Fort Hays State faced #20 Southwest Minnesota State on day two of the MIAA/NSIC Challenge in Marshall, Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.  Both teams lost on the first day.  The Tigers losing to the University of Sioux Falls and the Mustangs dropping a game to Emporia State.

SMSU opened the game on a perfect seven of seven shooting and built an early ten point lead at 18-8 less than five minutes into the game.  The Tigers kept their shooting above 60% for much of the first half but couldn’t keep pace with the three point shooting of SMSU.  The Mustangs made 13 of 16 three pointers in the first half and shot 77% overall to build a 56-36 lead at the mid-game break.

Highlights

 

Fort Hays State saw their deficit grow to 25 over the first thirty seconds with second half, trailing 61-35.  The Tigers then played their best basketball of the young season.  Over the next six minutes FHSU took off on a 22-0 run to get within three points at 61-58.  The Tigers had the ball twice down that score but missed on a pair of shots.

Southwest Minnesota State went on a 9-0 run while leading by four to push their lead up to 87-74 and the Tigers could only get within nine rest of the way.  The final fell the way of the Mustangs 96-85.

Coach Mark Johnson

 

SMSU made 19 of 26 three point attempts and shot 66% overall.  FHSU shot 55% and made 9 of 16 threes.  Marcus Cooper led the Tigers with a career high 26 points, Devin Davis scored 16 in just his second game with FHSU and Aaron Nicholson added 13.

The Tigers fall to 0-2 and SMSU is 1-1.