Can't
get to the game? Don't worry, we've got ya covered.
No 10 Tigers dropped by No. 3 Mules
2/14/2010
By RANDY GONZALES
rgonzales@dailynews.net
Big game. Big crowd.
Big letdown for the 6,210 fans in attendance for Saturday's showdown between nationally-ranked teams at Gross Memorial Coliseum.
The Fort Hays State University men's basketball team, ranked 10th in NCAA Division II, missed its first 11 shots of the game, too much to overcome in a 79-63 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association loss to third-ranked University of Central Missouri.
"Give Central Missouri credit," Fort Hays coach Mark Johnson said. "They came out and played great.
"First half, I think we came out a little tight," he added.
Johnson said he felt fortunate to be down just six points at halftime, 36-30, despite the cold start. Fort Hays (19-4 overall, 13-3 MIAA) was outscored 9-0 to start the game, finally getting a pair of free throws from junior forward Ken Bowman with 15:03 left in the first half.
The Tigers didn't get their first bucket until senior guard Willie Hassell scored on a driving layup at the 10:45 mark to cut the Mules' lead to 18-5.
"The first half, we played with a little stage fright," Hassell said.
Central Missouri (22-1, 15-1) seemed to enjoy the big stage. The Mules shot 50 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes while Fort Hays was at 34.5 percent in front of its biggest home crowd since the 2005-06 season, when the Tigers, then ranked No. 1 in the nation, lost to University of Nebraska-Kearney.
"I think we were very excited before the home crowd," Johnson said. "We've got to do a better job ... got to come out and compete at a higher level."
Fort Hays got within five on a 3-pointer by Hassell to start the second half, but the Tigers would get no closer.
The Tigers perhaps had a feeling the night wasn't going their way when Central Missouri senior point guard Alex Moosmann banked in a 25-footer with the shot clock winding down to give the Mules a 67-51 lead with 8:24 left in the game.
"He's probably the best point guard in the country," Johnson said of Moosmann, who finished with 13 points, six assists and zero turnovers. "In their end of the floor, the ball always goes where it's supposed to."
More often than not, that meant in the hands of 6-foot-4 senior forward Sanijay Watts, who recorded a double-double with 30 points and 17 rebounds.
Time after time, Watts would score inside or kick the ball out to an open teammate. Watts scored 18 of his points after halftime as the Mules shot 62 percent from the floor in the second half and 55 percent for the game.
"He's a beast, man," Hassell said of Watts.
Fort Hays, meanwhile, had trouble getting anything going offensively, shooting 37 percent from the field for the game. Junior point guard Dominique Jones, who scored 28 points when the Tigers knocked off then-No. 1 Central Missouri at its place earlier in the season, was held to four points Saturday on 1-of-11 shooting.
"Corbin (Kuntzsch), Dominique, some other guys, they were allowed to play a looser game at their place," Johnson said.
"Played tough and physical (Saturday).
"I've said this before, we're a finesse team, ... Central Missouri deserves the credit; they out-toughed us every possession," Johnson added.
Senior forward Tim Peintner led Fort Hays with 16 points, Hassell added 14 points and seven rebounds and Bowman scored 10.
Fort Hays hits the road Thursday to play Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., in another MIAA game, then Saturday the Tigers will be in Joplin, Mo., for their second round with Missouri Southern.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 2/18 | SW Baptist | L 66-53 | |
| 12/1 | Oklahoma - Panhandle | L 66-60 (OT) | |