MANKATO, Minn. – Fort Hays State did everything it had to do to slow down a potent Minnesota Duluth offense in the NCAA Central Regional Quarterfinal on Saturday (March 16) at the Taylor Center. The Tigers had a lead with seven seconds to go, but fate unfortunately did not go the Tigers' way in a 59-58 loss to the Bulldogs in a matchup of NABC Top 20-ranked teams. The No. 19 ranked Tigers ended their season at 23-8 overall, while the No. 10 ranked Bulldogs improved to 26-6 overall.
 
Elijah Nnanabu had a tremendous second half for the Tigers, scoring 15 of his team-high 19 points. He went to the line with seven seconds remaining and the Tigers leading by one, but unfortunately had a free throw that was half-way down the cylinder rattle out and the Bulldogs raced to the other end of the floor to score on a layup just before the final horn. Unfortunately, a slip by a Tiger defender allowed Matt Thompson to get loose on the baseline and get to the rim right before the buzzer.
 
The Bulldogs opened the game hot, hitting 60 percent of their field goals in the first 10:30 of the game. UMD jumped out to a 22-8 lead to start the game, but the Tigers showed why they have the nation's top scoring defense by clamping down on the Bulldogs the remainder of the game. The Tigers were able to climb their way back to just a four-point deficit of 31-27 at halftime, outscoring the Bulldogs 19-9 over the final 8:15 of the first half.
 
The Tigers continued grinding their way back into the game in the second half. They pulled even and got past the Bulldogs with a 6-0 run from the 17:10 to 15:11 marks. Their lead reached five at 46-41 on a Nnanabu jumper with 10:22 to play. But the Bulldogs were able to hang close and moved back on top three times before Bjarni Jonsson and R.J. Crawford tip-ins put the Tigers up three with 47 seconds to go. A tough foul call gave UMD a chance to tie the game with eight seconds to go, but their top player Drew Blair made just one of two tosses to remain a point short. Unfortunately, the final seven seconds unfolded in the toughest way possible for the Tigers.
 
FHSU held UMD right around it's season average for scoring defense. It was the first game all year the Tigers lost when holding the opponent under 60. It was also the only time the Tigers lost consecutive games this year after an MIAA semifinal loss in Kansas City.
 
The Tigers made the NCAA Tournament for an eighth time under head coach Mark Johnson and won at least 23 games for the sixth time under his guidance.
 
Aside from Nnanabu's 19 points, Kaleb Hammeke finished with 13 as the Tigers' only other player in double figures. Shaun Riley led the Tigers with nine rebounds.
 
FHSU hit one more field goal in the game, but UMD had a 15-12 advantage in made free-throws which accounted for the difference. Both teams hit only two 3-point field goals.
 
The Tigers held one of the nation's elite scorers in Blair to just 13 points. Charlie Katona matched that 13 and Austin Andrews had 10 for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs move on to face either Northwest Missouri State or Southwest Minnesota State in the regional semifinals.