Rogers State (1-5, 1-5 MIAA) at
Fort Hays State (4-0, 4-0 MIAA)
Sunday, December 20, 2020 • 2 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
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The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will look to cap off 2020 with a fifth-straight victory Sunday (Dec. 20) when the Tigers host Rogers State. First tip is set for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum in a rare Sunday conference doubleheader.
The Tigers have played just 10 games on Sunday in 12-plus seasons under head coach Tony Hobson, going 6-4 in those contests. FHSU is 5-2 on Sunday in the regular season on Sunday. This is FHSU's first regular season conference game to be played on a Sunday since the Tigers finished the 2009-10 regular season against Emporia State on Sunday, February 28, 2010.
After holding on for a six-point win over Washburn in the season opener earlier this month, the Tigers have now won each of the last three games by at least 20 points. A 20-plus-point win Sunday would be FHSU's first run of four consecutive conference wins by at least 20 points since the 2013-14 season (1/6-16/14 at Southwest Baptist, vs. Lindenwood, vs. Lincoln, at Central Oklahoma).
Whitney Randall has scored in double figures in each of the first four games this season, ranking sixth in the MIAA with 17.5 points per contest. Thanks to 39 points so far this week (19 at UCO, 20 vs NSU), Jaden Hobbs is up to 14th in the MIAA in scoring at 14.5 ppg. The Tigers are one of four teams with multiple players in the top 14 in scoring in the conference (Rogers State, Pittsburg State, Northeastern State).
The Tigers have been sharp from behind the arc of late, hitting 39.7 percent (31-of-78) of their 3-point attempts over the last three contests. Hobbs (2.8 3FG/gm), Randall (2.0) and Sydney Golladay (2.0) are all hitting at least two triples per game. All three rank in the top 10 in the MIAA in 3-pointers per game.
The six Tiger true freshmen have played an integral role on the team this year, playing nearly 40 percent of the team's minutes through four games (319:11) while averaging 24.8 points per contest.
Sunday's contest will be FHSU's fifth and final game before the holiday break, the fewest number of games played in the opening semester of a season by the Tigers since they played five games in the 2003 portion of the 2003-04 season.
Rogers State enters Sunday 1-5 on the season, including losses in its last three contests. The Hillcats are 1-2 away from Claremore this season, including their lone win over Pittsburg State coming on the road. RSU ranks in the middle of the pack in the MIAA in scoring, sitting in seventh at 68.2 ppg, while sitting in 13th with 78.0 points allowed per contest. The Hillcats rank third in the league with a free-throw shooting percentage of 79.8 percent. Samariah Thompson, the team leader in points, rebounds and assists, missed Friday's game against Nebraska-Kearney. The junior was averaging 21.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game over the first five contests.