By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State picked up its second straight win at home and snapped a three-game skid in MIAA play with a 69-56 win over Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday (Feb. 1) at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers moved to 9-11 overall, 2-9 in the MIAA, while the Lopers moved to 12-8 overall, 6-5 in the MIAA.
The Lopers scored the first seven points of the game, but the Tigers answered right back with a 7-0 run of their own. With a 14-13 lead, the Tigers started to break away from the Lopers with a 9-0 run fueled by seven points from Perry Carroll within the run. FHSU led by as many as 13 in the first half before taking a nine-point advantage into halftime, 37-28. Carroll had 12 of his team-best 14 points overall by halftime.
The Lopers scored the first basket of the second half, but the Tigers immediately followed with an 11-0 run. Jared Vitztum had four of the first five points in the run, while Nyjee Wright buried a three-pointer and Devin Davis picked up an old-fashioned three-point play on the back end of the run. FHSU led by 18, 48-30, with 16:57 remaining. It turned out to be the biggest lead of the game.
A 9-0 burst by the Lopers in the middle of the second half brought the Tiger advantage down to eight, but a pair of Carroll free throws pushed the lead back into double figures and it remained throughout the rest of the game with the final margin settling at 13.
Carroll was 3-of-4 from the field, including a 2-of-2 effort beyond the 3-point line, and 6-of-6 at the free-throw line to lead the Tigers in scoring. Viztum added 13, while Aaron Nicholson had 11 and a team-high four assists. Vitztum pulled down 10 rebounds, good for his third double-double of the season. FHSU shot 52.3 percent as a team and a rock-solid 88.9 percent (16-of-18) at the free-throw line.
AJ Jackson led the scoring effort for UNK with a game-high 23 points. Morgan Soucie was the only other Loper in double figures with 14. UNK shot 44 percent from the field as a team.
Fort Hays State continues its home stand with Newman (Thursday, Feb. 6) and Central Oklahoma (Saturday, Feb. 8) next week.