FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (20-11, 14-8 MIAA)
vs. #10 Central Missouri (24-3, 19-3 MIAA)
Saturday, March 4, 2023 • 8:15 p.m.
Kansas City, Mo. • Municipal Auditorium
2023 MIAA Basketball Championships presented by Southern Bank • Semifinals
Radio • KJLS (103.3)
The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will make its annual appearance in the MIAA semifinals Saturday evening (March 4) when the Tigers take on 10th-ranked Central Missouri at 8:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City. This if FHSU's sixth-consecutive appearance in the conference semis, the longest active streak in the league, and their 10th trip to Semifinal Saturday over the last 11 tournaments. No other program has made more than seven semifinal appearances during that stretch.
The sixth-seeded Tigers (20-11) earned their spot in the semifinals after defeating No. 3 seed Missouri Western 71-62 Friday evening. The second-seeded Jennies (24-3) cruised past 10th-seeded Central Oklahoma in their quarterfinal matchup on Thursday, 82-60.
Friday's win over the Griffons gave the Tigers 20 wins for the 12th season in a row, extending the longest active streak in NCAA Division II. The next longest active streak among MIAA teams is four (Nebraska-Kearney). This is the 20th 20-win season in program history.
The Tigers are 20-11 all-time in the MIAA Championship tournament, 2-4 against UCM, 5-4 in the semifinals, 4-2 as the No. 6 seed, 2-5 against the No. 2 seed and 15-10 in tournament games inside Municipal Auditorium. Friday's win was head coach Tony Hobson's 20th victory in the MIAA tournament, tied for third-most in MIAA Championship history.
FHSU has had success in the semifinals of late, reaching the championship game in four of the last five MIAA tournaments. Only one other school has played in multiple title games during that span (UCM 2, MSSU 1, UNK 1, LWU 1, ESU 1).
Central Missouri leads the all-time series 21-17 after taking both regular season contests by a combined eight points. UCM holds 6-2 edge in neutral site contests. The Tigers are 15-16 against the Jennies during the Hobson era, including a 2-5 mark on a neutral floor.
Katie Wagner averages 12.8 points per game in six matchups with the Jennies, including five games scoring in double figures. Jessie Sallach puts up 8.0 ppg when facing off with UCM, scoring in double figures four times in seven career games.
Wagner has scored 85 points in seven career MIAA Championship contests, averaging 12.1 per game.