Box Score

The 25^th-ranked Tigers pulled out a 72-67 win in overtime at Emporia State on Wednesday evening (Jan. 18). ESU tied the game late in regulation with a pair of free-throws to force overtime, but the Tigers prevailed thanks to a pair of clutch baskets from Kendrick Morse and Karron McKenzie in the extra period. The Tigers held on to move to 12-4 overall and 6-4 in the MIAA, while Emporia State dropped to 8-8 overall and 4-6 in the MIAA.
 
FHSU jumped out to a six-point halftime lead, led by Tyrone Phillips with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting with two 3-point field goals. The Tigers were efficient shooting the ball in the first half, hitting 52.2 percent of their attempts from the field. The Hornets kept with the Tigers with efficient shooting as well, going 52.4 percent from the field in the first frame.
 
Fort Hays State looked to be pulling away, building an 11-point lead at the 14:27 mark of the second half. The Hornets would not go away, chipping away at the lead methodically until it was just two points with 2:27 remaining. After a pair of free-throws by Phillips for the Tigers with 27 seconds remaining, the Hornets got a quick basket to trim the lead back to two.
 
Phillips went back to the line for a 1-and-1 and missed the front end. Emporia State guard Chris Sights was fouled with 10 seconds remaining and buried both free-throws, which would force overtime. Kendrick Morse had a shot to win the game, but a fade-away jumper just before the buzzer missed.
 
After three ties and one lead change in overtime, FHSU pushed a two-point advantage to four on a Karron McKenzie layup with 32 seconds remaining. That basket followed a Kendrick Morse floater in the lane with about a minute and a half remaining, which gave FHSU the two point advantage at the time. ESU missed a 3-point field goal attempt and Omar McDade pushed the lead to five by hitting one of two free-throw attempts. Emporia State turned the ball over on the next possession, sealing the win for FHSU.
 
Moses Dayee led FHSU in scoring with 15 points, hitting 4-of-10 3-point field goal attempts and 3-of-4 free-throws. Phillips scored just two points after halftime and finished with 14 points. Karron McKenzie added 12 and Omar McDade finished with 11. Matt Simmons did not score, but pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.
 
Troy Pierce and Chris Sights led the Hornets with 15 points each. Taylor Euler and Travis Dykman each had 13.
 
The Tigers host Lincoln University on Saturday (Jan. 21) in Hays. Game time is set for 4:00 pm at Gross Memorial Coliseum.