FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (12-4, 7-3 MIAA)
at Nebraska-Kearney (5-10, 2-8 MIAA)
Saturday, January 20 • 4 p.m.
Kearney, Neb. • Health & Sports Center
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
The Fort Hays State men's basketball team will complete the first half of its MIAA schedule on Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. at the Health and Sports Center. The Tigers are 12-4 overall and 7-3 in the MIAA, while the Lopers are 5-10 overall and 2-8 in the MIAA.
The Tigers are looking to bounce back from a loss at Pittsburg State last Saturday. They are 3-3 in conference road games so far this season. The Lopers are currently on a five-game losing streak. Their last victory was over Bethany College back on December 19. They have lost seven straight in MIAA play after a 2-1 start.
Fort Hays State owns an 86-54 advantage in the all-time series history with Nebraska-Kearney, which goes all the way back to 1926. The Tigers have won the last five meetings with the Lopers going back to the 2020-21 season. FHSU has won the last two games between the teams in Kearney (2022 and 2023) after UNK had won eight in a row on its home floor prior to that. Both meetings between the teams last year were decided by three points or less with FHSU claiming a 57-55 win in Hays and then a 45-42 win in Kearney.
The Tigers are still the frontrunner in NCAA Division II for scoring defense, allowing just 58.8 points per game. They are the only team allowing less than 60 per game. The Tigers have held nine opponents to 60 or less this season. FHSU held Nebraska-Kearney to less than 60 in each of the last four meetings between the teams. FHSU owns the eighth-best field goal percentage defense in the nation with opponents shooting 39.2 percent from the field.
Kaleb Hammeke continues to lead the Tigers at 15.2 points and 4.0 assists per game. He moved to eighth on the all-time scoring list at FHSU, passing Mark Harris (1,377) in last Saturday's contest in Pittsburg. He has 1,380 points in his career and looks to become the eighth player in program history to reach 1,400. Hammeke is already fifth all-time in assists at FHSU with 377.Damiri Lindo leads the UNK scoring effort at 13.8 points per game. UNK has four players averaging double figures overall as the team averages 76.2 points per game, yet gives up 85.8 per game on average.
FHSU enters Saturday one game back of Northwest Missouri State (8-2) for the MIAA lead. The Tigers are tied for second place with Missouri Western and Washburn.