FHSU Sports Infomation Department
MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Fort Hays State men’s basketball team gave the top-ranked team in the country all they could handle Saturday afternoon (Jan. 21), but a cold shooting spell to start the second half helped Northwest Missouri State win, 82-72. The Tigers fall to 10-7 overall and 4-5 in MIAA play, while the Bearcats are now 18-0 and 10-0 in the league.
The Tigers never led in the contest, with the Bearcats building a 10-point lead in the first five minutes. A layup from Brady Werth cut the lead to nine before Rob Davis added two free throws, making the score 16-9. Fort Hays State played solid defense in the half, holding NWMSU to 35.7 percent shooting, but 20 trips to the free throw line kept the home team in front. The Tigers kept pecking away at the lead, keeping the gap between five and eight much of the half. A three-pointer from the top of the key from Trey O’Neil on the final shot of the half made the score 36-33 at halftime.
Fort Hays State struggled offensively out of the locker room, making just 2-of-14 shots over the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Tiger defense kept FHSU in the game, forcing the powerful Bearcat offense into several bad shots. After Northwest stretched the lead to 20 behind a 14-0 run, 59-39, Rob Davis hit a three-pointer from the left wing to stop the bleeding.
The Tigers slowly chipped away at the lead over the next seven minutes, outscoring the Bearcats 25-13 over that stretch to close within 72-64. Twenty of those Tiger points came from Rob Davis, who sunk five treys in a span of four minutes. JaQuan Smith threw down a powerful dunk with 2:43 on the clock, and just like that the deficit was down to eight. An 8-for-8 effort from the free throw line over the final 64 seconds helped the Bearcats hold off the late Tiger run.
Rob Davis led all scorers with 31 points, pouring in 6-of-9 from behind the arc. Trey O’Neil added 10 for the Tigers with Brady Werth chipping in nine points and a team-high seven rebounds. Davis also dished out a game-high four assists on the night. The Tigers outrebounded the Bearcats, 39-35, but 17 turnovers doomed the Black and Gold.
The Tigers will return home to face off with Lincoln this Thursday, January 26. First tip is set for 7:30 p.m.