Can't
get to the game? Don't worry, we've got ya covered.
Tigers set to take on Truman
2/22/2008
By RANDY GONZALES
Hays Daily News
One team is fighting for postseason positioning.
The other is fighting for its postseason life.
That's what's at stake for the Fort Hays State University men's and women's basketball teams Saturday when the Tigers travel to Kirksville, Mo., to take on Truman State University.
The women's game starts at 1 p.m., with the men's game at 3 p.m.
The Fort Hays men clinched a berth in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association's postseason tournament with Wednesday's home win over conference leader Southwest Baptist (Mo.) University.
The Tiger women also beat the Bearcats on Wednesday to keep alive their hopes of making the MIAA tournament.
Fort Hays (11-13 overall, 5-10 MIAA) is locked in a three-way tie for seventh place with Truman State (13-11, 5-10) and Missouri Western State University (10-13, 5-10) with three games remaining. Last-place Pittsburg State University (10-14, 4-11) is just a game back heading into Saturday's action.
"Hopefully, we travel with some confidence coming off these two home wins," Fort Hays women's coach Annette Wiles said.
The Tiger women had lost four straight conference games on the road before winning two home MIAA games heading into the weekend.
Fort Hays defeated Truman State 91-72 in Hays in early January. The Bulldogs' standout twin sisters, Candace McGee and Carmen McGee, were held to a combined 21 points.
Tiger senior guard Sheena Kuntzsch had a double-double in the first meeting, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Senior forward Brianna Willhite added 21 points.
Kuntzsch is coming off another double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in the Tigers' 74-60 win over Southwest Baptist, and for the season is averaging 13.1 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds. Willhite is averaging a team-best 13.7 points, and sophomore guard Naomi Bancroft is scoring 12.5 points per game.
The Fort Hays men are tied for fifth with Washburn University in the conference race, with both teams 16-8 overall and 8-7 in the MIAA.
The Tigers will be looking to avenge a 60-48 home loss to Truman State last month. The Bulldogs' deliberate style frustrated the Tigers, whose point total was a season low.
"They play a challenging style," Fort Hays coach Mark Johnson said. "Certain teams you have trouble matching up with.
"It would be a huge road win for us," Johnson added.
The Tigers are led in scoring by junior guard Tyrone Evans' 12.3 points per game.
In Wednesday's win over Southwest Baptist, the Tiger bench outscored the Bearcats 34-7, led by 15 points from freshman Corbin Kuntzsch and 13 from sophomore Tim Peintner, both career highs.
Sports editor Randy Gonzales can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 137, or by e-mail at
rgonzales@dailynews.net.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
| SB | 5/01 | Emporia State | L 11-0 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 14-1 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 12-2 |
