HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State held off a pesky Emporia State squad on Saturday (Jan. 27), winning a tight battle at Gross Memorial Coliseum by a score of 67-62. The Tigers improved to 15-4 overall and 10-3 in the MIAA with the result, while the Hornets moved to 13-8 overall and 6-7 in the MIAA.
 
Neither team ever reached a double-figure lead as a nine-point advantage by the Tigers reached twice in the first half was the biggest of the game. The Tigers opened the game on an 11-2 run to produce the first nine-point advantage, then reached nine again when leading 19-10. After that, Emporia State went on an 8-0 run to get back within one and then eventually got past FHSU late in the first half with another 8-0 run to go up 36-35 at the half.
 
The ESU run at the end of the first half stretched to 12-0 when it made the first two baskets of the second half to go up five. But the Tigers fought back to even the score twice early in the second half. Down four, the Tigers used a 7-0 run to get past the Hornets. An Elijah Nnanabu stick-back layup and then a pair of free throws by Kaleb Hammeke tilted the lead in the Tigers' favor by three with 8:15 to play. But ESU did not go away, as they tied the game three more times before hitting a 3-point shot with 4:22 to play to take its final lead of the game.
 
The Tiger defense began to take its stand after Traejon Davis put the them back in front with a pair of free throws with 3:49 to play. The Hornets missed on their next two possessions, while the Tigers countered with a Nnanabu second-chance layup and then R.J. Crawford hit a critical jumper at the top of the key as the shot clock expired make the lead five. ESU hit a three to get it back to a two-point game, but Nnanabu hit a critical jumper just inside the 3-point line to extend the lead back to four.
 
ESU came up short on its next two chances, hitting just one-of-two free throws to make it a three-point game and then turned the ball over late when they had a chance to potentially tie the game. Bjarni Jonsson put the game away with a pair of free throws with five seconds remaining.
 
Nnanabu finished with a team-high 16 points on a 6-of-12 effort from the field, while adding four free throws. He led the team in rebounds with 10 for his first career double-double. The 10 rebounds matched his career and season high. Hammeke finished with 15, while pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out a team-high four assists. Jonsson had nine points and came up with a new career-high seven steals.
 
Alijah Comithier led the Hornets in scoring with 21 points, going 7-of-9 from the field and 3-of-3 beyond the 3-point line. Atavian Butler and Owen Long each added 12.
 
The Tigers now prepare for a big road trip next week to Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State. Missouri Western is two games back of FHSU in the MIAA standings, currently in fourth place, while Northwest Missouri State continues to lead the MIAA by a game over FHSU at 11-2.