JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Terrance Smith scored a game-high 30 points and Amariontez Ivory chipped in 21 as the Lincoln men's basketball team defeated Fort Hays State, 77-56, on Thursday night (Jan. 25).

Smith also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and Ivory pulled down four while John Burton was next on the scoring chart with nine points. Maurice Mason added six points and three boards while dishing a team-high five assists. Marquise Williams also scored six and tallied seven rebounds.

Lincoln (10-10, 4-7 MIAA) opened the game on an 8-2 run, but Fort Hays State (12-7, 5-5 MIAA) fought back to take a six-point advantage with 9:26 to play in the first half. An old-fashioned three-point play by Smith gave LU back the lead, 28-27, and back-to-back three-pointers from Ivory and Burton, followed by a Calvin Chambers layup, allowed Lincoln to take a comfortable nine-point lead with 4:24 until halftime. FHSU mounted a brief comeback, eventually pulling within 40-33 at the break.

After shooting .517 from the floor during the first 20 minutes, however, Fort Hays State was limited to just .370 shooting by LU in the second half as Lincoln out-scored FHSU, 37-23. Lincoln limited Fort Hays State to just four buckets from three-point range in 24 attempts (.167) and held a 33-25 advantage in rebounding. Fort Hays State did rally to make it a 56-52 game with just over eight minutes to play, but a trey by Smith propelled Lincoln to a 21-4 run to end the game.

Chambers finished his night with three points, two rebounds and a pair of assists, and Alexander Nailes closed the scoring with two points and three boards. Paris Parham and Grant Olsson each contributed rebounds to the winning cause.

Lincoln will be back in Jason Gym on Saturday (Jan. 27) as the Blue Tigers host Nebraska Kearney at 3:30 p.m. CST.