Box Score

Hays, Kan. - Cartier Dean connected on a deep three with 0.8 seconds remaining to lift the SBU Bearcats to a 56-54 victory at Fort Hays State on Saturday. With the win SBU improves to 9-5 (2-3 MIAA) on the season.

The Bearcats and Tigers were slow to start, as Fort Hays held a 5-4 lead with 16:36 remaining in the first half. FHSU held a small lead for the first ten minutes of the game before a Quinton Smith layup with 10:30 to go in the half tied the game at 10-10. After a pair of FHSU free throws, Logan Hovey gave the Bearcats their first lead of the game after hitting a three and putting SBU up 13-12 with 8:24 left in the first. Nine lead changes occurred over the final eight minutes of the half, and a 6-0 run by the Tigers to end of the half put SBU down 30-26 at the break.

SBU opened up the second half on a 14-0 run to re-take the lead, and push it to double-digits. Dean opened the half up with five straight points, followed by back-to-back buckets from Kalehl Brown, and five straight points from Brian Patterson to give SBU a 40-30 lead with 15:29 remaining. However FHSU fought back, using an 11-0 run over the next seven minutes of play, as the Bearcats trailed 41-40 with 8:14 remaining. Andy Campbell connected on a jumper on SBU's following possession, briefly giving the Bearcats the lead once again, but Fort Hays quickly responded to re-take the lead. The Tigers held a small advantage over the next five minutes, but five straight points from Patterson gave SBU a 48-47 lead with 3:02 remaining. Campbell connected on a layup with 1;30 remaining, extending the lead to three, before FHSU answered with a three to tie the game with 1:17 remaining at 50-50. The Bearcats responded with a three from Kai Woodfall with 55 seconds remaining to re-take the lead, but back-to-back buckets from Hays put the Bearcats down 54-53 with 13 seconds remaining. After a missed FHSU free throw, Woodfall and Dean passed the ball back and forth on the perimeter before Dean connected on a deep three to give the Bearcats a 56-54 lead with 0.8 seconds remaining. A half court attempt by FHSU missed, as the Bearcats finished off the 56-54 come from behind victory.

Cartier Dean led the Bearcats with 11 points, including the game winning three, to go along with 5 rebounds while Brian Patterson had 10 points and 5 rebounds. SBU had nine different players score on the evening, while holding the MIAA leading scorer to single digits points for the first time this season. As a team SBU shot 36.2% from the field, 31.0% from beyond the arc, and 62.5% from the free throw line.

The Bearcats will return to action on Thursday, January 12 when they host Missouri Western. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. from the Meyer Sports Center in Bolivar.