FHSU Athletics
HILO, Hawaii - The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team moved to 10-0 on the season with a 77-57 win over Truman State Thursday at the Big Island Holiday Classic. It's the fourth time the Tigers have won at least 10 games to start a season in program history and it is FHSU's 15th double-digit winning streak all-time.
The win is Fort Hays State's seventh victory this season by at least 20 points while FHSU did not trail in the game for a sixth time this year.
Olivia Hollenbeck won the opening tip and scored the first basket 18 seconds later off an assist from Katie DeGarmo, the first of 22 assists on 31 made field goals for the Tigers.
After a slow first three minutes of action for both teams, the Tigers blew things open with an 18-0 run over the next four minutes, FHSU's longest scoring run of the season. The Tigers hit 7-of-8 from the floor during that stretch while forcing four Bulldog turnovers.
Truman State (5-7) finally knocked down its first field goal of the game with 2:39 remaining in the first quarter to stop the bleeding and pull within 21-4. Ellie Stearns answered right back with her second 3-pointer of the game, putting the Tigers in front by 20 less than nine minutes into the contest. Fort Hays State finished the first quarter shooting a blistering 62.5 percent from the floor (10-of-16).
The Bulldogs got things going late in the first quarter and carried that momentum into the second frame, using a 10-2 run to close within a dozen, 26-14. The teams traded baskets for much of the second quarter, with the Tigers not allowing TSU to close any closer than 12 points on the scoreboard. Fort Hays State later went into the locker room in front 40-25 after a last-second 3-pointer from Megan Earney.
Fort Hays State methodically added to its lead throughout the second half, leading by as many as 27 midway through the fourth quarter. Talexa Weeter scored nine-straight points for the Tigers over the final four minutes of the third quarter, helping FHSU lead 59-38 with 10 minutes to play.
The Tiger defense limited Truman State to its lowest scoring output of the season, held the Bulldogs to a season-low three made 3-pointers and held them to their lowest shooting percentage of the year at 32.1 percent (17-of-53).FHSU outrebounded their former conference rival by 18, 47-29. The Tigers finished the game shooting 47 percent from the floor (31-of-66), 31.6 percent from behind the arc (6-of-19) and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the charity stripe.
DeGarmo and Weeter tied for the team lead with 19 points each, with DeGarmo adding eight rebounds, six assists and two steals and Weeter contributing nine rebounds. Hollenbeck recorded her second double-double of the season and the ninth of her career with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Friday's performance was the 100th time that DeGarmo scored in double figures in her FHSU career. Now with 1,569 career points, Hollenbeck moved into sixth place all-time at Fort Hays State, passing Roberta Augustine (1,552 points, 1979-83).
UP NEXT
The Tigers will wrap up their trip to Hawaii on Friday (Dec. 20) when they play Quincy beginning at 10 p.m. (6 p.m. HT).