By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
HAYS, Kan. – Sterling College kept pace with Fort Hays State for the first 15 minutes on Saturday evening (Nov. 24), but FHSU pulled away in the second half for a 99-73 win. Fort Hays State improved to 3-3 overall, while Sterling College is 1-3.
Both teams shot the ball extremely well early in the game, making for a back-and-forth battle in the first 15 minutes. Sterling’s took the lead for the last time with just over 6:30 remaining in the first half, holding a 32-29 advantage. From that point, the Tigers went on a 7-0 run capped by an Aaron Nicholson 3-point field goal to lead by four. The Tigers eventually extended the lead to eight by halftime, 45-37.
Fort Hays State opened the second half on a 23-10 run to open up a 21-point lead. The Tigers went into cruise control the rest of the way, never seeing the lead trimmed smaller than 19 points. The largest lead was 28 at the 2:31 and 0:20 marks on the clock before the final margin settled at 26.
Brady Werth poured in 22 points to lead FHSU, going 10-of-15 from the field and 2-of-2 at the free-throw line. He tied Marcus Cooper for the team lead in rebounds, each with eight. Nicholson scored 17 points with four 3-point field goals. He was 6-of-12 from the field overall and 1-of-1 at the charity stripe. Trey O’Neil (12), Jared Vitztum (11), and Kyler Kinnamon (10) also reached double figures in scoring. Kinnamon had a team-best eight assists on the evening, helping FHSU to 24 as a team. The Tigers hit 15 3-point field goals in the game. O’Neil matched Nicholson for most made, also with four.
JaMiah Windom-Haynes led the Warriors with 18 points and six rebounds. Edo Okafor had 11, while Isaac Ostrosky and Sean Nordberg each had 10.
FHSU forced Sterling into 20 turnovers and pulled down 21 offensive rebounds. Overall, the Tigers outrebounded the Warriors by 15 (46-31) and outscored them by 17 on second-chance opportunities.
The Tigers return to their home floor on Tuesday night (Nov. 27) when they take on Central Christian College (Kan.) at 7 pm.