BY FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State Men’s Basketball heads to Edmond for a matchup with Central Oklahoma on Thursday night (Feb. 27) at 7:30 pm. This will be a key contest in determining the final three qualifiers for the MIAA Tournament next week in Kansas City. FHSU and UCO enter the contest tied for ninth in the MIAA standings at 6-11. FHSU is 13-13 overall, while UCO is 9-17 overall.
Only three more spots are up for grabs for next week’s MIAA Tournament. Seven teams have already punched their ticket to Kansas City, but FHSU and Central Oklahoma are among the six teams fighting for the final three spots with two games remaining in the regular season. Going into Wednesday, FHSU and Central Oklahoma sit in a tie for ninth in the MIAA standings. FHSU defeated Central Oklahoma a couple weeks ago in Hays by a score of 81-73, so FHSU is looking for the regular season sweep, which could be huge in any potential tiebreaking procedures determining the final few qualifiers for the tournament.
Lincoln sits in eighth place, just one game ahead of both FHSU and UCO at 7-10 in the MIAA. Lincoln defeated FHSU head-to-head, while UCO defeated Lincoln head-to-head. Lurking behind FHSU and UCO just a game back of the ninth-place tie are Central Missouri and Pittsburg State, each at 5-12. Emporia State is mathematically still alive at 4-13, while Newman is the only school eliminated from tournament contention at 3-14.
Central Oklahoma won its last two games against MIAA opponents at home, defeating Newman 77-51 and Emporia State 75-65. The Bronchos had lost four straight MIAA games at home prior to those last two contests, but three of the four were by five points or less. Among the three losses by five points or less were Northwest Missouri State and Rogers State, the top two teams in the MIAA, which rank No. 1 and No. 17 in the national rankings respectively.
The Tigers are coming off an 87-80 win over Northeastern State in Hays this past Saturday. In that game, Jared Vitztum set a new career high for points with 25. He continues to lead the team at 14.4 points per contest. Jake Hutchings added 18, while Perry Carroll and Nyjee Wright combined for 24 points off the bench. Devin Davis added 11.
FHSU brings a four-game win streak against UCO into this contest. FHSU defeated UCO in Edmond last year by three points, 69-66.