No. 6/8 Fort Hays State (23-3, 17-3 MIAA) vs.
Missouri Western (20-6, 14-6 MIAA)
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 • 5:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
Game Sponsor: Domino's
National Anthem: Fort Hays Singers
Promotions: Senior Night
Halftime Performances: Jackie Creamer's The Dance Studio, Big Creek Crossing Baby Crawl
Women's Senior Recognition: Approximately 5:10 pm
The sixth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will host Missouri Western for this season's final regular season home game on Wednesday (Feb. 23) beginning at 5:30 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers will recognize three players on Senior Night before the game (approximately 5:10 p.m.), including Whitney Randall, Jaden Hobbs and Cydney Bergmann.
With just two games remaining in the regular season, every game will be critical as teams vie for position in the MIAA Basketball Championship, presented by Citizen's Bank & Trust as well as in the NCAA DII Central Region Rankings. The Tigers (23-3, 16-3 MIAA) are currently tied for first in the league standings with Missouri Southern. An updated list of regional rankings will be announced on Wednesday, but the Tigers were listed first in the initial release last week. The Tigers can finish no lower than third in the final regular season standings, while one win during the final week will lock in a top-two spot and thus a Thursday quarterfinal in the MIAA Championships (March 3).
The Tigers and Griffons (20-6, 14-6 MIAA) met last month in St. Joseph, with Fort Hays State pulling away in the second half for a 74-61 win over the then-22nd-ranked Griffons (1/15/22). Randall totaled 15 points in the win, giving the senior 67 points over her last three games against MWSU (15, 29, 23).
Together with the men's team, now ranked 18th, Fort Hays State is one of just three DII schools with both teams ranked in the latest edition of coaches polls (Lubbock Christian, Cal State San Marcos). FHSU is the only MIAA school with 20+ wins by both teams this season and the only school with both teams still alive for a regular season conference title. The Tiger hoops teams have a combined 44 wins this season, four more than the next-closest MIAA program (Northwest Missouri State).
With her first bucket on Wednesday, Randall (1,320 points) will move past Chris Biser (1986-90, 1,321 points) for 10th on the all-time list at Fort Hays State. Hobbs (397 assists at FHSU) needs three assists to become the third Tiger to eclipse 400 assists and needs 16 points to become the 23rd player in program history to reach 1,000 points as a Tiger.
The Tigers are 31-23 all-time against the Griffons, including wins in each of the last three meetings and in six of the last seven contests. FHSU has won 10 of the last 13 meetings, with all three losses during that span coming in St. Joseph. The home team has dominated the series, with the Tigers leading 20-5 in Hays and the Griffons leading 16-10 in St. Joseph. FHSU has won 10-straight at home with the last loss coming more than 15 years ago (1/13/07). The Tigers are 15-6 against the Griffons under Hobson, including a perfect 9-0 record at home.