FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The seventh-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team took care of business against Newman Saturday on Senior Day, throttling the Jets 99-57. The Tigers (23-2, 14-2 MIAA) scored 58 points after halftime, a school record for points in a half in an MIAA game and a new high-water mark during the Talia Kahrs era.
FHSU matched a program record with 36 points in the third quarter, tying the conference record for points in a third frame.
The lead changed hands twice over the first four minutes before FHSU took the lead for good, eventually leading 20-11 at the end of the frame thanks to 10 early points from Talexa Weeter.
FHSU padded its lead as high as 19 in the second quarter before taking a 15-point advantage into the locker room, 41-26. Weeter (17 points) and Olivia Mortensen (10 points) both scored in double figures over the first 20 minutes of action.
After shooting a respectable 42.4 percent (14-of-33) in the first half, the Tigers took things up a notch in the third quarter when they knocked down an astounding 12-of-14 from the floor. The Tigers buried 6-of-7 from behind the arc over the frame, outscoring the Jets (7-18, 1-15 MIAA) by 25, 36-11.
Neither Weeter nor Mortensen missed a shot in the frame, combining to hit 10-of-10 from the floor, 5-of-5 from deep and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line for a total of 31 points (Weeter 16, Mortensen 15).
The Tigers kept things in cruise control in the fourth, knocking down 61.5 percent (8-of-13) to push the lead to a season-high 52 points. The 52-point lead is also a new program record in an MIAA contest.
Weeter totaled 33 points in less than 32 minutes of action, hitting 9-of-15 from the floor, 5-of-7 from behind the arc and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Mortensen added 25 points and a season-high 10 rebounds to post her first career double-double. Ellie Stearns added 13 points thanks to a trio of 3-pointers, while Brooke Loewe added 10 assists, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Kaitlin Schumann (eight points), Avery Lowe (six points) and Mikayla Pilley (six points) all contributed multiple baskets off the bench, with Lowe adding seven points to rank second on the squad.
The Tigers drained 13 triples in the win, the most by the team since December 2023 when they also hit 13 at Central Oklahoma.
FHSU finished the game shooting 56.7 percent from the floor (34-of-60), their best shooting effort in a conference game this season. The Tigers were nearly as good from behind the arc, pouring in 54.2 percent from deep (13-of-24).
Still one-half game clear of Central Missouri in the league standings (19-5, 13-2 MIAA), the Tigers will prep for a huge road trip next week where they will take on the third- and fourth-ranked teams in the league in Pittsburg State (18-4, 11-4 MIAA) and Missouri Southern (17-7, 11-4 MIAA). The final road trip of the season begins Thursday against the Lions in Joplin, Mo. beginning at 5:30 p.m.