KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the first overtime game of the 2012 MIAA Men’s Basketball Championship, No. 5 seed Fort Hays State outlasted No. 4 seed Missouri Southern to earn a 103-102 first round victory Friday afternoon at Municipal Auditorium.
Karron McKenzie recorded a double-double to lead Fort Hays State, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with five assists. Moses Dayee went 5-of-9 from three-point range, netting 22 points for the Tigers.
The game featured 11 ties and 13 lead changes, with the largest lead by either team the entire game being eight points.
Missouri Southern got off to a fast start, taking a 9-2 lead out of the gates on three Jason Adams three-pointers. It was a sign of things to come for Adams, who ended the game with 42 points. It was the second-best individual scoring performance in MIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament history, behind Washburn’s Dan Buie (45 points vs. Missouri Rolla in 2004).
Fort Hays State (19-8) fought right back, going on a 24-9 run over the next eight minutes to take its largest lead of the game at 26-18 with 9:27 to play in the first half.
Missouri Southern trimmed the Fort Hays State lead down to three at halftime, 43-40, setting up an entertaining stretch run.
After over 10 minutes and back and forth basketball, Missouri Southern appeared to take control of the game. Leading just 64-63 with 9:14 to go in the game, the Lions went on an 8-2 run to take a 72-65 advantage with 7:05 left to go.
Fort Hays State, however, turned the tide in less than two minutes and found itself in the lead, 75-73, with 5:15 showing on the clock.
The Tigers held the lead into the last seconds of the game, and when Dayee hit one of two free throws with 13 seconds to play, the score was 82-79 in favor of FHSU.
On the ensuing trip down the floor, Adams missed a jumper from the right wing but was fouled on the attempt. He hit both free throws, cutting the lead to one with seven seconds to play.
Coming out of a timeout, Adams stole the Fort Hays State inbounds pass, and was fouled before he could get off a shot. He missed the first free throw, but connected on the second to knot the game at 82. Fort Hays State was unable to get off a shot before the buzzer sounded, so the game went into overtime.
The two teams traded buckets to start the OT period, but Fort Hays State took the lead for good when Dayee hit a three-pointer with 3:58 to play to make it 88-85 Tigers.
Fort Hays State extended the lead to as many as seven in overtime, but Adams and Missouri Southern wouldn’t go down without a fight.
With the Lions down 99-94 and 34 seconds left in the game, Adams hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to two (99-97).
When two Hays free throws moved the lead back to four at 101-97, Adams hit two free throws of his own to bring Southern back to within two.
Lance Russell looked to have iced the game for Fort Hays State with two more free throws on the other end to give the Tigers a 103-99 lead with just eight seconds left. However, another Adams three-pointer made it interesting, cutting the Hays lead to 103-102 with three seconds showing on the clock.
Missouri Southern fouled Fort Hays State with one second remaining to extend the game. After Omar McDade missed the first free throw, he intentionally missed the second one, and Southern was unable to get a shot off before time expired.
Kendrick Morse, McDade and Matt Simmons joined McKenzie and Dayee in double figures for Fort Hays State, scoring 17, 12, and 10 points, respectfully.
In addition to his spectacular scoring performance, Adams recorded eight rebounds and three assists for Missouri Southern. MIAA Player of the Year Keane Thomann added 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions.
Fort Hays State moves on to face No. 1 seed Washburn in the semifinals Saturday at 6 p.m. Missouri Southern, with a 22-7 overall record, now awaits its postseason fate.
– MIAA –
Game Highlights
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Post Game Comments from Media Room
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