FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (0-0) at
Southwestern Oklahoma State (0-0)
Friday, November 11 - 5 p.m.
Radio - KJLS (103.3)
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Fort Hays State
vs. Arkansas Tech
Saturday, November 12 - 5:30 p.m.
Radio - KJLS (103.3)
Both games at Pioneer Cellular Events Center in Weatherford, Oklahoma.
Fort Hays State gets its 115th season of men's basketball underway on Friday (Nov. 11) in the GAC/MIAA Challenge, hosted by Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. The Tigers will take on the host Bulldogs on Friday at 5 p.m., then play Arkansas Tech at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday evening.
The Tigers are coming off a 23-6 season in 2021-22. It was Fort Hays State's best record produced in a season in which it did not make the NCAA Tournament. FHSU finished third in the MIAA standings at 17-5, just one game back of a first-place tie between Northwest Missouri State and Central Oklahoma. FHSU saw its season close in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals in a 53-50 loss to Northwest Missouri State, which went on to win its third-straight national title.
The Tigers are meeting Southwestern Oklahoma State and Arkansas Tech in its first two games of a season for the third time in the last four years. The four-team cluster, which also involves Emporia State of the MIAA, started the season-opening weekend challenge back in 2019-20 in Russellville, Arkansas, home of Arkansas Tech. FHSU has gone 4-0 against SWOSU and ATU since the four-team agreement started, defeating both in Russellville in 2019 and then both again in Hays in 2021. The teams did not meet in 2020-21 due to an exclusive conference schedule played by the MIAA due to COVID-19 issues.
It has been a long time since the Fort Hays State men have claimed a win in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Southwestern Oklahoma State has won the last three meetings between the schools on its home court, which dates back to the 1966-67 season. SWOSU won the most recent meeting in Weatherford 73-65 during the 2007-08 season. Fort Hays State's last win in Weatherford occurred back in 1963-64 by a score of 83-76. FHSU leads the all-time series with SWOSU 20-7 and has won the last four meetings overall.
Fort Hays State enters this weekend with a 3-0 record against Arkansas Tech all-time, which includes home, away, and neutral site wins. FHSU won by 12 points in Hays in 2021-22, 10 points in Russellville in 2019-20, and 17 points in the first-ever meeting between the schools back in 1951-52 in Enid, Oklahoma.
Fort Hays State is coming off a strong defensive season in 2021-22. The Tigers ranked second in NCAA Division II for scoring defense, allowing just 56.6 points per game. The Tigers were also second nationally in 3-point field goal percentage defense, allowing just a 28.5 percent success rate for opponents. The Tigers were ninth in NCAA Division II for overall field goal percentage defense, holding the opposition to a 39.8 percent field goal percentage for the season. The Tigers also did a good job taking care of the ball, ranking 17th in Division II for fewest turnovers per game (10.3).
Kaleb Hammeke is the top returning scorer, rebounder, and assister for the Tigers. The 2021-22 All-MIAA Second Team selection and 2020-21 MIAA Freshman of the Year averaged 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for the Tigers last year. All other Tigers returning this season averaged less than five points per game, so there will need to be an uptick in production from returners this year with the graduation of All-MIAA performers Jared Vitztum and Nyjee Wright. The Tigers added three transfers and one true freshman after seeing four individuals depart from last year's team.