HAYS, Kan. – Whitney Randall scored a game-high 16 points and Belle Barbiere recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead the 13th-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team to a 74-61 over Washburn in front of 2,535 Saturday afternoon at Gross Coliseum.
Fort Hays State (15-2, 6-2 MIAA) raced out to an early 13-3 lead but the Ichabods came back to tie the game 21-21 at the end of the first quarter thanks in part to 8-of-9 shooting including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Washburn (8-8, 2-5 MIAA) hit their first eight shots of the game including four 3-pointers, missed their last eight shots of the second quarter resulting in 10 unanswered points for the Tigers to end the half and a 39-26 lead.
The Ichabods got as close as five midway through the third quarter before the Tigers pushed it back to nine at the end of three and as high as 17 several times in the fourth.
The Tigers created 18 turnovers thanks to 10 steals, leading to 24 points off turnovers. Fort Hays State, the nation's best at controlling the ball, turned the ball over just 10 times on the day.
FHSU shot 45-percent for the game and 4-of-14 from beyond the arc and were 22-29 from the free throw line.
After their hot start, the Ichabods finished at 43-percent and 7-of-17 from beyond the arc, making only three of their final 15 from long range.