FHSU Athletics
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
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
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 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 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 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 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.