Fort Hays State (11-10, 11-10 MIAA) at
#1 Northwest Missouri State (20-1, 20-1 MIAA)
Saturday, February 27, 2021 - 3:30 pm
Maryville, Mo. - Bearcat Arena

Fort Hays State Men's Basketball will get a big test on Saturday when it faces the top ranked team in NCAA Division II, Northwest Missouri State, at 3:30 pm in Maryville, Missouri. If the Tigers pass the test, they likely clinch a spot in the MIAA Tournament. Otherwise, they will need help from several teams on Saturday to find a way into the tournament field.
 
The Tigers have defeated a No. 1 ranked team on the road before. That occurred back in January of 2010 when a No. 13 ranked Tiger team went into Warrensburg, Missouri and knocked off No. 1 ranked Central Missouri, 81-71. The Tigers are 1-2 all-time against NABC No. 1 ranked teams and all of the meetings have been on the road for FHSU. Northwest Missouri State was also the last No. 1 ranked team the Tigers faced back in 2016-17 when the Bearcats won 82-72 in Maryville.
 
The Tigers are looking to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Bearcats, which dates back to the 2012-13 season. FHSU's last win in the series was in Maryville on February 13, 2013 by a score of 64-60. This will be the sixth-straight meeting with FHSU in which NWMSU holds a Top 3 national ranking in the NABC Top 25 Poll, which dates back to the 2016-17 season.
 
Northwest Missouri State took the first meeting with Fort Hays State this season by a score of 64-51 in Hays back on January 14. The Bearcats were ranked No. 3 in the nation in the NABC Top 25 Poll for that meeting, but still held the No. 1 ranking in the D2SIDA Media Poll. For this meeting, the Bearcats are No. 1 in both polls. Quinten Rock led the Tigers with 12 points in the first meeting this season, Trevor Hudgins led the Bearcats with 29 points.
 
The Tigers find themselves in a four-way tie for sixth place in the MIAA standings at 11-10 heading into the final day of the regular season for all MIAA teams. Several standings scenarios will determine the Tigers' fate if they are in or out of the MIAA Tournament when tiebreakers come into effect. Last year, the Tigers were in a three-way tie for the final two spots in the MIAA Tournament and unfortunately came up on the short end of the tiebreaking criteria.
 
Jared Vitztum continues to lead the Tigers this season at 18.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. He produced his NCAA Division II-leading 12^th double-double of the season earlier this week against Missouri Western.