FHSU Athletics
Washburn (12-5, 8-3 MIAA)
at Fort Hays State (13-4, 8-3 MIAA)
Thursday, January 25, 2024 • 7:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Game Sponsor: Domino's Pizza
Promotions: FHSU Center for Student Success/Greek Life Night - activities and giveaways for FHSU students
Fort Hays State plays host to Washburn on Thursday night at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The teams are tied for second place in the MIAA standings at 8-3, only a game behind frontrunner Northwest Missouri State (9-2). The Tigers are 13-4 overall, while the Ichabods are 12-5 overall. Both teams are receiving votes in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll.
The Tigers and Ichabods are meeting only once in the regular season for the sixth-straight season. The Ichabods are making their first trip to Hays since the 2020-21 season, when they won by two points on a buzzer-beating 3-point shot. The Ichabods have won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams and they have won the last three meetings in Hays. The Tigers will be looking for their first win over the Ichabods in Hays since the 2016-17 season when they won 89-82.
Fort Hays State is coming off a win over Nebraska-Kearney last Saturday in Kearney. The Tigers won 57-49, led by a 15-point performance from Kaleb Hammeke. The Tigers held an opponent inside of 50 points for the seventh time this season and improved their NCAA Division II-leading scoring defense to 58.2 points per game.
Washburn comes into this game on a three-game win streak, which included a one-point win at Lincoln followed by wins at home over Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State. After starting the season 5-4, the Ichabods have won seven of their last eight games.
Hammeke continues to lead the Tigers at 15.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Elijah Nnanabu is also averaging double figures in scoring at 11.1 points per game. Shaun Riley has started the last three games for the Tigers and averages a team-high 5.5 rebounds to go with 8.3 points per game. Bjarni Jonsson leads the team in 3-point field goals made with 24, followed closely by Hammeke with 23.
The Ichabods have three players averaging double figures in scoring, which includes Sam Ungashick (14.4), Andrew Orr (13.3), and Jack Bachelor (12.6). Brady Christiansen is their top rebounder at 6.6 per game.