Box Score

The No. 9 ranked Tigers escaped with a 71-68 win on Saturday evening (Dec. 18) after a late rally by Northwest Missouri State, improving to 10-1 overall and 4-1 in the MIAA. Corbin Kuntzsch broke a tie game in the final seconds with a 3-point field goal to lift the Tigers to victory.

The Tigers held their largest lead of the game of 17 points with 8:45 remaining in the game. But, winning on the road in the MIAA is never an easy thing, as the Bearcats came roaring all the way back to take a one-point lead on an old fashioned 3-point play by Elijah Allen with 1:11 remaining in the game.

A Dominique Jones 3-point field goal put the Tigers back in front by two with 40 seconds to play, but DeShaun Cooper of NWMSU tied the game 10 second later on a layup. That set the stage for the big dagger by Kuntzsch in the final seconds as the Tigers held for the last shot.

Kuntzsch led the way for FHSU with 18 points, hitting 6-of-9 shots which included four 3-point field goals. Karron McKenzie had a perfect night from the field, scoring a season-high 16 points on a 5-of-5 effort from the field and 5-of-6 effort at the free-throw line. Dominique Jones added 14 for the Tigers with 12 in the second half.

The Bearcats were paced by a double-double effort of 25 points and 13 rebounds from Elijah Allen. DeShaun Cooper was the only other Bearcat in double figures with 12 points.

The Tigers shot 52.1 percent overall from the field and 52.6 percent beyond the 3-point line. The Bearcats were 43.9 percent from the field, but just 24 percent beyond the arc.

Fort Hays State has a couple of weeks off before returning to action at home against Truman on Monday, January 3. Game time is set for 7:30 pm, which will follow the women's contest.