HAYS, Kan. – A 19-2 opening run set the tone for a Fort Hays State blowout win on Tuesday evening (Nov. 21) at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers defeated Kansas Christian College by 71 points, with the final tally at 119-48. FHSU was just four points shy of its school record for most points in a game.
After scoring 27 points in the first 10 minutes, the Tigers really turned the jets on over the second portion of the first half, scoring 34 more. FHSU took a 61-26 lead into halftime and the scoring effort was balanced with
KeShawn Wilson pacing the Tigers scoring 10 first-half points.
The second half brought another balanced scoring effort from the whole team as eight players went on to finish in double figures for the Tigers. FHSU nearly matched its first-half total, scoring 58 points after the break. FHSU now has back-to-back 100-point games after scoring 101 at Colorado Mines last Friday. It is the first time they have accomplished that mark in back-to-back contests since the 2004-05 season.
Hadley Gillum ended up leading the way for FHSU in scoring with 14 points and nearly had a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds.
Payton Stephens was next in line with 13 points as the team's top scorer off the bench.
Marcus Cooper,
Trey O'Neil, and
Calvin Harrington all had 12. Wilson and
Isaiah Nunnery each had 11, while
Brady Werth added 10. FHSU nearly had 10 players in double figures as
Jared Vitztum had nine and
Grant Holmes added eight.
Kyler Kinnamon led the team in assists with six.
Stephone Jackson was the only Kansas Christian player in double figures with 10 points.
FHSU shot 61.1 percent from the field, including a 44 percent effort beyond the 3-point line (11-of-25). Kansas Christian shot just 26.1 percent from the field, while turning the ball over 20 times. FHSU scored 39 points off those turnovers and outrebounded KCC 49-21.
The Tigers return to action on home on Saturday night (Nov. 25) when they host Sterling College at 7:30 pm. It will be part of a doubleheader with Sterling as the women tip off at 5:30 pm.
