By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Fort Hays State men's basketball team rallied from a 17-point second half deficit but their comeback bid fell short in a 59-56 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State Friday evening at the Pioneer Cellular Events Center.
The Tigers (0-1) trailed by 16 at halftime and were down 17 with 18:42 to play before putting together a 19-3 run to cut the lead to 43-42. The Bulldogs (1-0) scored six straight, five on one possession, to go up seven but the Tigers rallied again to pull within one with 5:17 to play. They would grab a brief one-pioint lead on a Gabe Pieschl stick back with 2:53 to go.
The Bulldogs hit eight straight free throws down the stretch to keep the Tigers at bay. FHSU missed a couple of shots in their final two possessions including a three from Haggan Hilgendorf at the horn.
Both teams struggled out of the gate offensively with only five combined points were scored in the first five and a half minutes. The Tigers led 9-8 seven minutes into the contest but saw the Bulldogs close the first half on a 29-12 run and trailed 37-21 at the half.
Kaleb Hammeke led the Tigers with 12 points. Elijah Nnanabu and Gabe Pieschl both added 10. Pieschl hauled in a career-high 13 rebounds and Evansville transfer Iyen Enaruna pulled down 10 in his Tiger debut.
Kamden Gipson and Ben Smith both scored 13 to lead SWOSU who snapped a four-game losing streak to the Tigers.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will be back in action on Saturday evening against Arkansas Tech on the same court in Weatherford, Okla. Action is set to begin at 5:30 p.m.