Men's Basketball | 1/4/2013 10:27:00 PM
HOME TIME
Emporia State returns to White Auditorium for their MIAA home opener against Ft. Hays State. The Tigers are the second most played rivalry for the Hornets.
THE COACHES
Shaun Vandiver is 14-23 in his second season at Emporia State. A first round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1991 spent ten years as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level. As a player he led Hutchinson CC to the 1988 NJCAA National Championship before earning first-team All-Big 8 honors at Colorado. He is 0-2 against Ft. Hays State.
Mark Johnson is 233-102 in his 11th season at Ft. Hays State. He is 11-7 against Emporia State.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State conected on just eight of 21 free throws in a 61-54 loss at #8 Washburn in non-conference action on Saturday night in Lee Arena. Neither team led by more than seven points on the night with the Ichabods hitting that mark with just 3.2 seconds left. Taylor Euler led Emporia Staet with 17 points and tied his career high with four made three-pointers. Paul Bunch added his second double-double in four games with 14 points, ten rebounds and a game high three blocked shots.
SCOUTING EMPORIA STATE
The Hornets are 5-5 on the season after playing seven of their first ten on the road. Kaleb Wright is averaging 16.4 points per game to lead Emporia State. Paul Bunch is averaging 11.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
SCOUTING FT. HAYS STATE
The Tigers are 8-3 on the season and 2-1 in the MIAA. They are leading the MIAA in field goal percentage defense, blocked shots and assists. Craig Nicholson dishes an MIAA high 6.7 assists per game while Dwayne Brunson is second in the MIAA in rebounding at 8.0 boards per game. FHSU is 6-1 at home and 2-2 away from Gross Coliseum on the season.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 175th meeting between the two teams with Ft. Hays State holding a 90-84 overall advantage. The Tigers lead the Hornets 8-7 in 15 meetings in MIAA play since FHSU joined the league in 2006.
LAST TIME VS. THE TIGERS
Emporia State was outshot .520 to .333 from the field in a 73-48 loss to Fort Hays State. The Hornets jumped out to an 11-2 advantage to open the game before an 15-2 run by the Tigers game them the lead back. Emporia State would get six straight points for Troy Pierce as they tied the game back up at 21-12 before an 8-2 run by FHSU gave the Tigers a 29-23 halftime edge. The Hornets would get as close as four points in the second half before FHSU put the game away for good. Pierce scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Hornets.
UP NEXT
Emporia State travels to Bolivar, Mo. on Tuesday, January 8 to take on Southwest Baptist. Tip-off from the Meyers Sporst Center is set for 7:30 p.m.
