Saturday, November 13
Arkansas Tech vs. Fort Hays State – 5:30 pm
Southwestern Oklahoma State vs. Emporia State – 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 14
Southwestern Oklahoma State vs. Fort Hays State – 3 pm
Emporia State vs. Arkansas Tech – 5 pm
 
Promotion – If you buy a ticket to the FHSU Football game vs. Pittsburg State taking place at 1 pm on Saturday, you receive free admission to the FHSU Basketball game on Saturday by showing your ticket stub. This offer does not extend to Sunday's game.
 
Fort Hays State Men's Basketball opens the 2021-22 season by hosting the MIAA/GAC Challenge this weekend at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers will take on Arkansas Tech in their season opener at 5:30 pm on Saturday night (Nov. 13) and then face Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday (Nov. 14) at 3 pm. Both of the Tiger opponents this weekend will also face Emporia State.
 
Fort Hays State is coming off an 11-11 season in 2020-21, finishing in a tie for seventh in the MIAA standings. The Tigers were picked sixth in the MIAA preseason polls (both coaches and media), but look to outplay that expectation with several young players returning with a year of experience under their belts. With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility to basketball student-athletes last year, players get to retain the year of eligibility they held last year.
 
Taking advantage of that extra year of eligibility is Jared Vitztum, the Tigers' top performer last season who gets a second senior season. Last year, he averaged 18.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game to earn All-MIAA First Team honors and an NABC All-District Second Team selection. Also, with his strong performance in the classroom throughout his career, he was also dubbed a CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team selection in 2020-21. Vitztum led NCAA Division II in double-doubles during the regular season with 12. He averaged a double-double in points and rebounds up until the final game of the season last year as his rebound average dipped just under 10 per game.
 
The Tigers had a youth movement last year in the backcourt with Kaleb Hammeke earning MIAA Freshman of the Year and teammate Quinten Rock ranking second on the team in scoring at 12.1 points per game. The freshmen combo accounted for 22.8 points per game and 8.3 assists per game. Hammeke was fifth in the MIAA in assists per game (4.5). They combined for 74 3-point field goals made.
Bjarni Jonsson is the fourth of five regular starters to return from last year's team. He averaged 5.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 2020-21. Gilbert Peters is the top reserve player to return, averaging 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game last year.
 
Another big impact will be Nyjee Wright returning healthy to start the season. He missed the first 13 games last season due to injury, but returned to contribute 5.7 points down the stretch. He averaged 10 points per game in 2019-20 and led the team in assists that year with 69.
 
Arkansas Tech is coming off a 7-11 season in 2020-21. Tony Hall returns as the top scorer from last year's team at 11.8 points per game. Southwestern Oklahoma State also went 7-11 in 2020-21. Damion Thornton was the top scorer for the Bulldogs last year at 16.3 points per game and he returns this season.