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Tigers in action tonight
2/20/2008
By The Hays Daily News
It will be a battle of regionally ranked squads tonight when the Fort Hays State University's men's basketball team plays host to Southwest Baptist (Mo.) University in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association action.
The Tiger women play Southwest Baptist at 5:30 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum, followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.
The Southwest Baptist men (18-5 overall, 11-3 MIAA) lead the MIAA, are ranked No. 18 nationally and No. 2 in the South Central Region, while the Fort Hays men (15-8, 7-7) are eighth in the region.
In the teams' first meeting this season on Jan. 12, Southwest Baptist rolled past Fort Hays at home, 86-53.
"Best team in our league, unbelievable front line," Fort Hays coach Mark Johnson said. "They are 6-7, 6-10, good as there is.
"Best 3-point shooting team in the conference," Johnson added.
Southwest Baptist is led in scoring by 6-7 senior forward Jim Grabowski at 16.8 points per game. He had 22 points in the first meeting. Matt Rogers, a 6-10 sophomore center, averages 14.2 points and eight rebounds. Junior guard D'Ante Harris averages 16.2 points. Junior guard Nick Kovacevich adds 11.3 points per game.
Fort Hays is led in scoring by junior guard Tyrone Evans at 12.3 points per game. He led the Tigers with 15 points in Monday's 82-50 non-conference win over Newman University.
Johnson said Southwest Baptist's defense tries to funnel other teams' offenses toward the big men.
"Our biggest concern, we have to score on them," he said.
The Southwest Baptist women (18-5, 10-4) will face a Fort Hays team (10-13, 4-10) desperate for a win in its bid to make the conference's postseason tournament. The Bearcats are third in the MIAA standings, while Fort Hays is tied for eighth with Pittsburg State University, with Missouri Western State University a game back. The top eight teams make the tourney field.
Southwest Baptist defeated Fort Hays at home earlier this season, 81-67. Senior guard Erika Souza leads the team in scoring at 19.3 points per game, third-best in the conference.
Fort Hays, which had lost four straight before beating Missouri Western 81-79 at home on Saturday, has three players scoring in double figures. Senior forward Brianna Willhite is averaging 13.4 points per game, senior guard Sheena Kuntzsch is at 12.7 points per game and sophomore guard Naomi Bancroft is averaging 12.3 points.
| 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 |
