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Category: Sports
Justice scores 28 to lead ASU to a win over Kansas St.
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Don’t label Arizona State guard Kodi Justice a long-range threat, only.
He’ll prove you wrong, and make you pay.
Displaying his offensive skills from every angle, Justice scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half to lead Arizona State to a 92-90 victory over Kansas State on Thursday in the Las Vegas Invitational.
“I’m a basketball player, I’m not just a shooter,” Justice said. “If people want to pigeonhole me as one thing, like I said, I’m a basketball player. I can do anything you ask me to do. If I need to guard somebody, if I need to dive on the ball, attack the basket. I was just trying to do anything in my power to help our team win.”
That he did, as he led a second-half rally to keep the Sun Devils (5-0) undefeated and launch them into the championship game, where they’ll face No. 15 Xavier (5-0) on Friday.
Clinging to a two-point lead, the Wildcats (4-1) opened the second half on a 7-0 run to extend their lead to nine, 51-42. But Arizona State quickly clawed its way back into the game, using a 12-2 run to take a 54-53 lead with 13:51 left in the contest.
From that point there were six lead changes and five ties, before Arizona State went on a 13-5 run to distance itself.
For awhile.
Trailing 77-69, Kansas State used a barrage of 3-pointers to get within one, 83-82, with less than four minutes to play. Justice hit a 3-pointer and 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to extend ASU’s lead back to five.
“I didn’t want to lose this game, it was a big one for us,” Justice said. “I know it’s early, and you say, ‘if you lose this it’s not that big of a deal,’ but we’re trying to build a resume for the future, to build this program up, to just be a winning program.”
But so are the Wildcats, who wouldn’t go away. They got within one after Barry Brown converted a 3-point play. And after Arizona State’s Remy Martin sank 1 of 2 free throws with 4.1 seconds left, Kansas State had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but Brown’s layup clanged off the rim.
“We just kept telling ourselves it wasn’t over, so credit to our guys,” Brown said. “It’s a new group so I wanted to see how we deal with adversity. So I’m glad to see with one minute left down (seven), we could still fight our way back.”
Romello White had 19 points and six rebounds for the Sun Devils, while Shannon Evans added 14.
“We kind of just battled,” Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley said. “We showed a lot of determination with how we played and just pushing through different adversities at all different times of the game.”
The Wildcats were led by Brown, who had 27 points, while Kamau Stokes scored 23.
One glaring discrepancy in the game was Arizona State taking 44 free-throw attempts – 31 in the second half – while the Wildcats took just nine. In the process, Kansas State lost 6-foot-9 forward Makol Mawien and 6-foot-5 forward Xavier Sneed, as they both fouled out.
“Obviously the fouls became a factor, because now you don’t have your guys in there,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. “But we gotta get better, we gotta learn from it. There were some calls I questioned, there’s no doubt about it. But we gotta take care of the ball.”
Kansas State hit 17 of 27 (63 percent) from the field in the first half, including 50 percent (8 of 16) from 3-point range, but led just 44-42 at halftime, as the Sun Devils kept things close with their hot shooting.
Arizona State hit 13 of 25 (52 percent) from the floor, including 5 of 10 (50 percent) from long range in the first half. They also drained 11 of 13 from the free-throw line in the first 20 minutes.
BIG PICTURE
Arizona State: Tra Holder was looking to bring his hot hand to Las Vegas, as he entered the game after earning Pac-12 Player of the Week honors after averaging 35.7 minutes, 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists. On Nov. 19, against UC Irvine, the 6-foot-1 senior guard dropped a career-high 35 points on 13-of-15 shooting from the floor. But after scoring 11 points in the first half, Holder was shut out over the final 20 minutes.
Kansas State: The Wildcats opened the season with seven consecutive home games (three exhibition and four regular season), and are using their trip to Las Vegas as a litmus test against quality opponents. They’re also in the midst of playing six games in a 15-day span.
UP NEXT
Arizona State: Will play Xavier on Friday
Kansas State: Faces George Washington on Friday
No. 13 Notre Dame rallies to beat No. 6 Wichita State
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Martinas Geben hit two free throws with 2.3 seconds left and No. 13 Notre Dame rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat No. 6 Wichita State 67-66 in the Maui Invitational championship game on Wednesday night.
Notre Dame (5-1) trailed most of the game, but clawed its way back, by slowing the high-scoring Shockers (4-1) and working the ball inside on offense.
Notre Dame pulled within one, but Landry Shamet, having a quiet scoring night, put the Shockers up 64-61 with a running jumper with 1:24 left.
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame’s preseason All-America, cut it back to one on a jumper in the lane. Again, Shamet answered, on a pull-up jumper in the lane and Colson airballed a 3-pointer, but scored on a layup after Matt Farrell stole the inbounds pass.
Zach Brown blocked Farrell’s layup, but the Irish got the ball on an baseline inbounds play. Geben cut to the basket and was fouled by Shaquille Morris. He hit both free throws and Wichita State fumbled away its last possession.
Colson finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds in Notre Dame’s first Maui title.
Brown led the Shockers with 14 points.
The Maui Invitational has a history of having marquee matchups in the title game and this one was no different.
Wichita State and Notre Dame were the only ranked teams in the field, a pair of programs loaded with talent, depth and Final Four aspirations.
The Irish flexed their muscles in overpowering their first two Maui opponents, crushing Division II Chaminade and LSU.
The Shockers had a little rougher ride in their opener, needing to rally from 18 down to beat California before rolling over Marquette in the semifinals.
Their meeting in the title game matched two of the nation’s most efficient offenses.
Wichita State happens to be pretty good on defense, too, and muddled things up for the Irish in the early going, denying passes, contesting perimeter shots and clogging the paint on the Irish’s drives.
The Shockers were just as good on offense, building an 11-point lead midway through the first half and going up 37-23 at halftime after making 15 of 30 shots, including 5 of 11 from 3-point range.
Notre Dame started going inside in the second half and tightened up on defense, scratching the Shockers’ lead down to 55-50.
A banked-in 3-pointer by T.J. Gibbs and a traditional one by Colson made it a three-point game with 5 minutes left.
Trailing all night, the Irish were back in it — and made the most of it.
THE TAKEAWAY
Wichita State held its own with one the nation’s best teams, doing it with forward Markis McDuffie still out with a foot injury.
Notre Dame showed a lot of grit in its first real test of the season, fighting its way back to beat a top-10 team.
UP NEXT
Wichita State hosts Savannah State on Tuesday.
Notre Dame plays at No. 4 Michigan State on Nov. 30.
Gentle giant shepherding Fort Hays State through unforgettable football season
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
The first year on his new team, Nathan Shepherd earned the defensive player-of-the-game award at a bowl game in 2015. He says he would have rather won the game.
This season, he was voted the top defensive player in one of the top conferences in NCAA Division II. He is more excited about his team winning its first MIAA championship.
He was chosen to play in a senior collegiate bowl game in January in Pasadena, Calif., where NFL scouts and general managers gather to assess the top talent in the nation. NFL aspirations can wait. Right now, he is concentrating on his college team’s playoffs.
Relying on that team-first attitude year in and year out, Shepherd doesn’t get frustrated when he draws multiple blockers on nearly every single play. That just gives more of his teammates a chance to make a tackle.
Shepherd, a 6-foot, 5-inch, 300-pound defensive tackle from Ontario, Canada, will lead the undefeated Fort Hays State University football team into Saturday’s playoff game at Lewis Field Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m. vs. Ferris State University (10-1) out of Big Rapids, Mich.
A major reason the Tigers are 11-0 and earned the top seed in Super Region 3 was the play of Shepherd, who some describe as a “gentle giant” – off the field, that is.
While he isn’t the leading tackler on the team, Shepherd’s presence alone causes problems for opposing offenses, whether he makes a tackle or not.
“A selfless player,” FHSU defensive coordinator Cooper Harris said in describing Shepherd in a nutshell. “His ability to draw double and triple teams opens up opportunities for other players.”
Ike Eguae, the Tigers’ defensive line coach, agreed.
“He has never complained that he is double and triple teamed, and he doesn’t ask for any breaks,” Eguae said. “He wants to give everything he has to help his team win, and that’s one of the best characteristics to have.”
After Shepherd recorded 14 tackles and earned defensive player-of-the-game in the Mineral Water Bowl two years ago – his first year at FHSU – big things were expected of him as a junior. And he didn’t disappoint.
While a lot of attention was placed on then senior defensive end Sie Doe Jr., Shepherd quietly went about his business, making tackles for loss and forcing fumbles. He ranked sixth on the team in total tackles but had six games where he had at least six tackles and recorded 9.5 tackles for loss for the season. He was rewarded with all-conference and All-America honors.
This year, Shepherd knew he would gain even more attention from opponents.
“I was expecting it,” he said. “But that just opens up plays for teammates. This is a team sport. You can’t make all the plays.”
Fellow junior defensive tackle Wyatt Parker, who plays alongside Shepherd in the trenches, credits Shepherd’s success to something other than just physical strength.
“A lot of it is mental,” Parker said. “Two or three against one is hard, and Nate just really gets after it. He sets his mind to the idea that no matter how many come after him, he’s taking them on.”
Senior defensive end Luke Wright said he thought the Tigers had just landed something special the first time he saw Shepherd in spring practice in 2015.
“I thought, ‘Wow, this is a big dude.’ He’s one of the biggest players I’d ever seen, ” Wright said. “I hear they grow them big up north, and I guess they’re right.”
Despite his size and athletic build, Harris said Shepherd was a “raw talent” when he arrived on campus. After all, he had played just one season on the defensive line. As a 6-1, 205-pound senior in high school, Shepherd played linebacker.
But he grew after high school – and kept growing.
It’s hard to believe these days that Shepherd was barely recruited out of high school.
“We weren’t good in high school,” Shepherd said. “We won only one or two games a year.”
Simon Fraser University in British Columbia took a chance on Shepherd, who moved to the defensive line for the Clan. Then after his freshman season, a Fort Hays State coach ran across some film of Shepherd on the Internet and gave him a call.
It didn’t matter to Shepherd that he had to go to another country to play football.
“I was excited,” he said. “I wanted to make a name for myself and gain some independence.”
But being out on your own isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you are 1,200-plus miles from home.
“It had its challenges but nothing that I couldn’t pray about and overcome,” Shepherd said. “My family was really supportive, and I met a lot lot of people here.”
And he had plenty of time to work on his game.
“I started putting together my own player portfolio, figured out my strengths and weaknesses,” Shepherd said. “I focused on trying to minimize my deficiencies as a player.”
Harris said Shepherd’s success can be summed up in a few words: a lot of hard work.
“When we got him, he was extremely raw. He had a lot of natural ability but was a raw football player,” he said. “He probably has improved as much as any player I’ve been around – and in a short amount of time.”
That’s because “he was willing to work,” Harris said. “I think I’m most proud of how much work he put in to make himself a better player.”
In the process, Shepherd made others around him better as well.
“He knows he’s going to get doubled and tripled a lot, and he hasn’t said a word,” Wright said. “That just gives an opening for someone else. That’s the kind of player you want for a teammate.”
That’s also the kind of player NFL teams want on their rosters.
Scouts and/or other representatives from all but one of the 32 NFL teams have been to Hays to watch Shepherd and to visit with him.
Shepherd’s play speaks for itself.
“And once they talk to him, they fall in love with him,” Eguae said.
Eguae is sure that Shepherd’s football career will continue after this season.
“He’s going to be in an NFL camp,” Eguae said. “I would bet on it.”
For at least one more time, and hopefully more, Tiger fans can get a glimpse firsthand Saturday of what they might be watching on TV on Sunday afternoons for years to come.
On Ferris State’s first offensive possession, No. 97 will come up out of his stance and be met by at least two opponents, maybe even three.
That will either give another FHSU defender a chance to get to the ball carrier, or Shepherd will fend off the defenders and make the tackle himself.
Either way, it’s a win-win situation for Tiger football, and that’s what Nathan Shepherd is all about.
Chiefs sign veteran CB Darrelle Revis to help pass defense
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Chiefs have signed veteran cornerback Darrelle Revis in their latest attempt to shore up their porous defensive backfield, though it is unclear when he’ll be ready to play.
The Chiefs announced the signing Wednesday, four days before they face the Buffalo Bills.
Revis had been a free agent after playing for the New York Jets last season. The Chiefs head back to the Meadowlands to face the Jets on Dec. 3.
Revis was a seven-time Pro Bowl player and at one point was widely considered the best cornerback in the league, picking off 29 passes over 10 seasons and winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.
The Chiefs have tried Terrence Mitchell, Kenneth Acker, Steven Nelson and Phillip Gaines at the cornerback spot opposite Marcus Peters this season.
Tigers roll to blowout win over Kansas Christian
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State shot 61-percent from the floor and had eight players score double-figures in a 119-48 blowout win over Kansas Christian College Tuesday night at Gross Coliseum. The Tigers (3-2) opened the game with a 19-2 and finished only four points shy of its school record for most points in a game.
Mark Johnson Postgame Interview
Hadley Gillum Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Hadley Gillum led the offensive attack with 14 points and nine rebounds. Payton Stephens added 13 points and eight boards. Marcus Cooper, Trey O’Neil, and Calvin Harrington all had 12. Wilson and Isaiah Nunnery each chipped in with 11, while Brady Werth added 10. Jared Vitztum scored nine and Grant Holmes added eight. Kyler Kinnamon led the team in assists with six.
Stephone Jackson was the only Kansas Christian player in double figures with 10 points.
FHSU shot 44 percent beyond the 3-point line (11-of-25) and scored 39 points off 20 Falcons turnovers. They outrebounded KCC 49-21.
The Tigers return to action on home on Saturday night when they host Sterling College at 7:30 pm. It will be part of a doubleheader with Sterling as the women tip off at 5:30 pm.
Hot shooting leads No. 3 Kansas past Texas Southern
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Svi Mykhailiuk scored 21 points, Udoka Azubuike added 20 and No. 3 Kansas cruised to a resounding 114-71 victory over Texas Southern on Tuesday night in the Jayhawks’ first game of the Hoophall Miami Invitational.
Lagerald Vick, Devonte’ Graham and Marcus Garrett all finished with a double-double for Kansas, as Vick posted 19 points and 10 rebounds, Graham had 17 points and 11 assists, and Garrett logged 13 points and 11 boards.
The Jayhawks came out strong, shooting 59 percent from the field and 60 percent from 3-point range in the first half. Their seven 3s set a school record for the most in a single half.
The strong shooting carried into the second half as well. With just under 10 minutes left in the game, Graham gave Kansas its 17th 3 of the game — a program record.
Texas Southern’s Demontrae Jefferson led all scorers with 24 points. Donte Clark added 19 and had a game-high 14 rebounds.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas continues to thrive without freshman Billy Preston, who remains benched as the school investigates a single-car on-campus incident involving him earlier in the month. His absence has dropped coach Bill Self to just two big men, but the lack of depth has yet to drastically hurt the Jayhawks.
Texas Southern is still searching for its first win after facing a daunting schedule to start the season. Even though the Tigers have yet to find themselves in the win column, games against bigger schools like Kansas will continue to provide invaluable experience regardless of the score.
UP NEXT
Kansas will continue Hoophall Miami Invitational play Friday night with another home game against Oakland, which has already dropped its first two games of the tournament.
Texas Southern will once again face an uphill battle for its first victory as it travels to Clemson on Friday.
No. 6 Wichita State beats Marquette in Maui semis
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) – Landry Shamet scored 19 points, Connor Frankamp added 13 and No. 6 Wichita State rode its second-half defense into the Maui Invitational title game with an 80-66 victory over Marquette on Tuesday.
Wichita State (4-0) needed a massive rally just to get into the semifinals after a slow start against California in its opener. The Shockers had no such trouble against Marquette, trading baskets with the Golden Eagles (2-2) in a high-level first half.
Wichita State took control by turning up the defensive pressure in the second half, holding sharpshooters Markus Howard and Andrew Rowsey in check long enough to build a 10-point lead.
The Shockers shot 54 percent and had a 44-33 advantage in the paint to earn a spot in Wednesday’s championship game against No. 6 Notre Dame or LSU.
Rowsey had 26 points and Howard 25 for the Golden Eagles, who were held to 10-of-33 shooting in the second half after a stellar first 20 minutes.
Marquette shot its way into the semifinals. Rowsey scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half and Howard had 18 of his 22 in the second to carry the Golden Eagles to a 94-83 win over VCU.
The Shockers appeared to be headed to the loser’s bracket after falling behind by 18 points early in the second half against Cal. Wichita State turned to a full-court press to get back in it and the tactic worked, leading to a string of turnovers and a 92-82 win.
The reward for both teams: An early wake-up call (8:30 a.m. local) to play in the semifinals.
Neither team seemed groggy early, trading 3-pointers, floaters and drives to the basket while hitting a combined 11 of 16 shots.
Howard picked up where he left off in the first round, scoring 17 points in the first half. Rowsey had an incredible four-point play, getting Samajae Haynes-Jones to bite on an up-fake, contorting his body after drawing contact, then making the shot – with his left hand.
Wichita State spread it around while hitting 16 of 30 shots, taking a 41-36 lead into the second half.
The offensive show continued in the second half, with Rowsey scoring seven quick points and the Shockers spreading the scoring wealth.
Then the Shockers clamped down on the Golden Eagles, contesting those long 3-pointers by Rowsey and Howard, challenging everything at the rim. Wichita State held Marquette scoreless for nearly 6 minutes, building a 58-48 lead with a 7-0 run.
Marquette made a short run, but Frankamp hit a pair of 3-pointers and the Shockers kept the Golden Eagles at bay the rest of the way.
THE TAKEAWAY
Wichita State flexed its defensive muscles in the second half and was good offensively all game to reach its first Maui title game. And they did it without forward Markis McDuffie (foot), their top scorer and rebounder from a year ago.
Marquette showed it can play with one of the top teams in the country in the first half, but couldn’t sustain it to end up in the Maui third-place game.
UP NEXT
Wichita State will face the winner between N. 13 Notre Dame and LSU in Wednesday’s title game.
Marquette plays the Notre Dame-LSU loser in the third-place game on Wednesday.
Free admittance for FHSU students to Saturday’s playoff football game
FHSU University Relations
The Fort Hays State University athletic department is giving FHSU students an early Christmas gift.
The athletic department will defer the cost of tickets for FHSU students for Saturday’s NCAA Division II football playoff game at Lewis Field Stadium.
Kickoff is 1 p.m., when the Tigers will host a playoff game for the first time ever. FHSU (11-0) will play Ferris State University (10-1) out of Big Rapids, Mich.
FHSU students with their Tiger ID card will be admitted free to the game. Students are admitted free to regular-season games, but the NCAA charges for all fans for postseason events. Therefore, the athletic department decided to pick up the charge for current students.
General admission and reserved tickets can be purchased by calling the FHSU Athletic Office at (785) 628-4050 or by going online to the following link: https://bit.ly/1AC5NKY.
Because of the home playoff football game, start time for Saturday’s Tiger women’s and men’s basketball games have been moved back half an hour from their original time. The FHSU women will tip off with Sterling College at Gross Memorial College at 5:30 p.m., followed by the FHSU-Sterling men’s game at 7:30.
FHSU football holds weekly football press conference
Fort Hays State Weekly Football Press Conference
November 21, 2017
Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown conducted his weekly press conference in advance of the Tigers playoff game with Ferris State Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field. Brown and select players met with the media inside Lewis Field on Tuesday, a session that can be heard by clicking on the links below.
Head Coach Chris Brown
DL Nathan Shepherd
RB Kenneth Iheme
🎥 Watch This Week’s Tiger Talk
Kansas State ties steals mark in win over Northern Arizona
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – Barry Brown had 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting and Kansas State took advantage of 31 Northern Arizona turnovers for an 80-58 win on Monday night.
The Wildcats (4-0) were relentless on the defensive end and scored 38 points off turnovers. Kansas State also tied a 41-year old school record with 19 steals, matching the mark that was last reached back on Jan. 10, 1976, against Tulane.
Northern Arizona’s turnover total has increased each game so far this season and the Lumberjacks (0-4) broke their season high in turnovers before the first media timeout of the second half.
Although the Lumberjacks could not get going on offense, Torry Johnson scored a game high 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting with 10 coming from the foul line.
BIG PICTURE
This was the final game for the on-campus portion of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. Kansas State and Northern Arizona each came into this game going in opposite directions and it stayed that way once the game went final. The Wildcats are starting to hit their stride on the defensive end while Northern Arizona’s issues with ball control continue to be its downfall.
UP NEXT
Northern Arizona: The Lumberjacks will face Hampton in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational on Thursday.
Kansas State: The Wildcats will face Arizona State in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational on Thursday.
No. 6 Wichita State rallies from 18 down to beat Cal
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) – Shaquille Morris scored 25 points, Landry Shamet added 23 and No. 6 Wichita State got the Maui Invitational off to a wild start by rallying from an 18-point deficit to beat California 92-82 on Monday.
Cal (2-2) used its pressure to harass the Shockers into mistakes and missed shots, building the lead to nine by halftime and 18 within 4 1/2 minutes of the second half.
The Shockers (3-0) turned the game around by turning on their own pressure cooker, revving up the crowd by speeding up the young Bears with their full-court press. Cal handled it poorly, leading to a string of turnovers transition baskets that allowed Wichita State to pull even with 5 minutes left.
Wichita State snatched the lead with a late 8-0 run, earning a spot in Tuesday’s semifinals against Marquette.
Don Coleman carried the Bears with 26 first-half points and finished with 35 for his third game of at least 30 points this season. Cal was hurt by foul trouble in the front court, with Kingsley Okorah and Marcus Lee contributing very little until both fouled out.
The Bears had 19 turnovers that led to 29 points for Wichita State and were outscored 46-26 in the paint with their big men neutralized.
Touted as a potential Final Four team with all five starters back, the Shockers started the season short-handed as forward Markis McDuffie heals from a left foot stress fracture.
The Shockers had no trouble against UMKC and College of Charleston to open the season, but the Bears are bigger and badder, even if they are young and playing under new coach Wyking Jones.
Cal went right at the McDuffie-less Shockers early, racing to an 11-point lead in the game’s opening 5 1/2 minutes.
Wichita State couldn’t get anything to fall – 4 for 18 to start – and Cal stretched the lead to 29-15 behind Coleman, who had 17 points in the opening 13 minutes.
The Bears continued to attack the Shockers in the second half, going up 58-40 on a 3-pointer by Justice Sueing.
After all the struggling and sideline stalking by coach Gregg Marshall, the Shockers sent a shockwave into the Bears with full-court pressure they couldn’t handle.
Through a string of turnovers, Wichita State scored 10 straight points during a 14-3 run that cut Cal’s lead to 61-54.
The Shockers kept hounding and kept scoring as the fans inside tiny Lahaina Civic Center roared, tying the game at 76-all on Samajae Haynes-Jones’ layup with just over 5 minutes left.
Okorah and Lee both fouled out, leaving the Bears defenseless inside and Wichita State went on an 8-0 run to go up 86-80 – and on to the semifinals.
THE TAKEAWAY
Wichita State came out flat, but looked like one of the nation’s best teams once it turned up the pressure on the Bears.
Cal showed how good it can be in the first 24 minutes, but also how vulnerable its young players can be to pressure the rest of the way.
UP NEXT
Wichita State moves on to face Marquette in Tuesday’s semifinals.
Cal will play VCU in the loser’s bracket on Tuesday.