By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Last Monday, the Fort Hays State University men's basketball team shot 25 percent in the first half, including 2-of-13 (15 percent) from beyond the arc. The Tigers trailed Missouri Western State University, 31-21, in St. Joseph, Mo. Outside of shooting the ball, Fort Hays had played solid.

"Overall, I thought in the first half, we tried to do a lot of positive things," coach Mark Johnson said in his weekly news conference Thursday. "That's why at halftime, I wasn't in a tirade. If we just plugging along and doing what we are doing -- we know we can play better and shoot better than we did in the first half and we just need to keep working at it."

After intermission, just one aspect changed for the Tigers: shooting. In the second half, Fort Hays shot 56 percent from the field, and 8-of-14 (57 percent) from 3-point range. Senior guard Moses Dayee missed all four of his treys in the first half, but went 4-of-7 from long range after intermission. The last 3 with 23 seconds left helped seal a 62-58 victory.

"I don't think the first half and the second half were a whole lot different, except some shots fell," Johnson said.

This season, the Tigers have had multiple games when they have struggled to score. FHSU has little offensive presence on the inside and, compared to past seasons, doesn't shoot the 3-pointer at a high rate.

Still, the 3-point shot is critical for the Tigers. FHSU has received 30.5 percent of its offense from 3s, the highest rate since the Tigers switched to the MIAA six years ago. The highest came in 2007-08, an NCAA Division II tournament team that had 34.5 percent of its offense come from 3s.

"It's been important, because it makes us win ball games," junior point guard Kendrick Morse said.

On Saturday, Fort Hays, receiving votes in the NCAA Division II national poll at 14-5 overall, 8-5 MIAA, will travel to Washburn University (15-6, 9-4 MIAA) for a key conference matchup. Game time is 3:30 p.m. from Lee Arena in Topeka.

On Dec. 7, FHSU lost to Washburn 61-45 in Hays, the second-lowest total the Tigers have this season. Both squads are part of six teams that are within 31/2 games of first place.

This year, the Tigers have one forward -- senior Matt Simmons -- that sees consistent playing time. However, Simmons, the conference's leader in rebounds and blocked shots, averages 7.3 points per contest. He has scored two points or fewer in three of the last four games.

"We don't really have a post presence down there, a guy that is getting 15 a game and things like that. I don't know at times that we drive it overly well," Johnson said. "We are going to be a perimeter-oriented team."

Outside of Simmons, FHSU has a lot of jump shooters. For most of the season, the Tigers struggled from long range. Fort Hays has shot 35 percent on 3s for the season, its lowest percentage since 2006-07. That squad finished 13-15 for Johnson's only losing season in 11 years and shot 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.

However, Fort Hays has improved its 3-point shooting recently, a major reason why the Tigers have won four of their past five and are 6-2 in road games this season.

In the last five games, Fort Hays is 47-of-114 (41.2 percent) on 3-point shots. In all five contests, FHSU has hit at least eight 3s. In each game, Fort Hays has made at least 37 percent of its treys.

Before the recent five-game run, the Tigers had an eight-game stretch where they shot at least 37 percent on 3s. In those eight games, FHSU went 4-4.

"I think what we have been trying to do is eliminate a lot of our quick 3s," Johnson said. "Trying to run some more time and work some clock. If we can get maybe a breakdown on the defensive end and get something easy. But I think that has been our biggest struggle offensively, we just don't get hardly any easy baskets. It's hard to score a lot of points when you've got to work for everything that you get."

As a team, Fort Hays has made 7.1 treys a game, its third-highest total in the last six years. Dayee, who averages 11.4 points per contest and shoots 38.7 percent on 3s, has helped considerably since he joined the team at semester. Known for his confidence and daily shooting regimen, Dayee has made 29 treys in 10 contests. When he sinks at least three treys in a game, Fort Hays is 5-1.

"I love shooting the trey ball and I really think I am a good shooter even when I am struggling," Dayee said. "I think I missed my first five (Monday), but I know even when I am struggling, I am practicing my shot every single day, so when I am missing, it's probably the rim or the court, but it's not me. I just stick with it."