Fort Hays State dips back into non-conference play on Monday night (Dec. 8) as it hosts Northwestern Oklahoma State at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. Game time is set for 7 pm. FHSU enters the game at 5-3 overall.

The Tigers are coming off a 1-1 week to open MIAA play after falling to No. 6 ranked Central Missouri on Thursday night, but bouncing back to defeat Missouri Western on Saturday. The Rangers are also coming off a 1-1 week, as they split games to open their conference play as members of the Great American Conference.

Fort Hays State defeated NWOSU last year in Alva, Okla., by a score of 79-55, but lost to NWOSU the last time the teams met in Hays in 2012-13. Northwestern Oklahoma ended that game on a 4-0 run to win 70-68 after the Tigers held the lead inside a minute to play. The Tigers will be looking to avenge that loss, since it was the last time the Tigers lost a non-conference game in Hays.

Craig Nicholson continues to lead the Tigers at 17.5 points and 5.9 assists per game. Dom Samac has raised his scoring average to double figures at 10.0 points per game. Jake Stoppel leads the team in rebounding at 7.3 per game, while adding 8.3 points per game. He has two double-doubles this year, including one in the last contest against Missouri Western on Saturday in which he tied his career high for points with 18.

The Tigers have three players averaging just around nine points per game, which includes Royce Williams (9.0), James Fleming (8.9) and Achoki Moikobu (8.9). Fleming and Moikobu are both shooting better than 46 percent beyond the 3-point line for the season.

This will be the first of two non-conference games at home for the Tigers before returning to MIAA play on December 20.