FHSU Athletics
#8/#17 Fort Hays State (18-2, 9-2 MIAA) vs.
Northeastern State (10-10, 6-5 MIAA)
Thursday, February 6, 2025 • 5:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Game Sponsor: Redeem Designs
National Anthem: New Beginnings Preschool
Promotions: Retro t-shirt giveaway before the game, retro concession prices ($1 popcorn and $1 soft drinks), Plainville Drum Line at women's halftime, FHSU Feature Twirler Yaritza Vega at men's halftime
The eighth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team plays at home for the first time in nearly three weeks on Thursday (Feb. 4) when the Tigers host Northeastern State. The opening tip in the MIAA battle is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
Fort Hays State heads into the weekend 18-2 on the year and 9-2 in MIAA play, while the RiverHawks are 10-10 overall and 6-5 in league action. The Tigers need two wins to reach the 20 win plateau for a 14th-straight season. FHSU has the longest active streak in Division II (Drury second with 11) and the sixth-longest streak in all NCAA women's basketball. The next longest active streak of 20-plus win seasons in the MIAA is three (MWSU, MSSU).
Tiger nation has helped provide the Tigers with the best home court advantage in Division II. Fort Hays State leads DII in attendance this season, averaging 1,785 fans per home contest. That total would rank in the top 100 in Division I and is more than 272 DI programs.
Fort Hays State continues to rank among the nation's best in scoring margin, outscoring opponents by an average of 18.7 points per game. Sixteen of FHSU's 18 wins have been double-figure victories, including 10 victories by 20 or more points, while both of the Tigers' losses have been by just one point.
The Tigers picked up the 1,000th victory in program history on Saturday, becoming the 12th current Division II program to reach that milestone.
Olivia Hollenbeck leads the Tigers with 19 double-digit scoring performances this season, including doing so in each of the last 13 games. Three other Tigers have scored at least 10 points more than 10 times this season, including 18 such games from Katie DeGarmo, 15 from Talexa Weeter and 11 from Kate Dilsaver.
DeGarmo became the school record holder in career rebounds last week, bringing her five-year total to 1,121 boards. She is second in team history with 2,051 career points, second in career field goals with 762 and fifth in steals with 215.
Hollenbeck now ranks fifth in program history with 1,728 points. She is second in blocks with 204, fourth in field goals with 653 and is tied for 10th in steals with 181.
Brooke Loewe leads the MIAA and ranks third in Division II with an average of 7.2 assists per game. The junior is on pace to break the program's single season assist average record of 6.0 assists per contest (Jaden Hobbs, 2020-21). Loewe has recorded 10 or more assists four times this season, while all other athletes in the MIAA have combined for just seven such performances. Her 137 assists are already sixth-most in a single season in team history.
Fort Hays State leads the all-time series, 20-4, including a perfect 10-0 record in Hays. The Tigers have won each of the last three meetings and 19 of the last 20 contests. Fort Hays State is 1-0 against Northeastern State during the Talia Kahrs era. The Tigers are 18-3 against the Jennies in regular season MIAA contests.
Northeastern State is 10-10 on the year, including wins in three of the last four. The RiverHawks are just 2-5 on the road this season. NSU averages 68.3 points per contest, ninth-best in the MIAA. The RiverHawks get to the free-throw line nearly 26 times per game, second-most in Division II. They rank third in the league with 9.5 steals per night. Alex Hill leads the team with 14.7 points per contest, 10th-best in the conference.