Norton Leads All Players with 18 Points in Road Setback

Box Score | Season Stats
HAYS, Kan. - - The Fort Hays (Kan.) State men's basketball team used a 27-5 run that spanned the intermission en route to handing Truman a 76-57 loss in Gross Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday night. Junior guard Tom Norton (Bloomington, Ill., Central Catholic) led all players with 18 points for the Bulldogs.

After FHSU (15-6, 9-6 MIAA) opened the game by hitting its first seven shots, the Bulldogs (6-17, 4-12 MIAA) appeared to settle in behind six quick Norton points. Sophomore Isaac Gardner (Washington, Iowa, Washington) scored eight first-half points, capped by a pair of free throws with 5:22 to play in the opening half to cut the Tiger lead to 26-20. However, from there, Hays exploded with ten straight to close the half and carry a 36-20 lead into the break.

The Tigers picked right back up on the second-half whistle, rattling off six more in a row and 17 of the half's first 22 points to build a 53-25 lead with 14:12 to play. The lead would grow to 29 before the Bulldogs chipped away in the final ten minutes for the 76-57 final tally.

Norton's 18 came on 5-of-9 shooting overall, including a 3-for-6 mark from three-point range and a 5-for-6 night from the free throw line. He added a pair of rebounds and an assist in a team-high 34 minutes. Junior guard EJ Hicks (Davenport, Iowa, Davenport Central) was the only other Bulldog in double-figures, notching ten points.

For the game, Truman shot 34% from the floor, hit seven triples, and went 14-for-22 (64%) from the foul line. Meanwhile, all five Hays starters finished in double-figures, led by Omar McDade's 16 points. The Tigers hit 11 three-pointers on the night at a 48% clip and shot 50% from the field overall.

The Bulldogs will take Saturday off before returning to the court for the first of four straight home games on Monday night. Truman will step out of MIAA play to welcome Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) to Pershing Arena at 7:00 pm.

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