FHSU Athletics
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State Men's Basketball put on a display of what it does best on Saturday in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals at Municipal Auditorium. With the nation's top scoring defense, FHSU won 61-43 over Rogers State improving to 21-9 and moved on to Sunday's championship game. Rogers State closed its season at 23-10 overall.
The 43 points by Rogers State was a new low by a Tiger opponent in the MIAA Tournament. It was just one point off the tournament record of 42 that Pittsburg State was held to in 2008 by Northwest Missouri State. It was the third-lowest point total by a Tiger opponent this year and the sixth time this season they held an opponent inside of 50 points.
Fort Hays State had a couple of bursts in the first half to get some separation from Rogers State. A 12-3 run over about three and a half minutes gave the Tigers an eight-point lead of 17-9. They eventually ended the first half on a 6-0 run to take a 32-20 lead into halftime.
The Tigers really imposed their defensive will early in the second half, holding the Hillcats scoreless for the first six minutes after halftime. The run carried over from the first half reached 12-0 overall as the Tigers led by 18 before the Hillcats scored their first basket of the second frame. FHSU never let Rogers State closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
Fort Hays State held Rogers State to just 31.3 percent shooting overall from the field. The Tigers countered with 42.6 percent shooting, hitting eight more field goals than the Hillcats. FHSU scored two more points at the free-throw line. FHSU outrebounded RSU 37-28 and held an eight-point advantage in points off turnovers.
Kaleb Hammeke led the Tigers with 18 points and five assists. Shaun RIley added 14 points on an efficient 5-of-7 effort from the field with a team-best three blocked shots. Traejon Davis led the Tigers in rebounds with six. All 11 available Tigers played in the game.
Anthony Marshall Jr. led the Hillcats with 11 points, while Caden Fry added 10.Fort Hays State will face Central Oklahoma in the MIAA Championship game on Sunday with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium. UCO won the only meeting between the teams in the regular season in Edmond by a score of 75-65.