FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (15-8, 8-6 MIAA)
at Newman (13-11, 6-9 MIAA)
Saturday, February 15 • 3:30 p.m.
Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Fort Hays State returns to action on Saturday at Newman University in its second-to-last road contest of the regular season. The Tigers are looking to snap a recent string of losses in road contests, which reached four games on Thursday night at Emporia State. The Tigers enter at 15-8 overall and 8-6 in the MIAA, while the Jets are 13-11 overall and 6-9 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State is coming off a 58-44 loss to Emporia State on Thursday evening in Emporia. The Tigers lead the nation in scoring defense and held the Hornets to right at their season average (58.6) of points surrendered per game, but struggled offensively and saw the Hornets coast to a victory in the second half.
Newman enters Saturday on a three-game losing skid overall. The Jets fell to Nebraska-Kearney at home on Wednesday evening by a score of 79-66 and prior to that took road losses to Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State. The Jets are 9-4 at home so far this season and Saturday will be their second-to-last home contest in the regular season.
Fort Hays State has won nine of the last 10 meetings with Newman going back to the 2019-20 season. The Jets picked up their first-ever win in MIAA play against the Tigers last year in Wichita by a score of 77-75 in overtime. The Jets have defeated the Tigers only three times in Mark Johnson's tenure as head coach, all by two points or less in Wichita. Johnson has a record of 20-3 against the Jets, including an 8-3 record in Wichita.
Kaleb Hammeke leads the Tigers at 14.6 points and 4.0 assists per game. He is now six points shy of 1,900 for his career, already the all-time leading scorer in FHSU Men's Basketball history. Kyle Grill is the only other Tiger averaging double figures in scoring at 12.1 per game. Shaun Riley leads the Tigers in rebounding at 6.7 per game.
Newman is led by Aaron Murphy in scoring at 11.7 points per game, followed by Boston Stanton III at 11.1 per game. Sam Somerhalder also averages north of 10 points per game.