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25-26 ESU MBB Chris Harris vs FHSU
Mason Hart, ESU Athletics
73
Winner Fort Hays St. FHSU 11-4,3-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
70
Emporia St. ESU 4-10,0-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Fort Hays St. FHSU
11-4,3-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
73
Final
70
Emporia St. ESU
4-10,0-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Fort Hays St. FHSU 31 42 73
Emporia St. ESU 32 38 70

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Hornet Men Fall 73-70 Against Fort Hays State

Emporia State trailed by double digits in second half; cut Tiger lead to one possession in the final minute

January 8, 2026 – The Hornet men battled back from a double-digit second half deficit before falling 73-70 against Fort Hays State on Thursday night.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Emporia State and Fort Hays State traded baskets in the early minutes, with the Hornets holding a narrow 13-12 lead at the 12:48 mark heading into the first media timeout. Both teams went 6-12 in the first seven minutes. The trend of trading baskets continued throughout much of the first half, with the lead changing hands 11 times in the first 20 minutes.
 
The final lead change happened on the last field goal of the first half, a three from Jack Weigus to put the Hornets ahead 32-31 entering the halftime break.
 
Both teams made 13 field goals and a pair of free throws, with the difference being four threes by the Hornets to just three triples by the Tigers to give Emporia State the one-point lead.
 
Following the break, the Tigers scored eight of the first nine points, pushing their lead to 39-33 at the 17:38 mark of the second half. Fort Hays continued to expand their lead over the next nine minutes, as their largest lead came with 8:17 remaining, a 57-46 advantage over the Hornets.
 
Emporia State slowly chipped away at the Tiger lead, eventually closing the gap to 65-62 with 1:42 left in the game. Fort Hays State added two points in each of their next three trips, keeping the Hornets at a deficit of three points despite three successful possessions of their own.
 
The Tigers finally left the door open with 20 seconds left as they split a pair of free throws. Following a Justin Mack putback layup, the deficit was cut to 72-70 with five seconds remaining. Another split trip for the Tigers with 2.8 remaining made the score 73-70. Emporia State was unable to convert on a last second play as they fell against the Tigers on Thursday night.
 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Emporia State shot 40.3%, while the Tigers boated a 48.3% mark from the floor. Both teams made just five threes with the Tigers missing one fewer attempt.
 
Chris Harris scored a career-high 24 points on 8-17 shooting, including 3-5 from beyond the arc. Harris and Treyvon Taylor tied for the team-high with eight rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State will be back in action on Saturday, January 10 as the host Nebraska-Kearney. The Hornets and Lopers take part in the MIAA TV Game of the Week and are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. from White Auditorium.
 
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