FHSU Athletics
No. 22 Fort Hays State (4-0, 0-0 MIAA)
at Northeastern State (3-2, 0-0 MIAA)
Thursday, November 30 • 5:30 p.m.
Tahlequah, Okla. • NSU Event Center
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
The 22nd-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will open MIAA play on the road Thursday against Northeastern State. First tip between the Tigers and RiverHawks is slated for 5:30 p.m. inside the NSU Event Center.
Fort Hays State is 4-0 so far this season, while NSU is 3-2 in non-conference action so far this year. A win Thursday would give the Tigers five consecutive wins to start a season for the 13th time in program history.
The Tigers are averaging just 12.8 turnovers per contest through four games, the fewest in the MIAA. FHSU is averaging 17.0 assists per game, third-best in the league, giving the Tigers an assist/turnover ratio of 1.33 that ranks seventh-best in all Division II.
Katie Wagner averages 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, ranking third in the conference in scoring and seventh in rebounding. Olivia Hollenbeck's 2.0 blocks per game are second-best in the MIAA and 27th-best in Division II. Sydney Golladay scored in double figures in both of FHSU's wins in Colorado last week, doing so in consecutive games for the second time in her career.
This is the first time the Tigers have ever been ranked No. 22 in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll. FHSU is 145-38 all-time when ranked in the poll. This is the 95th week the Tigers have been listed in the top 25.Fort Hays State is 19-4 all-time against Northeastern State, including wins in each of the last two meetings. The Tigers are 7-3 all-time in Tahlequah, with NSU coming away with a 67-58 win in FHSU's most recent trip to the NSU Event Center (2/7/22).
The Tigers never trailed in a 36-point home victory against Northeastern State last season (12/1/22), 88-52. FHSU knocked down 55.2 percent (32-of-58) from the floor, the team's best shooting effort in nearly one year (12/19/21 vs Newman, 55.4 percent). The Tiger defense forced 17 turnovers with nine steals, blocked four shots and held the RiverHawks to their lowest shooting percentage of the season at 39.1 percent (18-of-46). Wagner recorded a double-double with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 10 rebounds.
Hollenbeck averages 10.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in five games against NSU, including two games with 10 or more points. Wagner averages 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in five matchups against NSU. She's recorded one double-double and reached double figures in scoring twice. Golladay averages 6.4 points and 2.6 assists in five games against NSU, including one game scoring in double figures. Jessie Sallach averages 5.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in five games against NSU, including one game scoring in double figures.
Northeastern State averages 66.6 points per game, fewest in the MIAA. The RiverHawks rank fourth in the conference in shooting percentage behind the 3-point line, knocking down 33.0 percent from deep. The RiverHawks lead the MIAA and rank 26th in Division II with 17 made free throws per game. Halie Jones leads the conference with a free-throw percentage of 91.7 percent. Jones is averaging 13.2 points per contest, ranking 14th in the conference. Keith Ferguson is in his first year as head women's basketball coach at Northeastern State. He moved to Tahlequah from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kan., where he coached the Swedes for seven seasons.