FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (5-1, 1-0 MIAA)
at Rogers State (2-2, 1-0 MIAA)
Saturday, December 2 • 1:30 p.m.
Claremore, Okla. • Claremore Expo Center
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
The Fort Hays State men's basketball team continues its road swing in Oklahoma to start MIAA play on Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. contest at Rogers State in Claremore. The Tigers enter the game at 5-1 overall, 1-0 in the MIAA, while the Hillcats are 2-2 overall and also 1-0 in the MIAA.
The Tigers enter the game on a three-game win streak, fresh off a 65-43 win at Northeastern State on Thursday night (Nov. 30) in the MIAA opener. The Tigers held the RiverHawks to just 43 points, the fewest allowed in the all-time series history between the teams. FHSU held its opponents to less than 50 points in each of the last three games and now has a 54.3 scoring defense average for the season that ranks second in NCAA Division II only behind Wayne State (Neb.) at 54.1.
Rogers State is coming off a 79-68 win over Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday night in its MIAA opener. Down by two at halftime, the Hillcats outscored the Lopers 44-31 in the second half for the win. Rodney Battle scored a team-high 21 points for RSU and he leads the Hillcats in scoring overall at 14.8 points per game. The Hillcats enter the game on a two-game win streak after an 0-2 start to the season. They are 2-0 at home so far.
The Tigers seek their first-ever win in Claremore, currently 0-3. The series history is young with Rogers State, which joined the MIAA in 2019-20. FHSU and RSU sit in a 4-4 tie in the all-time series history which began that year. FHSU has won the last three meetings between the teams, including two last season with a regular season win in Hays and then an MIAA Tournament quarterfinals win in Kansas City.
Kaleb Hammeke scored a team-high 22 points in the win at Northeastern State on Thursday night and upped his team-best scoring average to 16.0 per game. R.J. Crawford (10.5) and Elijah Nnanabu (10.3) each average double figures in scoring as well. Traejon Davis leads the rebounding effort so far this season at 6.2 per game.