FHSU Athletics
No. 15 Fort Hays State (16-3, 10-3 MIAA)
at Missouri Western (15-4, 10-3 MIAA)
Thursday, February 1, 2024 • 5:30 p.m.
St. Joseph, Mo. • MWSU Fieldhouse
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Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
A crucial conference road trip for the 15th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team begins Thursday when the Tigers take on Missouri Western. First tip is slated for 5:30 p.m. inside MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph, Mo.
The Tigers (16-3, 10-3 MIAA) and Griffons (15-4, 10-3 MIAA) are currently tied for second place in the MIAA standings, one game behind Missouri Southern. FHSU is looking to avenge its first loss of the season, with Missouri Western coming away with a 61-58 win in Hays in December (12/9/23).
Missouri Western's win in Hays was the fourth-straight clash in the series that was won by the visitors. Fort Hays State has won the last three meetings in St. Joseph, a streak that began in 2021 when the Tigers clinched the MIAA regular season championship with a 77-69 win inside MWSU Fieldhouse.
The big road trip will conclude Saturday (Feb. 3, 1:30 p.m.) at Northwest Missouri State, who sit just one game behind the Tigers and Griffons in fourth place in the league standings.
Fort Hays State has the best overall winning percentage, the most wins and the fewest losses in the MIAA this season. FHSU is also the only MIAA school without back-to-back losses this season.
The Tigers already have two wins in St. Joseph, Mo. this season, defeating Minot State and second-ranked Minnesota State at the Central Region Showcase on the first weekend of the season.
Katie Wagner nearly averages a double-double when playing Missouri Western, putting up 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in nine matchups. She's scored in double figures six times, including four double-doubles and three-straight games with 20 or more points.
Wagner's first rebound on Thursday will tie her for fifth all-time at Fort Hays State, matching Jamie Heiman's 841 career boards. Wagner is also 20 points behind Heiman (seventh, 1,492 points) on the all-time points list.
Olivia Hollenbeck has scored in double figures eight of the nine times she's played the Griffons. She averages 13.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in those games.
Hollenbeck (1,202 career points) has the chance to climb two spots on the all-time scoring list this weekend. The junior is currently 17th, two points behind Jill Faxon (1,204 points) and four back of Chelsea Mason (1,206 points).
Megan Earney has stepped things up over the last two weeks, scoring 30 points in the last three games after totaling just 31 points over the first 16 games of the season. The junior poured in six 3-pointers against Emporia State on Saturday (Jan. 27), finishing the game with 20 points, one off her career high.
Emma Ruddle is averaging 10.4 points per game over the last five contests, scoring in double figures three times over the last three weeks.
The Tiger defense continues to lead the league in points allowed, ranking 14th in Division II after allowing just 55.1 points per contest. FHSU will have its hands full when it takes on the Griffon offense that leads the conference and ranks seventh in the country by averaging 78.8 points per outing.
Fort Hays State leads the all-time series, 34-26, while the Griffons lead in games played in St. Joseph, 16-11. The teams have alternated wins in each of the last six games, with MWSU winning in Hays earlier this season.
Missouri Western is 8-1 at home this season, including wins in seven-straight home games. The Griffons rank in the top 10 nationally in five statistical categories, including fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.31), fifth in scoring margin (+21.2), sixth in bench scoring (35.6 ppg), seventh in scoring offense (78.8 ppg) and 10th in field goal percentage (46.0 percent). Connie Clarke leads the league in steals, averaging 2.7 per game, while Alyssa Bonilla has the best assist/turnover ratio in the conference at 3.00 (eighth-best in DII). Clarke leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 12.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest.
The Tigers will wrap up the weekend in Maryville, Mo. taking on Northwest Missouri State on Saturday before returning home to play five of their final seven regular season games at home.