FHSU Athletics
#18/RV Fort Hays State (19-5, 14-4 MIAA)
at Central Missouri (11-12, 6-11 MIAA)
Saturday, February 17, 2024 • 3:00 p.m.
Warrensburg, Mo. • Jerry Hughes Athletics Center
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
The 18-ranked Fort Hays State men's basketball team takes a 19-5 overall record and 14-4 mark in conference play into its final regular season road game on Saturday. The Tigers take on Central Missouri in Warrensburg with tipoff set for 3 p.m. inside the Jerry Hughes Athletics Center. UCM enters the game at 11-12 overall and 6-11 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State enters the contest on a three-game win streak. The Tigers' most recent win came Thursday night by a score of 60-41 at Lincoln in Jefferson City, Mo. The Tigers held Lincoln to just 26.1 percent shooting from the field overall and 7.1 percent shooting beyond the 3-point arc, both being season lows for an FHSU opponent. FHSU started its current winning streak with home wins over Newman and Central Oklahoma.
Central Missouri snapped a four-game losing string on Thursday night with a win at home over Nebraska-Kearney. It also snapped a two-game slide at home by the Mules. The Mules have a break-even scoring margin, scoring 63.6 points per game while allowing the same amount per game.
Fort Hays State owns a six-game win streak in the series with Central Missouri, which goes back to the 2020-21 season. FHSU has won the last two meetings with UCM in Warrensburg. FHSU allowed less than 60 points to UCM in all six of the games during its current win streak in the series between the teams. The Tigers took the first meeting between the teams this season in Hays by a score of 61-51.
Kaleb Hammeke led the Tigers in scoring on Thursday night at Lincoln with 16. He leads the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists. Hammeke averages 14.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He led the Tigers in scoring with 17 points in the first meeting with UCM this season.
Central Missouri has four players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Jalen Knott at 11.5 per game.