Fort Hays State (8-3, 0-3 MIAA) at Missouri Southern (9-1, 3-0 MIAA) Saturday, January 4, 2014 Joplin, Mo. - Leggett & Platt Center - 3 pm Game Notes I Watch Live I Listen Live I Live Stats Fort Hays State (9-3, 1-3 MIAA) at Southwest Baptist (8-4, 1-2 MIAA) Monday, January 6, 2014 Bolivar, Mo. - Meyer Sports Center - 7:30 pm Game Notes I Watch Live I Listen Live I Live Stats

The Tigers head on a two-game road swing to the southwest corner of Missouri to take on Missouri Southern and Southwest Baptist in conference play, January 4 and 6. The Tigers open the trip at Missouri Southern on Saturday at 3 pm, then take on Southwest Baptist on Monday night at 7:30 pm. FHSU enters the trip at 8-3 overall and 0-3 in the MIAA.

The Tigers have been snakebit in search of their first conference win of the season. A pair of overtime losses on the road the opening weekend of conference play and most recently the first home setback of the season on December 21 has left the Tigers with an 0-3 start in MIAA play. The search for the first conference win doesn't get any easier this time around with a Missouri Southern team (9-1 overall, 3-0 MIAA) receiving votes in the latest NABC national poll and a Southwest Baptist team sitting at 8-4 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.

Even though the Tigers have struggled out of the gate in MIAA play, an 8-0 mark in non-conference play (6-0 against in-region Division II non-conference competition) should keep the Tigers plenty alive for the possibility of postseason play if they can get the ship righted in conference play before its too late. The Tigers look to put a forgettable December behind them and return to their winning ways, which had them in the Top 25 of the national poll following a 7-0 start to the season.

Dwayne Brunson continues to lead the Tigers in scoring and rebounding at 18.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Craig Nicholson leads in assists at 8.7 per game, best in the MIAA and second in NCAA Division II. Nicholson adds 15.6 points per game, while Carson Konrade also averages double figures at 15.1 per game. Tomislav Gabric is right at 10.0 points per game for the season.

**UPDATE (1/5/14)**
Fort Hays State snapped its three-game losing skid to open MIAA play at Missouri Southern on Saturday by a score of 76-67. Craig Nicholson led FHSU with 22 points, getting half of the total at the free-throw line where he was a perfect 11-of-11. Jake Stoppel had a new career-high 14 points and Andrew Victoria nearly had a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds.

Dwayne Brunson continues to lead FHSU at 17.4 points per game, while Craig Nicholson upped his scoring average to 16.2 points per game. Carson Konrade is now averaging 14.3 points per game.