FHSU Athletics
Emporia State (4-9, 1-3 MIAA)
at Fort Hays State (9-4, 2-2 MIAA)
Thursday, January 9 • 7:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Game Sponsor: Buff Car Wash
National Anthem: Colby High School
Promotions: Senior Citizen Day ($5 GA tickets for ages 55 and older) / Ohiole Dibua Street Twirler Performance at Halftime
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Fort Hays State returns to action at home on Thursday night, hosting in-state rival Emporia State at 7:30 p.m. It is the start of a three-game homestand for FHSU with a pair of games at home ahead the following week. Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the NABC national poll and enters at 9-4 overall, 2-2 in the MIAA, while Emporia State is 4-9 overall and 1-3 in the MIAA.
This will be the first of two meetings in the regular season with Emporia State this year. The Tigers and Hornets are meeting twice in the regular season for the first time since 2019-20 after meeting once each of the last four seasons. FHSU has met Emporia State more times than any other opponent in program history and this will be the 195th meeting between the schools. FHSU holds a 107-87 advantage in the all-time series.
Fort Hays State won the last three meetings in the series going back to the 2021-22 season. The first two wins of the streak were in Emporia, including one in overtime, and FHSU won last year's meeting in Hays 67-62. Looking beyond the last three, FHSU has won nine of the last 11 in the series history and both Emporia State wins were by three points or less.
Kaleb Hammeke on the verge of becoming the all-time scoring leader in FHSU history, now just 11 points shy of Alonzo Goldston's record of 1,766 points. In the last contest against Missouri Western back on Saturday, Hammeke became the fourth player in program history to reach 500 career assists. He became the only player in program history with 1,700 points and 500 assists. Hammeke is one of only two active NCAA Division II players with at least 1,700 points and 500 assists, joining Sam Rolle IV of Davis & Elkins College (W.Va.) who has 2,116 points and 610 assists.
Hammeke leads the Tigers in scoring and assists. He averages 15.1 points and 4.8 assists per game. Kyle Grill (11.7) and Shaun Riley (10.9) also average double figures in scoring. Riley leads the Tigers in rebounding at 6.7 per game. Grill is tied with Hammeke for the most 3-point field goals made on the team, each with 22.Fort Hays State had a five-game win streak snapped this past Saturday at Missouri Western, falling 47-44 in a tight defensive battle. The Tigers have held five of their last six opponents to less than 60 points and held both opponents in their most recent road swing under 50 points. Washburn (71) and Concordia-St. Paul (82) are the only teams the Tigers did not hold inside of 70 so far this season.
Fort Hays State currently owns the third-best scoring defense in NCAA Division II at 59.7 points per game. The Tigers led the nation in the category last year when they finished at 57.9 points per game allowed. FHSU is holding opponents to just 38.2 percent shooting overall, which ranks seventh nationally. FHSU has also done well at ball security, averaging just 9.5 turnovers per game, which ranks fifth nationally. The Tigers have been efficient shooting beyond the 3-point line this year with a 40.4 percent success rate, which ranks seventh nationally.
Emporia State enters this contest on a three-game slide, which includes a non-conference loss to Rockhurst before falling at home to Central Missouri and Washburn. ESU's last win was back on December 17 against Sterling College. The Hornets' lone MIAA win was a 74-72 result at Missouri Western back on December 7. Malik Edwards Jr. leads the Hornets in scoring at 13.3 points per game. The Hornets are in their first year under head coach Tom Billeter, who coached at Augustana University (S.D.) for 21 years from 2003-2024 and North Dakota State for five years from 1992-97.