No. 3/11 Fort Hays State (11-1, 5-1 MIAA) vs.
Central Missouri (9-5, 5-2 MIAA)
Thursday, January 6 • 5:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
Game Sponsor: Heartland Building Center
National Anthem: Fort Hays Singers
Promotions: Local Education Appreciation - Faculty and staff at all local Hays schools get one FREE ticket to the game
Halftime Performance: Tiger Debs
The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team returns to Gross Memorial Coliseum Thursday (Jan. 6) when FHSU hosts Central Missouri beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday's game is Local Education Appreciation night, with all faculty and staff at local Hays schools receiving one FREE ticket to the doubleheader.
The Tigers (11-1, 5-1 MIAA) enter the week ranked third in the country with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.37. Fort Hays State is averaging 16.8 assists per game, 14th-most in Division II, while the Tigers turn the ball over just 12.2 times per contest, good for 12th in the nation. The Tigers also rank 21st nationally in scoring margin (+16.6) and 21st in rebound margin (+8.8). Five different Tigers are averaging at least two assists per night.
Katie Wagner paces the Tigers in both points and rebounds, putting up 15.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest. Her five double-doubles are fourth-most in the country.
Jaden Hobbs has performed well against the Jennies in the past, averaging 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game in five career matchups with UCM. She's never scored fewer than 14 points against the Jennies. The senior totaled 26 points in one matchup with UCM last year and added a 16-point, 10-assist double-double in another.
Whitney Randall (1,174 career points) is nine points shy of tying Kelly Priest (1997-01) for 15th on the all-time scoring list at 1,183 points.
After Thursday, FHSU will have played at least one game on every day of the week this season. It's the seventh time the Tigers have played on each day of the week during Tony Hobson's 14 years at FHSU, and the first time it has occurred in consecutive seasons since 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Central Missouri leads the all-time series 19-15, but Fort Hays State is 9-2 in Hays with wins in each of the last seven matchups inside the Coliseum. The Tigers are 13-14 against UCM under Hobson, including an 8-1 mark at home. The Tigers have played UCM more than all but one school during the Hobson era (ESU).
Central Missouri is 9-5 this season, including a 3-4 mark away from the UCM Multipurpose Building. The Jennies rank fifth in the conference with 73.5 points per game. UCM ranks fifth in the country with 221 made free throws and 14th with a field-goal percentage of 46.7 percent. They top the conference in both categories. Nija Collier leads the nation with 172 rebounds and is second in the country with 10 double-doubles. She is 12th in points per game (20.4 ppg) and 10th in rebounds per game (12.3 rpg). Olivia Nelson ranks seventh in the country with 69 assists.
FHSU Athletics