FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (19-5, 13-5 MIAA)
at Central Missouri (17-6, 11-6 MIAA)
Saturday, February 17, 2024 • 11:00 p.m.
Warrensburg, Mo. • Jerry Hughes Athletics Center
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Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
The Fort Hays State women's basketball team plays its final road game of the regular season Saturday afternoon at Central Missouri. Tipoff between the Tigers (19-5, 13-5 MIAA) and Jennies (17-6, 11-6 MIAA) is set for 1 p.m. from the Jerry Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg, Mo.
The Tigers and Jennies are locked in a tight battle atop the MIAA standings, with six teams separated by three games in the loss column with three weeks left to play in the regular season. Fort Hays State is currently in third place, two games back of league-leading Missouri Western, while Central Missouri sits in sixth, 3.5 games back.
Fort Hays State fell behind by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter of the first meeting between these teams this season (1/4/24) before rallying within two possessions with three minutes to play. Central Missouri regained control down the stretch, ultimately winning by seven, 72-65. Katie Wagner led the Tigers with 24 points and 16 rebounds in that game, her second-straight game with at least 20 points against the Jennies.
Wagner has scored in double figures seven times in eight tries against the Jennies, averaging 15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in those games. Five other Tigers have scored in double figures at least once in their career against UCM, including four-such performances from Jessie Sallach, two from Sydney Golladay and one each from Olivia Hollenbeck, Brooke Loewe and Emma Ruddle.
Wagner continues to rewrite the record books at Fort Hays State, moving into fifth all-time in scoring on Thursday with a career total of 1,566 points. She also ranks fourth in school history in rebounds with 884, 17 shy of tying for third.
Hollenbeck is averaging 17.5 points per game over the last four outings, including a career-high 30 points against Newman.
Kate Dilsaver matched her season-high in numerous categories Thursday, totaling 13 points, five rebounds and three assists in a win over Lincoln. She's scored in double figures twice over the last five games after doing so just once across the first 19 games of the year.
Central Missouri leads the all-time series, 23-17, including wins in each of the last four meetings. Fort Hays State's last win came almost exactly two years ago in Warrensburg (60-54, 2/19/22). The Jennies are 12-5 in games played in Warrensburg. UCM won the first game in the series during the Talia Kahrs era last month in Hays, 72-65 (1/4/24).
The Jennies moved to 6-4 at home this season after holding on to defeat Nebraska-Kearney 81-77 Thursday night after a potential game-tying shot from the Lopers bounced out with less than five seconds remaining. UCM ranks third in the conference and 18th nationally in field-goal percentage (45.4 percent). They are also third in the league in scoring offense, averaging 74.6 points per game. Brooke Littrell leads the conference and ranks 20th in Division II with an average of 19.1 points per game. She also leads the team with 8.7 rebounds per night, fourth-most in the league.