No. 5/6 Fort Hays State (25-3, 19-3 MIAA) vs.
Central Oklahoma (17-12, 12-10 MIAA)
Thursday, March 3 • 2:15 p.m.
Kansas City, Mo. • Municipal Auditorium
2022 MIAA Basketball Championship
presented by Citizen's Bank & Trust
Quarterfinals
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
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After successfully defending its regular season conference title, the fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team faces its first test en route to a potential postseason championship Thursday (March 3) when the Tigers face off with seventh-seeded Central Oklahoma in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 MIAA Basketball Championship presented by Citizen's Bank & Trust. First tip is slated for 2:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
The Tigers (25-3, 19-3 MIAA) are playing in their 11th-straight MIAA postseason tournament and 13th overall. Fort Hays State is 16-11 all-time in the tournament, including an 8-4 record in the quarterfinal round. This is the first time Fort Hays State has played as the No. 2 seed in the tournament. FHSU has never played UCO in the postseason, nor have the Tigers matched up with a No. 7 seed in any of their 12 previous trips to the tournament.
The Bronchos (17-12, 12-10 MIAA) earned their spot in the quarterfinals with an impressive 88-53 win over Emporia State in the first round on Wednesday (March 2). UCO is led by first team All-MIAA selection Kelsey Johnson, who averages 21.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Fort Hays State defeated the Bronchos in both regular season meetings, both by seven points (78-71 in Hays 12/17/21, 75-68 in Edmond 3/5/22).
Fort Hays State won its fourth regular season MIAA title this season, sharing the trophy with Missouri Southern. Since FHSU moved to the MIAA from the RMAC in the 2006-07 season, no team has won more regular season titles than the Tigers (WU 4, UCM 3, ESU 2, MWSU 2, PSU 1, NWMSU 1, MSSU 1).
Five Tigers earned All-MIAA honors when the teams were announced earlier this week, more than any other school. Jaden Hobbs picked up first team honors for the second year in a row, becoming just the second FHSU player to receive multiple first team awards. Katie Wagner was a second team selection, while Whitney Randall picked up third team honors and Cydney Bergmann and Olivia Hollenbeck both earned honorable mention accolades.
Fort Hays State lead the all-time series against UCO 16-5, including wins in the last five meetings. This is the first neutral site meeting in series history. FHSU is 15-4 against UCO under head coach Tony Hobson.
The winner of Thursday's contest will get a day off to prepare for Saturday's (March 5) semifinal round. That game will also begin at 2:15 p.m., with the winner facing off with either Nebraska-Kearney or Northwest Missouri State.