The Fort Hays State men's basketball team heads to Alva, Okla. on Saturday night (Nov. 16) for a non-conference match-up against Northwestern Oklahoma State. Game time is set for 8 pm. The video feed of the game is free.
The Tigers are looking to avenge a two-point loss to Northwestern Oklahoma last year at home. That snapped a seven-game win streak for the Tigers over the Rangers. Six of the nine players that played in last year's game for NWOSU return this year, but combined for just 22 points in that contest (none reaching double figures). This will be a match-up of two conference regular season champs from last year as the Rangers tied for the Great American Conference regular season title in 2012-13.
FHSU opened the season last weekend in Marshall, Minn., picking up two key in-region wins over opponents from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. FHSU defeated Southwest Minnesota State on its home floor, 89-72, then defeated Upper Iowa, a NCAA Tournament team last year, the following day 97-90 in overtime. The Tigers look for another key in-region win on Saturday.
Sophomore guard
Craig Nicholson was named the MIAA Player of the Week for the third time in his career on November 11 for his efforts in Fort Hays State's two wins in Minnesota last weekend. Nicholson had a huge opening weekend, averaging a double-double in points (24.5) and assists (10.0). In the season opener at Southwest Minnesota State, Nicholson scored a career-high 29 points and dished out 11 assists (one shy of his career high). He went 14-of-15 at the free-throw line in that game, making his first 12 attempts. Nine of his 11 assists in the game were on 3-point field goals, helping the Tigers shoot 72.2 percent beyond the arc as a team (13-of-18). He was just two rebounds shy of a triple-double, recording a team-high eight. Nicholson capped the weekend with 20 points and nine assists in the 97-90 overtime win over Upper Iowa. He did the majority of his damage at the free-throw line, where he went 12-of-14 and was perfect beyond the 3-point line (2-of-2). He finished the weekend a perfect 3-of-3 beyond the 3-point line and shot 89.7 percent at the free-throw line (26-of-29). He also averaged 5.0 rebounds for the week.
FHSU has four other players averaging double figures in scoring through two games.
James Fleming is averaging 15.0 points per game,
Tomislav Gabric is at 14.5,
Carson Konrade is at 14.0, and
Dwayne Brunson is at 13.5. Nicholson, Brunson, and Gabric have all recorded one double-double this year, Nicholson's in points and assists (29 pts, 11 ast vs SW Minnesota) and Brunson's and Gabric's in points and rebounds (Brunson 25 pts, 12 reb vs Upper Iowa; Gabric 16 pts, 10 reb vs Upper Iowa). Nicholson, Konrade and Gabric are all shooting 50 percent or better from 3-point range. Konrade is the only one of the four that has not attempted a free-throw, but the other four are shooting at least 77 percent at the charity stripe.
