FHSU Athletics
#18 Fort Hays State (7-0, 3-0 MIAA)
vs. Missouri Western (5-3, 1-2 MIAA)
Saturday, December 9, 2023 • 2 p.m.
Gross Memorial Coliseum • Hays, Kan.
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Game Sponsor: Hays Regional Airport
Promotions: Toys for Tots Stuffed Animal Toss- Bring a stuffed animal to toss at halftime of the men's game, and get a $5 GA ticket. All stuffed animals will be donated to Toys for Tots!
The 18th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team plays their final home conference game of 2023 Saturday when they host the Missouri Western State Griffons Saturday afternoon at Gross Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers (7-0, 3-0 MIAA) are coming off a 62-48 home win over previously undefeated Northwest Missouri State Thursday night. The Tigers trailed at halftime for the first time this season but opened the third quarter on a 17-2 run and outscored the Bearcats 37-20 in the second half.
Fort Hays State's seven wins to start the season is tied for the fourth-best start in program history.
Gross Memorial Coliseum is celebrating its 50th anniversary season this year. The Tigers are 558-138 inside GMC.
The Tigers are 34-25 all-time against the Griffons, including a nine-point Tiger victory in last year's MIAA Championship Quarterfinals (3/3/23). Fort Hays State is 21-7 at home against the Griffons, but MWSU has won each of the last two games in Hays by a combined two points, including a one-point win in the 2022 regional finals and a one-point, double-overtime win last January.
Missouri Western enters Saturday's game with a 5-3 overall record and 1-2 mark in conference games. They are coming off a 76-54 loss at Nebraska-Kearney Thursday. The Griffons are 1-1 in true road games. The Griffons rank third in the conference with 10.0 steals per game. They also do a good job limiting turnovers on the other end, ranking second in the league and 18th nationally with just 13.0 turnovers per contest. Connie Clarke is tied for sixth in the MIAA in steals per game (2.1), fifth in free-throw percentage (83.3) and ninth in rebounds per game (7.8).