By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State picked up a big win on Thursday evening (Feb. 18) by defeating Lincoln University by a score of 84-67. FHSU evened up the season series with LU and pulled into a tie with Lincoln and Pittsburg State for sixth in the MIAA standings, all at 10-9 on the season. The win gave Mark Johnson 250 wins inside Gross Memorial Coliseum as head coach of the Tigers, now 250-51 all-time on home soil.
The Tigers moved above .500 for the first time this season with the win. Jared Vitztum produced his NCAA Division II-leading 11th double-double of the season to lead the Tigers with 24 points and 14 rebounds. FHSU shot the ball well, hitting 51.7 percent from the field, including a 50 percent effort beyond the 3-point line (14-of-28).
The first half was an offensive shootout with the lead changing hands 11 times. Although Lincoln led by seven nine minutes into the game, the Tigers used a 7-0 run to get the game tied and eventually took the lead for good with 2:30 remaining before the break. FHSU went on to lead by five at the half, 48-43. At the break, FHSU was 9-of-15 from beyond the 3-point line, which included a scorching hot 5-of-5 effort from Alvin Thompson. He led the Tigers with 16 points at the half.
Lincoln trimmed the lead down to three within the first two minutes of the second half, but FHSU countered with a 12-5 run to take their lead out to 10 points with 12 minutes remaining. Lincoln went on a 7-0 run to get the lead back down to three, but the Tigers ran the lead right back to 10 with a 9-2 run capped on a Vitztum 3-point field goal with five minutes remaining. Lincoln never trimmed the lead closer than eight from that point. The Tigers ended the game on an 11-2 run to leave no doubt in the waning minutes.
Thompson finished the game with 18 points, hitting just one 2-point field goal in the second half. Quinten Rock added 14 points and Kaleb Hammeke finished with 12 points and a season-high eight assists.
Quinton Drayton led Lincoln with 19 points and seven rebounds. Sai Witt and Charles Wilson followed with 14 and 13 points respectively.
The Tigers get ready for another important game in their quest for an MIAA Tournament berth as they host Central Missouri on Saturday (Feb. 20) at 4 pm