The Fort Hays State Women are using the post-Thanksgiving weekend to meet up with two Rocky Mountain Athletic teams in Kearney, Nebraska. The Tigers opened the UNK Crossover Tournament with The University of Colorado – Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs led twice early at 2-0 and 4-3. Fort Hays State took the lead on a 8-0 run and never trailed again. Belle Barbieri scored the first six points of the run on her way to eight first half points. Colorado Springs cut the lead down to 11-9 with three minutes to go in the first quarter. The Tigers then embarked on a 18-3 run that went into the second quarter. During the run six different players scored and resulted in a 29-12 lead for Fort Hays State.
The Tigers kept the lead in double figures for rest of the half leading 40-21 at halftime.
Coach Tony Hobson
The Tigers opened the second half on a 9-3 run, pushed their lead as high as 26 in the third quarter before leading 60-36 heading to the final quarter. An early 11-0 run in the fourth quarter by Fort Hays State pushed the lead as high as 33 and eventually an 80-52 victory.
Highlights
Belle Barbieri scored a career high 14 and led all scorers. Tatyana Legette added 13 and Kacey Kennett dropped in 11. The Tigers played 14 players, 12 scored and 10 played double digit minutes.
The #11 Tigers move to 4-0 on the year, Colorado Springs is now 0-3. Fort Hays State will play Chadron State on Sunday at the same location in Kearney, Nebraska.
Les Miles is 65, but he’s not prepared to dig into his retirement savings nor the $1.5 million buyout settlement he agreed to last week with LSU football.
Far less than what LSU had agreed to pay Miles through 2023, the buyout paved the way for him to accept a new challenge: turn around the moribund football program at the University of Kansas.
“The further I got away from it, the more I desired it,” Miles said Sunday at a news conference.
But he’ll have his work cut out for him. The Jayhawks are 3-8 overall this year and dead last in the Big 12 Conference. During the Nov. 3 home game against Iowa State, there were more Cyclones fans than Jayhawks fans in Memorial Stadium.
“You know what? I hope our fans saw that image,” new KU athletic director Jeff Long said the day after, when he fired Beaty. “I hope you show that image because they’re going to be part of this solution.”
Beaty will still call the shots during Friday’s regular-season finale. After that, it’s all in the hands of the man who went 114-34 at LSU, coached them to a national championship and two SEC titles and was the Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2011. Miles was fired in 2016 after a couple of disappointing seasons.
New Kansas football coach Les Miles speaks after his introduction Sunday. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3
The last time KU football was relevant was 2007 — the same year Miles led LSU to a national title. KU at one point was ranked No. 2 in the nation and beat Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl behind coach Mark Mangino. Miles said he paid attention to that team, and starting quarterback Todd Reesing.
“The 12-1 Mangino team, what they did with that quarterback, I thought was really special,” he said Sunday. “I recognized it. I recognized that when it was happening.”
Since then, KU has been looking to revive its football program, both in staffing and upgrading indoor facilities and the stadium, which was built in 1920. Rebooting the product on the field starts, according to Miles, with recruiting and keeping the best players close.
“We’re going to work a 500-mile radius,” he said during the introductory. We’re going to get to those and we’re going to win in that group and then we’re going to pick some cities in Texas that we hit.”
That would prevent players like ISU linebacker Marcel Spears, an Olathe North grad, from going out of state. Spears said Kansas was interested in him, but ISU won out.
Marcel Spears says he was recruited by Kansas football when he was at Olathe North, but chose to go to Iowa State instead. Credit Iowa State University Athletic Department
“My grandma, she really doesn’t have a lot to say, but when she came here on a visit with us, she said she likes Iowa State and that carried a lot with me,” he said.
CBS Sports.com senior writer Dennis Dodd covered Miles in the SEC, and believes the coach will go the extra, well, mile to attract top talent.
“(If) they see a guy they can get, they’ll go all over the country because Jeff Long, the AD, has promised to put money into the program to do just that,” Dodd said.
With more coaching positions popping up around the country, Miles’ options were apparently increasing, though Dodd mentioned that Miles “hadn’t had any nibbles these last two years.” Long was adamant about avoiding a candidate who would use the Jayhawks’ opening as leverage.
“When you’re out and you want back in, you can feel the passion in the conversation,” Long said of his conversations with Miles. “You can feel the want-to and we certainly did that as we talked about this opportunity.”
But there’s no guarantee that a big-name coach will do the trick.
Look at Oklahoma in 1995: The Sooners hired Howard Schnellenberger, who coached the Miami Hurricanes to a national championship in 1983 but only had one season at OU.
And there’s even the Jayhawks themselves. Remember Charlie Weis, the former Notre Dame coach whom ex-KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger hired when he “set out to find the best”? Both of them are long gone, and the Jayhawks haven’t had a winning season since 2008.
Greg Echlin is a freelance sports reporter for KCUR 89.3.
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Mart’e Grays and Dee Bekelja each scored 12 points and No. 16 DePaul beat Kansas State 79-59 on Friday in the Cancun Challenge.
Bekelja scored 10 of her points in the first half as DePaul jumped out to a 45-20 advantage and Grays’ 3-pointer with 6:30 remaining extended the lead to 69-47.
Ashton Millender added 11 points for DePaul (3-1), which plays No. 14 Syracuse on Saturday. The Blue Demons were 12 of 40 from 3-point range, while Kansas State was just 2 of 12.
DePaul outscored Kansas State 18-6 at the end of the first quarter for a 21-12 lead, and the Blue Demons built a lead as high as 29 points in the third quarter.
Jasauen Beard scored 14 of her 17 points in the second half for Kansas State (3-2), and Peyton Williams had 10 points and six rebounds.
The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team climbed up both national rankings in the first regular season version of each poll, released Tuesday. The Tigers are now ranked 11th in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll and No. 16 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, up from 12th and 22nd in the preseason, respectively.
The Tigers opened the year 2-0 last weekend in Hays, defeating Southwest Minnesota State and Upper Iowa by a combined 68 points. FHSU ranks second in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 46 points per contest, while ranking third with a +12.0 turnover margin.
Tony Gonzalez, Ed Reed and Champ Bailey are among 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The three made the cut in their first year of eligibility.
Champ Bailey
In all, 13 defensive players, nine on offense and three coaches — Jimmy Johnson, Tom Flores and Don Coryell — are semifinalists. Contributors Gil Brandt and Pat Bowlen, and senior committee nominee Johnny Robinson are already finalists for the hall.
WICHITA, Kan. – Marshawn Blackmon hit two free throws with four seconds to play to lift the Newman Jets to a 76-75 win over Fort Hays State Tuesday at Fugate Gymnasium. It’s only the second time Newman (3-2) has beaten the Tigers (2-3) in the last 25 meetings between the two.
The two free throws came after Brady Werth banked in a jumper with 13 seconds left to give the Tigers a 75-74 lead.
Mark Johnson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers shot 53-percent from the floor and went 10-of-22 from beyond the arc but were hurt by 17 turnovers which resulted in 27 Jets points.
Newman outscored the Tigers by eight at the free throw line and hit 16 of their 19 foul shots in the second half.
Marcus Cooper led four Tigers in double-figures with 16 points. Aaron Nicholson, who hit a corner three with 1:13 to play to put FHSU up 72-70, added 14, 10 of them in the second half. Kyler Kinnamon scored 13 before fouling out and Brady Werth added 11 despite playing only 17 minutes because of foul trouble.
WICHITA, Kan. – Lanie Page scored a season-high 20 points, Carly Heim added 11 and Tatyana Legette pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Fort Hays State women to a 72-60 win over Newman Tuesday at Fugate Gymnasium.
Tony Hobson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers (3-0) used a 16-4 first half run to build an 11-point lead and were up 38-30 at the half. They pushed the lead to 14 early in the fourth quarter only to see it trimmed to seven late in the game.
Lanie Page then was fouled on a layup. The three-point pushed the lead to 10 to put the game out of reach.
The Tigers overcame a tough night at the foul line, hitting only 16 of their 30 free throws.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Adam “Pacman” Jones’ short stint in Denver is over.
The Broncos waived the 14-year veteran Tuesday after he’d appeared in seven games, posting nine tackles and one interception and three pass breakups.
Jones posted a thank you note on Instagram, saying, “Well Denver, it was good. Thanks for the opportunity!!! On to the next !!!”
At 35, Jones might have a hard time finding another team in need of a cornerback/kick returner.
He signed with Denver in August. Coach Vance Joseph, who once served as an assistant in Cincinnati, vouched for Jones, who spent eight seasons with the Bengals.
Jones was the Broncos’ leading punt returner with 10, albeit for a 2.5-yard average, and he returned four kickoffs for a 21.3-yard average.
Cutting Jones would seem to indicate that the Broncos expect Bradley Roby, who’s in concussion protocol, to play Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2-1) visit Denver (4-6).
The other cornerbacks are starter Chris Harris Jr., Tramaine Brock and rookie Isaac Yiadom.
The Broncos on Tuesday also signed free agent Cyrus Kouandjio, a tackle who played three games in Denver last season, including the finale at right tackle, and was cut this summer.
A fifth-year pro with 28 games of NFL experience (he was with the Bills from 2014-16), Kouandjio replaces guard Max Garcia, who tore his left ACL last week at practice.
The Broncos placed Garcia on injured reserve Tuesday. He’s the third starting O-lineman lost for the season to injury, joining guard Ronald Leary (Achilles) and center Matt Paradis (broken right leg).
With the rash of injuries, the Broncos had to start two tackles (Billy Turner and Elijah Wilkinson) at guard and guard Connor McGovern at center.
The makeshift O-line wasn’t whistled for any penalties and didn’t allow any sacks in Denver’s 23-22 win in Los Angeles that snapped the Chargers’ six-game winning streak.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — James Wiseman has chosen Memphis and his former high school coach, Penny Hardaway, over Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Kansas and Florida State.
Wiseman announced his decision Tuesday on ESPN.
The 7-foot center is the No. 1 recruit in the nation for the 2019 class according to a composite ranking of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports . Wiseman made his announcement after to all five of his final options.
Wiseman averaged 17 points and nine rebounds last season helping East High and Hardaway win Tennessee’s Class AAA championship. Hardaway was hired by Memphis to take over at his alma mater soon after that title game, and the former NBA star also coached Wiseman on the AAU level with Team Penny.
Wiseman’s decision pushed Memphis up to eighth with three commitments for 2019, a spot behind Kentucky.
Wildcats coach John Calipari says, “We don’t get every kid. We get the ones that we’re supposed to get, and it just kind of plays out that way, it always has.”
After a 10-day break since its last contest, the 12th-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball returns to the hard court Tuesday (Nov. 20) when the Tigers take on Newman in Wichita. Opening tip from Fugate Gymnasium is set for 5:30 p.m.
The Tigers opened the year with a pair of comfortable victories last weekend in Hays, winning by an average of 34 points per game. Tatyana Legette is the lone individual in the MIAA to carry a double-double average this season, totaling 13 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest so far this year. She is one of four Tigers to average in double figures in scoring.
After the trip to Wichita, the Tigers will take on a pair of former RMAC opponents in Kearney, Neb. over the weekend before heading back to Hays for seven home games in the month of December.
The Newman Jets are off to a 3-1 start to the season after dropping their first game of the season. They were picked to finish fourth in the Heartland Conference after turning in a 17-12 record last season. Bria DeGrate paces the squad with 15.3 points per game with three other players scoring more than eight points per night. Haley Albers grabs six rebounds each outing while DeGrate leads the team with 4.3 assists every contest. The Jets are averaging 71.5 points per contest while holding their opponents to just 57.5 points each night.
Last Meeting with the Jets
An all-around effort from Tatyana Legette helped the Tigers pull away from Newman in the second half last season, winning 76-63 in the fourth game of the season (11/18/17). Legette tallied 17 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, posting the first 15-15 game for a Tiger since Kate Lehman and finishing three assists shy of a triple-double. Three other Tigers scored in double figures, including 13 from Taylor Rolfs, 12 for Kacey Kennett and 10 points from Whitney Clampitt. FHSU made just five turnovers while forcing 17 Newman miscues.
All-Time vs Newman
Fort Hays State has controlled the all-time series against Newman, winning 15 of the 16 contests since the series began in 1983. The Tigers are on a five-game winning streak, with the lone loss coming back in 2010 in Wichita. FHSU is 4-1 all-time against the Jets in Wichita and is 6-1 against the Jets under Tony Hobson.
Career vs the J-E-T-S
Tatyana Legette averages 9.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per night in two career games against Newman.
Opening the Year Right
FHSU is now 33-17 in season openers in program history after knocking off SMSU last week. Fort Hays State has won 15 straight home openers, with the last loss coming at the start of the 2003-04 season. The Tigers are 23-4 in home openers since joining the NCAA Division II in 1992-93.
Up to Second in the Region
The Tigers are ranked second in the latest release of the D2SIDA Central Region Poll, sitting behind Central Missouri. FHSU is up one spot from the preseason rankings after a loss by Southwest Oklahoma State.
Turnovers Galore
The Tigers hold a turnover margin of +12 through two games, third-best in Division II.
Fort Hays State takes a two-game win streak to Wichita, Kansas on Tuesday evening (Nov. 20) for a non-conference matchup with Newman University. The Tigers enter the game at 2-2 overall on the young season, while the Jets enter with an identical record. Newman also enters the contest on a two-game win streak. Game time is set for 7:30 pm at Fugate Gymnasium.
Promotion: Newman University is holding a food drive at the basketball games against Fort Hays State on Tuesday night. Fans can get into the game FREE by bringing at least 2 non-perishable food items.
The Tigers are coming off a pair of home wins over the weekend against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents Colorado School of Mines and UC-Colorado Springs. FHSU defeated CSM 75-71 in overtime before dropping UCCS by a score of 67-51. Brady Werth averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game over the two contests to earn MIAA Men’s Basketball Co-Athlete of the Week.
Marcus Cooper is the only Tiger to score in double figures every game this season. He leads the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game. Werth is chipping in 13.3 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game. Newcomer transfer Devin Davis is also averaging double figures at 12 points per game. Kyler Kinnamon leads the Tigers in assists, averaging four per game.
Fort Hays State has won the last five meetings with Newman. The Tigers defeated the Jets last year in Hays by a score of 90-63. The last meeting between the teams in Wichita occurred two years ago (2016-17) with the Tigers claiming an 8-point win. Fort Hays State has won the last two meetings with Newman inside Fugate Gymnasium, with the last loss occurring back in 2012-13 by just two points.
After a pair of losses to Lone Star Conference opponents Cameron and Texas A&M-Commerce to open the year, the Jets have bounced back for home wins against Manhattan Christian and Emporia State. Marshawn Blackmon is the top scorer for Newman at 22.5 points per game. He is shooting a blistering 60.8 percent from the field with 31 field goals so far this year, and has shot 30 more free throws than any teammate.
The Tigers search for their first win of the season away from Gross Memorial Coliseum, currently 0-1 in both road and neutral site contests this year.
In watching the last two football games of the FHSU Tigers, I couldn’t help but comment publicly:
First, the game against Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, November 3rd: I certainly don’t want to take anything away from the athletes and coaches for their dramatic victory, but the TV coverage was pitiful. Granted, I’ve become spoiled with the play-by-play coverage of Gerard Wellbrock, but the commentators were terrible, the cameramen must have been sleeping some of the time, and the 21 Cox and Hutchinson Community College commercials in the first half, some back to back, left a whole lot to be desired. I find it hard to believe that, for such an important Div. II game that more professionalism was not provided.
Secondly, a few comments on the matchup with the University of Indianapolis on November 17th: For you that did not watch or listen to the game, FHSU had the lead (24-17) and plenty of momentum in the third quarter, before a targeting infraction was called on one of the Tigers. Instead of a loss of 4 yards, Indy received a first down, and one of the Tigers’ best defenders, Doyin Jibowu was ejected from the game. I watched the replay several times, and I’m not sure what the referees saw, but it was certainly not targeting. So Doyin, who I understand is just a class act in every way, ends his football career with his first ejection, ever. What a great way to end someone’s football career.
Shortly thereafter, Indy took advantage of Jibowu’s absence and scored a touchdown to tie the game.
Next Layne Bieberle makes a fantastic catch in the end zone for a touchdown, only to have it called back for offensive pass interference. In watching the entire game, there were numerous pass plays with plenty more contact than this play, but again, the refs used their own interference to take away a touchdown from FHSU.
I once had a wrestling coach that told me that the referees never decided whether I won or lost, that it was up to me to decide. I have believed that through all these years — until now. The officials are totally responsible for this loss. Coach Brown, Dr. Mason, Dr. Hammond, and Gerard are too classy to complain about this and may even say, “This is just one of life’s challenges.” No disrespect to any of them, but this game was taken away from a very good football team by officials with great big imaginations.
All the hot August days, all of the weightlifting, watching film, two-a-days, etc. end on a very sour note because of incompetent officiating. Shame on you!
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Tiger Football. I only wish I could watch a few more Tiger games this year.
Listen as the ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus recaps Monday night’s wild game with the Rams and previews the bye week.
