HAYS, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods rallied from an 11-point second half deficit to open the MIAA season with a 86-82 win over Fort Hays State on Wednesday in Hays. The Ichabods return to action on Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney.

After the Tigers took a 60-49 lead with 14:06 to play, Washburn ripped off a 7-0 run over a 2:01 stretch cutting the lead to 60-56 with 12:05 to play in the game. The Tigers pushed the lead back to seven at 63-56 before the Ichabods pulled a 10-4 run cutting the lead to one with 7:24 to play after a jumpuer by Brady Skeens. 

After tying the score at 69 with 6:31 to play after a 3-pointer by Randall Smith and back to back buckets by Andy Wilson and Robert Christopher, Washburn pushed out to a four-point lead at 73-69 with 5:06 left. The Tigers came back with five straight points taking the lead back at 74-73. A pair of free throws by David Salach and then two by the Tigers as the teams traded lead with three minutes to play.

Washburn and the Tigers traded the lead three times in the final 1:21 but took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Smith from the top of the key with 14 seconds left putting Washburn up 85-82. The Tigers tossed an airball on their next possession and Smith hit a free throw after being fouled putting Washburn up 86-82 with two seconds to play wrapping up the win.

The Ichabods (5-1, 1-0 MIAA) trailed 47-40 at the half after jumping out to a 7-0 lead starting the game. However a 12-0 run over a 2:41 stretch turned an 11-8 Ichabod advantage into a 20-11 lead for the Tigers (5-1, 0-1 MIAA). Washburn shot 52 percent in the first half hitting 13 of 25 shots and was 4 of 9 from 3-point range while the Tigers were 14 of 25 for a 56 percent average. Washburn was also held without a field goal for the final 3:09 of the first half.

Cameron Wiggins scored 16 of his career-high 21 points in the first half to lead the Ichabods hitting 5 of 7 3-pointers going 8 of 11 from the field. Smith scored 16 points going 4 of 5 from the field. Salach had 15 points going 9 of 10 from the free throw line and Javion Blake had 12 points.

Rob Davis had 24 points to lead the Tigers and Kyler Kinnamon had 18 off the bench.

The Ichabods shot 64 percent in the second half to finish 57 percent from the field overall hitting 27 of 47 shots and 9 of 19 shots from behind the arch. The Tigers finished 49 percent hitting 24 of 49 shots. The Ichabods were also 23 of 34 from the free throw line compared to 23 of 30 for the Tigers.

Washburn committed nine turnovers and the Ichabod bench outscored the Tiger bench 42 to 23.