DENVER – Fort Hays State went on a huge run out of the gate and just kept rolling on its way to a 60-point win, 102-42, over Regis on Saturday (Dec. 20). The Tigers improved to 8-3 overall in their final non-conference of the season, while Regis fell to 1-8 overall. It was the largest win over Regis in the 31-game series history between the schools.
 
After holding MSU Denver scoreless for a big swath of the second half on Thursday, the Tigers did it to the Rangers for the first 9:45 of the game on Saturday. The Tigers started the game on a 22-0 run. The lead reached 31-2 before Regis hit its first field goal of the game just over 12 minutes into the game. The Tigers reached 40 points before Regis finally climbed into double digits at the 4:44 mark. The Tigers led by 35 at halftime, 55-20, even though the lead reached 37 in the first half.
 
In the second half, FHSU's lead reached 50 (78-28) on back-to-back 3-point field goals by Ben Johnson and Blake Danitschek. The lead went past 60 when Tory Homan hit a 3-point field goal with 4:11 to play in the game, putting the Tigers up 96-34. The margin nearly reached 70, capped at 68 (102-34) on another Ben Johnson 3-pointer with 2:05 to play. Regis scored the final eight points of the game to get the final margin back to 60.
 
The 102 points was the most scored by the Tigers since the 2020-21 season when they defeated Missouri Southern in overtime in Joplin 102-94. The last time FHSU scored 100 in regulation was during the 2019-20 season in a 106-57 win over Sterling. Fort Hays State shot a scorching-hot 63.5 percent from the field as a team, its best of the season.
 
Fort Hays State hit 17-of-29 3-point field goals as a team, falling just two makes shy of the school record 19 set against McPherson College during the national championship season of 1995-96. The 17 makes were the most beyond the arc since the Tigers hit 17 against Central Oklahoma in Edmond in 2020-21. Five Tigers hit multiple threes in the game, led by six from Jahvari Martino who was a scorching-hot 6-of-7 beyond the arc.
 
All but one of Martino's baskets in the game was a three as he finished with 20 points. Dan Mukuna led the way with 21 points, while tying Lucas Hammeke, Ben Johnson, and Eli Lawson for top rebounding honors on the team, each with five. Mukuna and Johnson also led in assists with four each. Kyle Grill was the only other Tiger in double figures scoring with 12 points, but all 12 Tigers who played scored. The Tigers set new season highs for field goals made in a game (40), assists (23), and steals (14).
 
Gunner Walters led the Rangers in scoring with 11 points and assists with five. The Tigers held Regis to just 35.7 percent shooting from the field and a 2-of-16 effort beyond the 3-point line.
 
The 42 points was the lowest scored by a Tiger opponent so far this season, two less than the 44 scored by Manhattan Christian back on November 29.
 
Fort Hays State returns to action on New Year's Day, January 1, in a conference game against Northwest Missouri State at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.