - NR

Receiving Votes: MSU Denver (Colo.) 22, Assumption (Mass.) 19, Winona State (Minn.) 19, Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 18,&nbsp;Fort Hays State (Kan.) 17, Gannon (Pa.) 17, North Georgia 17, Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) 16, Northwest Nazarene (Idaho) 14, West Chester (Pa.) 11, Midwestern State (Texas) 8, Northern Michigan 8, Southwest Minnesota State 6, Upper Iowa 6, Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) 5, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 3, Missouri Western 3, Eastern New Mexico 3, Kentucky Wesleyan 2, Point Loma (Calif.) 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735680963372.png" alt="Fort Hays State's Kyle Grill (1) drives in for a layup in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against MSU Denver on Friday, December 20, 2024 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Kyle Grill (1) drives in for a layup in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against MSU Denver on Friday, December 20, 2024 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. – After starting the 2024-25 season ranked No. 16 in the NABC Top 25 Poll, Fort Hays State Men's Basketball has played it's way back into the receiving votes section national poll. In the latest poll released on Tuesday, the Tigers, now 8-3 overall on the season, received 17 votes in the poll. They are the fifth-highest team listed in the receiving votes section.Fort Hays State fell short in a couple of tough games to open the season in Minnesota against Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul, a pair of teams also among the receiving votes list of the poll. Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul are both 10-3 overall on the season. The Tigers have gone 8-1 overall since their 0-2 start to the season. Their only other loss was to Washburn, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation at 12-0 overall.The Tigers have won their last four games, which included a 16-point win over a No. 22 ranked MSU Denver squad in Hays on December 20. MSU Denver slipped back into the receiving votes list in the latest Top 25 Poll.Fort Hays State goes on the road this week to Northwest Missouri State (Thur. Jan. 2) and Missouri Western (Sat. Jan. 4). FHSU is looking for its first win at Northwest Missouri State since 2013, and Missouri Western is also in the receiving votes list of the national poll this week. With a new coach at the helm, NWMSU is 3-8 so far this season and this will be the first time in 15 meetings the Bearcats will not hold a national ranking in the matchup with FHSU. Missouri Western is currently 9-3 overall.The Tigers will be back at home the following week for games against Nebraska-Kearney (Tue. Jan. 7) and Emporia State (Thur. Jan. 9).NABC Top 25 Poll for Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Rank - School - Record - Points - Prev. 1. Nova Southeastern, Fla. (15) - 11-0 - 398 - 1 2. Washburn, Kan. - 12-0 - 383 - 2 3. Daemen, N.Y. (1) - 11-0 - 354 - 4 4. Ferris State, Mich. - 12-1 - 338 - 5 5. Minot State, N.D. - 15-0 - 328 - 12 6. Alabama Huntsville - 11-1 - 308 - 13 7. Pace, N.Y. - 12-0 - 304 - 11 8. West Liberty, W.Va. - 11-1 - 279 - 3 9. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. - 9-1 - 261 - 14 10. DBU, Texas - 12-2 - 221 - 15 11. Fairmont State, W.Va. - 10-1 - 216 - 7 12. MSU Moorhead, Minn. - 10-2 - 207 - 6 13. West Texas A&amp;M - 9-2 - 181 - 8 14. Lake Superior State, Mich. - 9-2 - 177 - 17 15. Florida Southern - 12-2 - 174 - 20 16. Colorado School of Mines - 9-2 - 168 - 10 17. Findlay, Ohio - 10-1 - 166 - 25 18. Coker, S.C. - 11-1 - 120 - 16 19. Columbus State, Ga.9-1 - 83 - NR 20. Missouri S&amp;T - 8-1 - 78 - NR 21. Lenoir-Rhyne, N.C. - 10-2 - 61 - NR 22. Saint Martin's, Wash. - 13-2 - 53 - NR 23. Cal State San Bernardino - 10-3 - 44 - 18 24. Hillsdale, Mich. - 10-2 - 33 - 19 T25. Cal Poly Pomona - 8-2 - 24 - 21 T25. Valdosta State, Ga. - 9-2 - 24 - NRReceiving Votes: MSU Denver (Colo.) 22, Assumption (Mass.) 19, Winona State (Minn.) 19, Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 18,&nbsp;Fort Hays State (Kan.) 17, Gannon (Pa.) 17, North Georgia 17, Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) 16, Northwest Nazarene (Idaho) 14, West Chester (Pa.) 11, Midwestern State (Texas) 8, Northern Michigan 8, Southwest Minnesota State 6, Upper Iowa 6, Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) 5, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 3, Missouri Western 3, Eastern New Mexico 3, Kentucky Wesleyan 2, Point Loma (Calif.) 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men receiving votes in latest NABC Top 25 poll

Fort Hays State men's basketball hosts No. 22 MSU Denver on Friday, December 20, 204 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.

Fort Hays State men's basketball hosts No. 22 MSU Denver on Friday, December 20, 204 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. #22 MSU Denver" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=8xdnq-178cc98-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. #22 MSU Denver

Tuesday, December 31
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs.
West Virginia, 11:30am

Tuesday, December 31
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs.
West Virginia, 11:30amWednesday, January 1 noneThursday, January 2
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Northwest Missouri State, 5:05pm
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6pmFriday, January 3 noneSaturday, January 4
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB at Missouri Western State, 1:05pmSunday, January 5
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at
UCF, 1:30pm
 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 2pm

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 17 points and Kansas State led No. 16 Cincinnati nearly wire-to-wire in a 70-67 victory Monday night to open the 20-game Big 12 conference grind.

David N'Guessan also had 13 points, and C.J. Jones made four free throws in the final 20 seconds, helping the Wildcats (7-5, 1-0) snap a three-game losing streak that had concluded their bitterly disappointing nonconference slate.

Kansas State led the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1) for all but 24 seconds, but was left clinging to a 65-63 lead after Aziz Bandaogo's dunk with 27 seconds to go. Hawkins was fouled and made the first of two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, but Max Jones was there to tap the miss to C.J. Jones, who was fouled and made two free throws to extend the lead.

Bandaogo scored again with 8.9 seconds left, but C.J. Jones made the last of his two foul shots to put the game away.

Dan Skillings Jr. led Cincinnati with 18 points. Dillon Mitchell had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Cincinnati committed 15 turnovers that the Wildcats turned into 15 points. Two of those turnovers came in the last two minutes.

Kansas State won despite 3-point sharpshooter Brendan Hausen going just 1 for 8 from beyond the arc.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735610859876.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 17 points and Kansas State led No. 16 Cincinnati nearly wire-to-wire in a 70-67 victory Monday night to open the 20-game Big 12 conference grind.David N'Guessan also had 13 points, and C.J. Jones made four free throws in the final 20 seconds, helping the Wildcats (7-5, 1-0) snap a three-game losing streak that had concluded their bitterly disappointing nonconference slate.Kansas State led the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1) for all but 24 seconds, but was left clinging to a 65-63 lead after Aziz Bandaogo's dunk with 27 seconds to go. Hawkins was fouled and made the first of two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, but Max Jones was there to tap the miss to C.J. Jones, who was fouled and made two free throws to extend the lead.Bandaogo scored again with 8.9 seconds left, but C.J. Jones made the last of his two foul shots to put the game away.Dan Skillings Jr. led Cincinnati with 18 points. Dillon Mitchell had 15 points and 11 rebounds.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Cincinnati committed 15 turnovers that the Wildcats turned into 15 points. Two of those turnovers came in the last two minutes.Kansas State won despite 3-point sharpshooter Brendan Hausen going just 1 for 8 from beyond the arc.<h2>Key moment</h2>Max Jones had eight points and five boards, but no play was bigger than when he kept alive Hawkins' missed free throw in the waning seconds. That got C.J. Jones to the foul line and he provided Kansas State some breathing room.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Wildcats were 16 of 20 at the foul line. Cincinnati was 4 for 7.<h2>Up next</h2>Cincinnati plays Arizona on Saturday. Kansas State visits TCU the same day.___