HAYS, Kan. - The No. 11 Fort Hays State women's basketball team used a dominant second quarter to pull away from Central Oklahoma on Saturday (Feb. 6), winning 73-58. The Tigers now sit at 13-2 on the year after their eighth-straight win, while the Bronchos dip to 9-6 overall.
After the teams fought to a 13-13 tie at the end of the first quarter, Fort Hays State stepped on the gas in the second period. The Tigers scored 25 points on 60 percent shooting (9-of-15) while holding the Bronchos to just eight points, FHSU's fewest points allowed in a quarter this season.
The Tiger defense held UCO to just one field goal on 13 shot attempts over the first eight minutes, 40 seconds of the frame. Fort Hays State took advantage on the offensive end, outscoring the Bronchos 23-3 over that stretch while hitting 9-of-10 from the floor.
Fort Hays State scored on five-straight possessions over the heart of the quarter, turning a two-point lead into a double-digit advantage in just over two minutes. Jaden Hobbs opened the run with a driving layup before Olivia Hollenbeck dropped in consecutive layups. Katie Wagner scored on a fast break on the next possession, prompting a UCO timeout, before Jessie Sallach dropped in a layup to push the Tigers in front by 11, 25-14.
The Bronchos temporarily broke up the momentum with a bucket before the Tigers rattled off 11-consecutive points to push the lead to 20, 36-16. Wagner and Sallach capped the run with consecutive buckets, giving freshmen 14 points in the quarter.
Whitney Randall took care of business for the Tigers in the third quarter, scoring nine points to help FHSU keep the Bronchos at bay. The senior seemed to have an answer each time UCO tried to rally, hitting three timely shots and knocking down 3-of-4 from the line in the quarter.
Central Oklahoma kept the pressure on in the fourth quarter, closing within 10 with 4:19 on the clock after an 8-0 run. Hobbs brought an end to the run with a layup before Hollenbeck scored on back-to-back possessions, keeping the lead at 14 with three minutes to play.
The Tiger defense stepped up again down the stretch, holding the Bronchos to just one field goal over the final three minutes to seal the win.
Freshmen Hollenbeck, Sallach and Wagner combined for more than half of the Tiger scoring, with Hollenbeck leading the way with 18 points, Sallach adding 12 and Wagner totaling eight points.
Sallach added seven points, three assists and two blocks, while Wagner grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and distributed four assists.
Hobbs scored 11 points and dished out five assists while poking away two steals. Randall contributed 14 points, all in the second half. Madison Mittie added seven points, three assists and two rebounds.
Playing against one of the top post players in the conference, Fort Hays State dominated in the paint, outscoring UCO 42-26. The Tigers finished the game shooting 43.5 percent from the floor (27-of-62) and 84.2 percent from the line (16-of-19). Fort Hays State turned the ball over a season-low seven times while forcing 13 Broncho turnovers.
The Tigers will wrap up their four-game homestand Monday (Feb. 8) when they host Missouri Western in a rescheduled contest. The women's only game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
FHSU Athletics