#22/RV Fort Hays State (19-4, 14-4 MIAA) at
Lincoln (2-20, 1-16 MIAA)
Thursday, February 17 – 7:30 pm
Jefferson City, Mo. – Jason Gym
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State men's basketball starts a two-game road trip to Missouri on Thursday at Lincoln University in Jefferson City. FHSU and Lincoln just met on Monday night in Hays in a make-up game due to COVID issues earlier in the season, a game FHSU won 66-52. FHSU carries a 19-4 overall record, 14-4 in the MIAA, while Lincoln is 2-20 overall and 1-16 in the MIAA.
In the win at home over Lincoln on Monday night, Jared Vitztum led FHSU with 25 points and 10 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season. He also tied for the team lead in assists with Nyjee Wright in that game, each with three. Vitztum is starting to close in on both the 1,500-point and 900-rebound barriers for his career. He is already sixth all-time in points scored at FHSU and now ranks third in total rebounds.
Fort Hays State is looking for its first win in Jefferson City since the 2014-15 season. Lincoln has won the last four meetings with FHSU inside its home gymnasium, one of those coming in overtime. Lincoln's only two wins this season have been at home over Central Christian (Mo.) and Pittsburg State. However, they have had some close losses at home in MIAA play, falling by just one to Missouri Southern, by two to Missouri Western, and by seven to Emporia State. Four of Lincoln's final five games this season will be at home, starting with FHSU on Thursday.
The Tigers enter this game in the thick of the race for a spot in the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Fort Hays State was listed No. 6 in the initial set of region rankings released by the NCAA on Wednesday (Feb. 16). The Tigers are ranked No. 22 in the latest NABC Division II poll, but see five other ranked teams in front of them in the region rankings, which includes Augustana, Upper Iowa, Minnesota Duluth, Northwest Missouri State, and Central Oklahoma. A pair of teams from the Great American Conference sit behind the Tigers in the region rankings at No. 7 and 8, while the NSIC and MIAA have a claim to the top six spots in the rankings as it stands right now. Region rankings fluctuate week to week, so Fort Hays State's play down the stretch will be crucial to potentially grabbing one of the eight spots in the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
Following the contest at Lincoln on Thursday night, the Tigers will conclude their road swing at Central Missouri on Saturday (Feb. 19).