By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WICHITA, Kan. – Fort Hays State took its second overtime loss of the season on Sunday (Dec. 17) at Newman by a score of 77-75. The Jets ended their eight-game losing streak to the Tigers and picked up their first-ever win in MIAA play against the Tigers. Newman improved to 6-5 overall, 3-3 in the MIAA, while the Tigers moved to 8-3 overall, 3-2 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State got out to a good start in the game, leading by 12 at 29-17 through the first 14 and a half minutes of the game. Newman then caught fire at the end of the half, hitting six of its final eight shots from the field to close on a 17-6 run before halftime. FHSU held just a slim 35-34 lead at the half.
Newman slipped past the Tigers by a point with the first bucket of the second half, but it would be a back-and-forth battle the rest of the way. The Tigers were starting to pull away again by going on 10-2 run to build a 49-41 lead. But the Jets started to catch fire from 3-point range and quickly flipped the script with a 17-4 run to go up by five. Down eight with six minutes to play, the Tigers battled back with another 10-2 run to force overtime. The Tigers were able to get a defensive stop on Newman’s final possession to force extra time.
Fort Hays State opened the extra period on a 7-3 run to lead 75-71 with 1:20 to go, but Newman had one last push to pick up the victory. A Stevie Strong 3-point play and then a layup by Devin Walker pushed the Jets back in front, then Walker hit one of two free throws with three seconds left to give the Jets a 2-point lead. Kaleb Hammeke had a good look from 3-point range at the buzzer on the run, but the shot was long.
Traejon Davis led the Tigers with 21 points, notching a career high for the second game in a row, while hitting three 3-point field goals. He had 19 the previous game against Bethel College. Hammeke finished with 19 points and a team-high 13 rebounds for a double-double. He also led the team in assists with five. Jaheim Holden provided 16 points, going 6-of-9 from the field. FHSU shot 40.3 percent as a team.
Strong led the Jets with 25 points and hit a team-best five 3-point field goals. He also dished out a team-high eight assists. Thomas Zevgaras had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. The pair combined for over 50 percent of the scoring for Newman. The Jets hit 12 3-point field goals through 34 minutes of play, but did not hit one the rest of the way. It was a season high in 3-point field goals allowed by the Tigers.
Fort Hays State returns to action after the holiday break at nationally ranked Central Oklahoma on Sunday, December 31 at 3:30 p.m.