The Lindenwood men's basketball team fell in the first round of the MIAA Tournament on Tuesday evening in Hays, Kan. The Lions ended their season with a 71-65 setback to Fort Hays State.

The Lions started out slow offensively, shooting just 33.3 percent during the first half of play. Lindenwood trailed by as many as 10 in the half, and it was down 29-22 at the break.

Lindenwood was able to get back into the game in the second half by making 18-of-20 free throws in the period, but it ran out of time. The closest it got was at 62-60 when Jackson Price hit a three-pointer with 2:19 remaining. Fort Hays State answered on its next possession with a three-pointer of its own, and the Tigers were able to hit six free throws the rest of the way to earn a ticket to Kansas City and the MIAA Quarterfinals.

The Lions finished the game shooting 40.9 percent from the field, compared to 51.1 percent for the Tigers. Fort Hays State's bench outscored Lindenwood by a 23-5 margin. The two teams combined for 13 turnovers in the game, with the Lions having just five.

Brad Newman and Price combined for 46 of the team's 65 points, as the pair made 13-of-25 from the field, six three-pointers, and 14-of-15 from the free-throw line. Newman had team-highs with 26 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Price added 20 points, and Adam Pohlman had 11 points, three assists, and three boards.

Lindenwood ends the season with a 16-13 overall record, its ninth winning season over the last 10 years.