Emporia State men’s basketball traveled to Kansas City to compete in the MIAA conference tournament on March 6. 

ESU came into the tournament as the No. 7 overall seed while having a record of 19-11 throughout the season, with a conference record of 12-10. The Hornets entered the tournament winning five out of the six last games of the regular season. 

No. 10 ranked Lincoln came into the game with a conference record of 9-13, and an overall record of 14-14 on the season. The Blue tigers came into the tournament with a 5 game losing streak while closing out the regular season.  

Both teams are 1-1 against each other this season before the conference tournament with the Blue Tigers winning the first game 71-63 in Jefferson City, MO on Jan.11. The Hornets however, would claim the second game of the season 66-57 in White Auditorium on Feb. 24. 

Owen Long would lead the Hornets in scoring during the first half with a total of eight points, closely followed by Alijah Comithier, with seven points. However, the Blue Tigers would outshoot the Hornets from three point range, shooting 27.3%, and Hornets shooting only 18.2% from three. Going into halftime the Hornets would take a slim lead, 32-28. Throughout the first half there were a total of four lead changes, but the Hornets led 16:47 of the first half compared to the Blue Tigers leading for 1:27 minutes. 

Four minutes into the second half the Hornets lead would diminish as the Blue Tigers took control of the game, 36-34, with 16:26 to play. Both teams would continue to change a total of 13 leads throughout the second half until the Blue Tigers ultimately pulled away, winning 59-55.