By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State trailed by three going into the final minute on Thursday evening (Jan. 10), but closed on an 8-1 run orchestrated by Marcus Cooper to get past Northeastern State by a score of 69-65. The Tigers remained unbeaten at home this year and improved to 10-4 overall and 4-1 in the MIAA. The RiverHawks remained winless in MIAA play at 0-5 and dropped to 6-8 overall.
It was a tight battle throughout as the game never saw a double-digit lead. Northeastern State claimed the largest lead early, 12-4, just over four minutes into the game. However, FHSU went on a 9-1 run to tie the score at 13-13 and the rest of the first half was close. The RiverHawks went into the locker room with a two-point lead of 29-27 at the break.
Neither team could find separation in the second half as the largest lead was five points, held three times by FHSU. Momentum swung to the RiverHawks when they went on an 8-0 run to take a 58-55 lead with 4:26 to go. The Tigers pulled back within one point three times following, but each time the RiverHawks had an answer to push the lead back to three. A dunk by Gordon Hill on an offensive rebound put NSU up 64-61 with 1:10 to play.
Cooper then put the Tigers on his back in the final minute, scoring all eight of the team’s points in the final push. He hit a clutch 3-point field goal from the left corner to knot the game at 64-64 with 52 seconds remaining. He then ramped up his defensive intensity by jumping in a passing lane and picking off a pass on the ensuing NSU possession. Just moments later, Kyler Kinnamon threaded a beautiful bounce pass to Cooper who ran a back cut on the left baseline and hammered home a dunk to put the Tigers up 66-64 with 27 seconds remaining.
Northeastern State had a chance to tie the game at the free throw line with 18 ticks remaining on the clock, but Caleb Smith hit only one of two attempts. Cooper then hit just one of two attempts in response after NSU had to foul. Down by two, Smith of NSU opted to shoot a 3-pointer with just a few seconds remaining, but it missed left and Cooper secured the rebound. He then put the game away with a pair of free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining. Cooper finished with a game-high 22 points and came up just one rebound shy of a double-double with a team-best nine.
Devin Davis provided a spark off the bench for FHSU with 14 points, while Brady Werth chipped in 13. Werth tied Kinnamon for top assist honors for the Tigers, each with four. Smith led the NSU scoring effort with 17 points, while Tanner Mouse had 16 and Trent Cantrell had 14.
Though the RiverHawks outshot the Tigers from the field, 46.9 percent (23-of-49) to 41.1 percent (23-of-56), the free-throw line was a difference maker for FHSU. Even though the Tigers shot just 69.6 percent at the line for the night (16-of-23), they had nine more attempts than the RiverHawks who hit 11 free tosses. Since NSU made only one more three than the Tigers, the five-point edge at the line was the difference in the game for FHSU.
Fort Hays State returns to its home floor on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 12) when it plays host to Central Oklahoma at 4 pm, which follows the women’s game at 2 pm.