By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State picked up a hard-fought win over Lincoln University on Saturday (Feb. 16) at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. FHSU and Lincoln are now tied for fourth in the MIAA standings, each at 9-6. FHSU improved to 15-9 overall, while Lincoln moved to 16-8 overall.
Fort Hays State used a 9-0 run to build an 11-point lead with 5:21 remaining in the first half, but Lincoln countered with an 11-3 run to make the FHSU advantage just three at halftime, 32-29.
Lincoln tied the game just over two minutes into the second half and continued past FHSU to build a seven-point lead with a 14-4 run to open the second half. However, FHSU stormed back with an 11-0 run to take a four-point lead with 11:50 to go in the game and led the rest of the way. Lincoln pulled within one point twice, the latest at the 5:51 mark, but a big three-point play from Devin Davis kept Lincoln at arm’s length. FHSU steadily pulled away from that point, eventually leading by as many as 13 points before the final margin settled at nine.
Brady Werth led FHSU with a 22-point, eight-rebound performance, going 10-of-16 from the field. Devin Davis scored a season-high 18 points for the second straight game. He was 7-of-8 from the field, which included a pair of three-point field goals (2-of-2) and a pair of free throws (2-of-2). Jared Vitztum also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points and Grant Holmes was a big spark for the Tigers off the bench down the stretch with nine points, including a pair of three-point field goals. Trey O’Neil (5) and Kyler Kinnamon (4) combined for nine of the team’s 18 assists in the game.
Grant Olsson led Lincoln with 24 points, while Jonell Burton also reached double figures with 13 points. Ni’Sean Rigmaiden finished with a team-best eight assists for Lincoln.
Fort Hays State goes on its final road trip of the regular season next week to Oklahoma. The Tigers will take on Central Oklahoma on Thursday night (Feb. 21) before going to Northeastern State on Saturday (Feb. 23).