Box Score Fort Hays State picked up a big road win on Saturday at Emporia State by a score of 65-59. FHSU closed out the game on a 9-3 run after the game was tied with 3:14 to go. The 23rd-ranked Tigers improved to 19-4 overall, 10-4 in the MIAA, while Emporia State dropped to 14-10 overall, 7-7 MIAA.

With the game knotted 56-56 with 3:14 to go, Dwayne Brunson scored three straight buckets while FHSU held ESU without a bucket all the way down to three seconds remaining. Brunson broke the tie with a layup at 2:53 remaining, then got another lay-in with 1:38 to go, while fouling out Emporia State's top post player Paul Bunch. His biggest bucket was a stick back on an offensive rebound with 21 seconds remaining to extend the FHSU lead to six. Craig Nicholson sealed the win with a pair of free-throws at 10 seconds remaining to complete an 8-0 run by the Tigers. ESU hit a late 3-pointer and Tomislav Gabric hit 1-of-2 free-throws with three seconds to go to make the final margin of six.

The game was a defensive battle throughout the evening as the teams played to a low-scoring 23-23 tie at the half. FHSU and ESU were a combined 1-of-15 beyond the 3-point line in the first half, the only 3-pointer by the Tigers. FHSU struggled to just 33.3 percent from the field in the first half. FHSU warmed to 44.4 percent in the second half, but still shot its worst field goal percentage of the season at 38.9 percent for the game. However, the Tiger defense held the Hornets to just 37.7 percent.

Neither team led by more than six points until the Nicholson free-throws with 10 seconds to play. Emporia State's largest lead was 23-17 in the first half before FHSU closed out the half on a 6-0 run to tie the game. The game was tied eight times and the lead changed five times.

Fort Hays State, the third-best free-throw shooting team in the nation entering the week, also struggled at the line early and finished at just 60 percent, its second-worst percentage in a game this year. But, the Tigers have won all three games they shot less than 70 percent at the line this year.

Dwayne Brunson led the Tigers with 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and a 10-of-13 effort at the free-throw line. After missing his first two free-throws of the night, he buried 10 free-throws in a row. Craig Nicholson finished with 21 points. The pair combined for 72 percent of Fort Hays State's points. Carson Konrade was the only other Tiger with more than five, scoring eight.

Kaleb Wright and Paul Bunch led ESU with 15 points each. Terrence Moore added 12.

Fort Hays State moved into third place alone in the MIAA standings after Missouri Southern fell at Central Missouri on Saturday. FHSU is one game back of Central Missouri in the standings and three back of first-place Northwest Missouri State. Missouri Southern is just a half game back of the Tigers, also with four losses in conference play but one win less.

The Tigers get a week of rest before taking on Pittsburg State at home on Saturday, February 15. Game time is set for 4 pm in Hays.