Washburn’s Will McNeill hit two free throws with 19 seconds to play to give the Ichabods a one-point lead then hold the Tigers to a guarded deep 3-pointer that missed at the horn and knock off a shorthanded Fort Hays State team 70-69 at Gross Coliseum Thursday night.
Fort Hays State, without two reserves due to injury and had two players foul out, used a 14-2 second half run to go up eight in the second half. Washburn responded with an 11-0 to take the lead back.
The Tigers led early by seven but Washburn battled back to go up seven with 3:39 to play in the first half. The Tigers responded by scoring nine straight to take a 34-32 lead. Washburn grabbed a one-point lead at the half when Joseph Smith was fouled and converted on a three-point play with five-seconds left in the half.
Dwayne Brunson led four Tigers in double-figures with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Craig Nicholson scored 16 while dishing out six assists and six steals. Lance Russell scored 15 and Ben Congiusta 12. Congiusta’s 3-pointer gave FHSU a 69-68 lead with under a minute to play.