Fort Hays State opens a key two-game homestand on Thursday (Jan. 30) with long-time rival Emporia State at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. Fort Hays State has faced Emporia State more than any other school in its history, this being the 176th meeting between the schools. FHSU, ranked No. 24 in the nation, enters on an eight-game win streak at 16-3 overall, 7-3 in the MIAA, while Emporia State is 14-6 overall and also 7-3 in the MIAA.
This week will be key for the Tigers in a battle for position in the conference standings and the conference tournament heading into February. FHSU faces two of its long-time rivals this week in Emporia State (Thur.) and Washburn (Sat.). All three are currently tied for fourth in the MIAA standings at 7-3. Washburn will be at Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday evening, before ESU heads there on Saturday. Fort Hays, Emporia, and Washburn are the top three teams in the standings from the west side of the conference, as they will not meet any of the top three teams from the east the rest of the regular season. Those top teams in the east are Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Southern, and Central Missouri, which currently rank 1, 2, and 3 in the conference standings. Fort Hays State will have to make the return trips to Emporia State and Washburn in the coming weeks. The top four teams in the conference get byes to Kansas City for the 12-team conference tournament in March.
Fort Hays State holds a four-game win streak against Emporia State, two of those wins in overtime at Emporia State including last season. The teams met just once in the regular season last year and this is the first meeting between the teams in Hays since 2011-12.
Dwayne Brunson leads the Tigers at 17.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, while
Craig Nicholson adds 16.9 points and 8.1 assists per game. Nicholson ranks second in the nation in assists per game.
Carson Konrade ranks fifth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (51.9) and averages 14.2 points per game.
Jake Stoppel is coming off his first career double-double as a Tiger with 10 points and 11 rebounds at Pittsburg State, while
James Fleming is averaging 12.3 points per game over the last four contests.
