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The 15th-ranked FHSU men's basketball team will get a stern test to close out the December portion of their schedule on Saturday when they host undefeated Northwest Missouri State. Game time is set for 4 pm at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Fort Hays State enters the game at 8-1 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, just one game back of the Bearcats in the conference standings, who enter at 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA.

Northwest Missouri State is the only remaining team without at loss in MIAA play. Even though they are undefeated overall, the Bearcats have yet to crack the Top 25, but they received votes this week. This will be the first true road game for the Bearcats since their season opener at University of Missouri-Kansas City on November 11. The Bearcats have played their last five games at home.

A win by the Tigers on Saturday would guarantee them a tie for first place in the conference standings following Saturday's action in the conference. Seventh-ranked Missouri Southern, Washburn, and Emporia State all enter Saturday with just one loss in conference play. Missouri Southern does not play until Monday and Washburn and Emporia State are at home on Saturday as well.

The games between FHSU and NWMSU last year were battles that came down to the final buzzer both times. Northwest Missouri State clipped Fort Hays State last year in Hays at the buzzer by a score of 75-73. Jake Reinders of NWMSU hit a bank shot from about five feet away to break a tie in regulation, stunning the then No. 7 ranked Tigers on their home floor. FHSU, however, did the same thing to NWMSU earlier in the year in Maryville, when Corbin Kuntzsch hit a 3-point field goal with four seconds remaining to break a tie and lift FHSU 71-68.

Karron McKenzie continues to lead FHSU in scoring at 14.3 points per game, followed by Tyrone Phillips at 12.2 per game. Kendrick Morse is also averaging double figures at 10.6 per game. Matt Simmons continues to lead the team and MIAA in rebounding at 10.1 boards per game. He is also tied for the team lead in assists with Morse at 3.1 per game and also leads the MIAA in assist/turnover ratio.

Moses Dayee, the Tigers' top returning scorer from last year, will see his first action of the year on Saturday. Dayee had to sit out the first semester due to having just one semester of eligibility left. He should give the Tigers a boost in shooting on the perimeter after draining 65 3-point field goals last year.