EMPORIA, Kan. – The Arkansas Tech men's basketball had a quick turnaround from their season-opener on Friday night against No. 20-ranked Emporia State and played another highly-touted team from the MIAA in (rv) Fort Hays State on Saturday night to close out the 2023 GAC/MIAA Challenge.
The Wonder Boys would be upended by the Tigers, 66-52, dropping Tech to 0-2 on the young season.
The first half of the game against Fort Hays was closely-contested with five tie scores and three lead changes. Through the first 16 minutes or so of the first half, neither team held a lead larger than five points.
That changed, however, late in the first half as the Tigers pushed their lead out seven points, 29-22, with just under a minute to go. After Tech scored on their ensuing possession on a painted jumper by
Sean Cobb, the Tigers grabbed the largest lead of the game to that point of eight points, 32-24, on a made three-pointer with 27 seconds left. The Wonder Boys would split a trip to the free throw line right at the end of the half to send the game to halftime with Fort Hays leading by seven, 32-25.
The second half saw the Tigers come out hot early as they quickly pushed their lead out to double-digits on their first trip down the court and later swelled the lead out to 18 at the 13:50 mark. That early surge offensively helped the Tigers maintain a double-digit lead throughout the remainder of the game. The closest, the Wonder Boys would come to the lead was 13 points on a pair of occasions following made three-point shots by
Johnny Close and
Seybian Sims.
Sims led the team in scoring with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Three of his makes from the field were from beyond the arc. Sims also added six rebounds.
Josh Mitchell was the only other Wonder Boy to score in double figures as he had 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor while also going 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Mitchell would lead the team in rebounds with eight and added three blocks to his stat sheet.
The Wonder Boys will now return home and prepare to make the Tucker Coliseum debut for 2023-24 on Thursday, November 16 against Drury. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., or 25 minutes following the conclusion of the women's game prior.
