Men's Basketball | 1/30/2014 11:05:00 PM
Box Score
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January 30, 2014-For the third time in the last four meetings Emporia State and Ft. Hays State went to overtime as the #24 Tigers escaped with a 99-92 victory. Kaleb Wright had his fourth 30 point game, finishing with an even 30 to lead three Hornets with at least 20 points.
Neither team led by more than five points in the first half as there were six ties and eight lead changes. A 6-0 run, the last four coming from Terrence Moore, gave the Hornets a 29-25 lead with 4:28 left in the half. That would be the margin at the break as Emporia State took a 37-33 lead into the locker room.
The Hornets would build a ten point lead at 54-44 with 12:51 left in regulation on a free throw from McWisdom Badejo. A Craig Nicholson three-pointer for the Tigers tied the score at 62 with 6:36 left. Paul Bunch hit a pair of free throws with 2:39 remaining to give Emporia State a four point lead only to see Nicholson score the next five points to put Ft. Hays State back on top 69-68 with 1:50 left. Wright drained a three from the corner with :18.0 left to put the Hornets up 71-69. Nicholson tied it with 11.4 seconds left on drive but missed the free throw. Wright missed a deep three at the buzzer to send the game to the first overtime.
The teams bounced back and forth through the first extra frame with Wright giving the Hornets an 81-79 lead with 1:05 left. Dwayne Brunson converted two free throws with 46.0 seconds left as the teams headed to a second overtime tied at 81.
An old fashioned three point play by Bunch gave Emporia State a 91-89 lead with 1:52 left. The Tigers went up two possessions on a three-pointer from Achoki Moikobu and an old fashioned three point play by Nicholson for a 95-91 lead with 49.8 seconds left. Micah Swank hit one of two free throws with 35.6 left to pull the Hornets within three points but the Tigers hit four of four free throws in the final 30.7 seconds to secure teh win.
Wright had eight rebounds and three assists to lead four Hornets in double figures. Bunch had a double double with 22 points and ten rebounds while Terrence Moore added 20 points and Tyler Jordan chipped in ten points.
The Hornets will travel to Neb.-Kearney on Saturday for their next game. Tip-off against the Lopers in Kearney, Neb. is set for 4:00 p.m.
