By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State improved to 17-5 overall and 12-4 in the MIAA with a 66-45 win over Newman University on Thursday night (Feb. 8). The No. 23 ranked Tigers limited the Jets to less than 25 points in each half and pulled away in the second half. Newman fell to 6-15 overall and 3-13 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State never trailed in the game, taking the lead 17 seconds into the contest and held the lead for the remainder of the night. The Tigers opened the game on a 6-0 run and eventually led by 14 four times in the opening half before the Jets closed with a 5-0 burst before halftime. FHSU led 30-24 at the half.
The Tigers countered that Jet run at the end of the first half with a 5-0 run of their own to open the second half. Newman got within nine points one time before FHSU took its lead into double digits for the final 18 minutes of the game. The Tigers reached a lead of 21 three times in the second half, including the final margin after Nathan Hawk hit a pair of free throws under a minute to play.
The Tigers limited the Jets to 34.7 percent shooting from the field, including a 19 percent effort beyond the 3-point line. The Jets hit only four 3-point field goals, a third of what they hit against the Tigers earlier in the season in Wichita. Boston Stanton III was the only Jet player to reach double figures in scoring with 11. FHSU held Newman’s leading scorer Stevie Strong to just four points.
Elijah Nnanabu led the Tigers with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and went 4-of-4 at the free-throw line. He has reached double figures in scoring in six straight games now. Kaleb Hammeke added 12 points and led the team in rebounds (7) and assists (6). Hammeke became the fourth player in FHSU history to have 1,400 points and 400 assists in a career with his second assist of the game. He now has 1,465 points and 404 assists in his career.
The Tigers finished the game at 45.5 percent from the field overall. They went 10-of-10 at the free-throw line. FHSU held an opponent to less than 50 points in a game for the ninth time this season and lowered its NCAA Division II best scoring defense to 57.2 points per game.
Fort Hays State now prepares to host Central Oklahoma on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Tigers defeated the Bronchos earlier this season in Edmond when the Bronchos were ranked No. 5 in the nation. UCO brings a record of 17-7 overall and 9-7 in the MIAA into Saturday’s contest.