FHSU Sports Information Department
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State picked up its first win in conference play on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 12) by defeating Nebraska-Kearney 84-75. Dom Samac scored a career-high 28 points as FHSU improved to 7-2 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA while UNK moved to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State built a lead of 11 points by halftime, 48-37. Nebraska-Kearney made an early push at FHSU in the second half to cut the lead to four points twice, but FHSU went on a 13-4 run to push the lead back to 13 with 6:13 to play in the game. The Lopers trimmed the lead back to five with 1:57 to go, but a pair of free-throws by Rob Davis and a layup by Samac was too much to overcome, as FHSU went on to win the game by nine.
Samac went 11-of-16 from the field and 6-of-7 at the free-throw line to generate his career-high 28 points. He also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Davis added 20 points, going 7-of-9 from the field, including a 2-of-3 effort beyond the 3-point line, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Jake Stoppel added 14 points and Kenny Enoch had 13 with three 3-point field goals. Enoch and Kinnamon each had a team-high three assists.
Trey Lansman, averaging just 12.9 points per game, scored 30 points for the Lopers. It was his second-straight game of 30 or more points at the coliseum as he scored 35 last year as a true freshman. Connor Beranek, the top scorer in the MIAA, added 19 points while Ty Danielson had 10. The Lopers hit 11 3-point field goals in the game.
FHSU shot a scorching 57.1 percent from the field overall and 45.5 percent beyond the 3-point line. The Tigers shot 78.9 percent from the free-throw line. The Lopers shot 49.1 percent overall and 39.3 percent beyond the 3-point line. UNK hit at an 83.3 percent rate at the line.
The Tigers hit the road for the first time in 2015-16 next week when they travel to Central Missouri (Thursday) and Southwest Baptist (Saturday). Game time is set for 7:30 pm in Warrensburg on Thursday.