The Fort Hays State men's basketball team looks to keep pace with the top four teams in the MIAA on Wednesday when it hosts Northwest Missouri State. Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. The Tigers enter the game at 13-6 overall, 7-4 in the MIAA, while the Bearcats are 15-5 overall, 8-3 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State is on a three-game winning streak entering the game on Wednesday. The Tigers defeated Central Oklahoma (78-71) and Missouri Southern (83-69) last week in Hays.
Craig Nicholson had a pair of double-doubles in points and assists in those games to average 15.0 points and 11.0 assists per game for the week. That led to his second MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week honor this year. Fort Hays State is looking to extend its home win streak to four games.
The Tigers are just a game back of Northwest Missouri State, which is currently alone in second place, in the MIAA standings. The Tigers are just a half game back of Washburn and Northeastern State for third and fourth. Central Missouri, which leads the MIAA, is only two games ahead of FHSU in the conference standings at 9-2.
Three of the four teams currently in the top four of the MIAA standings tied for the conference regular season championship last year, which includes Central Missouri, Northwest Missouri State and Washburn. Northwest Missouri State is coming off a pair of one-point wins at home this past week against Northeastern State and Emporia State.
Dwayne Brunson continues to lead FHSU in scoring and rebounding at 14.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
Lance Russell has seen his scoring average rise of late to 14.6 points per game and he also ranks second on the team in rebounds at 5.3 per game. Nicholson is now third on the team in scoring at 13.4 points per game and
Ben Congiusta is fourth at 13.2 points per game. Brunson, Russell, and Congiusta have all scored in double figures 16 times this year, while Nicholson has reached double figures 15 times. Nicholson continues to lead the MIAA at 7.3 assists per game and ranks second in NCAA Division II.
