KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MIAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Dominique Jones took over in the second half, tying a championship game record with 30 points and leading Fort Hays State to an 89-83 victory over Missouri Southern Sunday afternoon in the 2011 MIAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship Game at Municipal Auditorium.
The tournament title is the first-ever MIAA championship in any sport for Fort Hays State (25-6), which earns the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA South Central Regional Championship.
Jones hit big shot after big shot, finishing the game 12-of-19 from the field (3-of-7 from three-point range) and dished out seven assists to go along with his historic scoring performance, which included 20 points in the second half.
He shares the record for most points in an MIAA men's championship game with Ronny Rankin of Southeast Missouri State, who scored 30 in the 1985 title game against Central Missouri, and LaKeith Humphrey of Central Missouri, who netted 30 in the 1991 championship game against Southwest Baptist.
Missouri Southern (25-4) got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 7-2 lead after Marquis Addison hit a three-pointer at the 18:11 mark of the opening half. As it turns out, that would prove to be Southern's largest lead of the game.
Fort Hays State went on a 20-13 run to take the lead for good at 22-20 on a Ben Congiusta three-pointer with 8:47 to play in the first half.
The Tigers were able to extend the lead to nine on one of the plays of the game at the 3:09 mark of the first half, a play that set the tone for the rest of the contest.
Congiusta missed a three-point attempt, but Karron McKenzie flew through the lane for a thunderous follow-up slam, sending the FHSU faithful into a frenzy.
Fort Hays State went into the locker room with a 39-34 lead, and came out with a sense of urgency to put its stamp on the game.
Holding a 43-38 lead early in the second stanza, the Tigers went on an 8-1 spurt led by two Jones three-pointers to stretch the lead to 51-39 with 16:49 to play. Hays kept Southern at arms length for the majority of the second half, and when Corbin Kuntzsch hit one of his two three-pointers at the 7:04 mark, the Tigers led by their largest margin of the game, 76-58.
Missouri Southern battled back, but the closest the Lions would get would be on the final free throw of the game by Kevin Hinsey that provided the final margin.
Kuntzsch, an all-tournament team selection, had another big night for Fort Hays State, scoring 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Dijon Smith controlled the paint for the Tigers with 14 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks, earning all-tournament team honors as well.
Missouri Southern was led on the afternoon by its two all-tournament team selections, Skyler Bowlin and Keane Thomann.
Bowlin scored 22 points to lead the Lions, while Thomann had 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and three blocks.
Both Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern will compete in the 2011 NCAA South Central Regional Tournament.
2011 MIAA Men's Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player: Dominique Jones, Fort Hays State
Skyler Bowlin, Missouri Southern
Dijon Smith, Fort Hays State
Keane Thomann, Missouri Southern
Corbin Kuntzsch, Fort Hays State
