ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State fell behind 12-0 to start the game and never got closer than eight and lost 79-63 to Missouri Western State Thursday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
The Griffons (8-11, 4-4 MIAA, who came into the game as one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the MIAA, hit their first five from beyond the arc and six of their first seven in building a 17-point first half lead.
The Tigers (7-10, 1-8 MIAA) closed within nine late in the half and were down 47-36 at halftime but MWSU outscored the Tigers 11-3 over the first five minutes of the second half to push the lead to 19 and were up as many as 23 with 8:41 to play.
Jared Vitztum and Jake Hutchings both scored 17 to lead the Tigers. Vitztum added nine rebounds.