By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Fort Hays State Men’s Basketball team opened the 2019-20 campaign with an exhibition contest at the University of Kansas on Thursday night (Oct. 24) at Allen Fieldhouse. Down by 11 at half, the Tigers trimmed the lead inside 10 for the first five minutes of the second half, but the No. 3 ranked team in NCAA Division I pulled away over the final 15 minutes to win by a score of 86-56.
Fort Hays State hung around for a good chunk of time. The Tigers held a 9-5 lead out of the first media break and then led by five, 12-7, after a Jared Vitztum 3-pointer at the 14:16 mark. The Jayhawks bounced back into the lead quick with an old-fashioned 3-point play and then a 3-point field goal. By the second media break, FHSU was still within two just over eight minutes into the game. Kansas slowly built a lead from that point, up 11 points at halftime, 36-25.
The Tigers punched back quick early in the second half with three consecutive 3-point field goals, completing a 9-0 run to open the half. Triples from Nyjee Wright, Calvin Harrington, and Vitztum instantly trimmed the Kansas lead down to just two, 36-34.
The Tigers remained within five points of the Jayhawks within the first five minutes of the second half, but the Jayhawks used a 12-0 run over a nearly two-minute span to gain separation once again, leading 53-36 with 13 minutes to go in the game. FHSU never got closer than 15 points the rest of the way and Kansas went on to win the game 86-56.
Vitztum was the only Tiger to reach double figures in scoring at 11 points, while Devin Davis and Nyjee Wright each had eight. Wright led the Tigers in assists with three. FHSU shot 35.2 percent as a team from the field and 32 percent (8-of-25) beyond the 3-point line.
Ochai Agbaji led the scoring effort for Kansas, finishing with 21 points. He was 8-of-15 from the field and 3-of-9 beyond the 3-point line, while adding two free throws. Marcus Garrett had 15 points and five assists, while Silvio De Sousa finished with 11 points.
The Tigers will open the regular season November 8-9 in Russellville, Arkansas, where they will face Arkansas Tech and Southwestern Oklahoma State.