CLAREMORE, Okla. – For 30 minutes Fort Hays State went toe-to-toe with MIAA newcomer Rogers State, but the Hillcats used a 22-6 second half run to turn a seven-point deficit into a nine-point lead and beat the Tigers 68-58 Saturday afternoon at the Claremore Expo Center.
Fort Hays State (6-8, 0-6 MIAA) played with the lead for nearly 15 minutes of the first and led 38-34 at halftime. They pushed that lead to seven on an Aaron Nicholson floater from the baseline with 16:12 to play but the Hillcats scored the next eight to take the lead.
Calvin Harrington’s only 3-pointer of the game gave the Tigers the lead for the final time at 49-47. TheHillcats scored the next six points and never trailed again, outscoring FHSU 36-20 in the second half to avoid their first four-game losing streak in program history.
The Tigers have now lost four straight and start MIAA play 0-6 for the first time since joining the conference in 2006-07.
Aaron Nicholson hit 3-for-7 from beyond the arc and led the Tigers with 15 points. Devin Davis added.
Marques Sumner led the Hillcats with 18 points.