Fort Hays State men's basketball opens MIAA play on Wednesday (Dec. 2) when it hosts Washburn. Game time is set for 7:30 pm at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. The Tigers enter at 5-0 overall, while Washburn is 4-1 overall.

The Tigers continue to receive votes in the NABC Division II Poll for the second straight week, but they were tabbed No. 24 by the supplemental D2SIDA Media Poll this week. FHSU claimed wins over Newman University and Sterling College last week, each by 16 points.

Washburn won its season opener over the No. 1 ranked team in the nation at the time, Augustana, by a score of 88-86 in Las Vegas, Nev. Since that game, the Ichabods have picked up three wins over NAIA schools, but fell in their only other match-up with an NCAA Division II opponent - a 75-51 loss to Rockhurst in Topeka. This will be the first true road game of the season for Washburn.

Washburn claimed two of three meetings with FHSU last year. Both teams won on their home floor in the regular season and then Washburn knocked FHSU out of the MIAA Tournament in the opening round.

Dom Samac leads FHSU at 18.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Rob Davis is also averaging double figures in scoring at 14.4 points per game, while leading the team in three-point shooting (13-of-25). Craig Nicholson is averaging a team-best 5.2 assists per game.

Cameron Wiggins leads Washburn in scoring at 11.0 points per game, while Javion Blake and Randall Smith also average double figures at 10.6 and 10.2 points per game respectively.