KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a slow start at the beginning of the game and at the beginning of the third quarter and lost 59-48 to No. 15 Central Missouri in Saturday’s MIAA Tournament semifinal at Municipal Auditorium.
The Jennies (26-4) opened with an 11-2 run over the first five and-a-half minutes of the game. The Tigers (23-7) scored the next seven to pull within two but would never get the lead. UCM scored the final five points for a 16-9 lead at the quarter break.
The Tigers held the Jennies to five points in the second quarter but could only score eight themselves and trailed 21-17 at the half.
UCM took control with a 12-2 run to open the third quarter and led by as many as 16 before a 7-0 run by the Tigers brought them back within nine early in the fourth.
The Tigers got as close as six after a Jaden Hobbs three with a little over a minute to play. They then nearly forced a turnover near mid-court but the Jennies were awarded a timeout on a loose ball then got a three-pointer from conference Player of the Year Megan Skaggs late in the shot clock with 31 seconds to play to push the lead to nine and seal the win.
The Tigers shot only 32-percent including 5-of-23 from beyond the arc and 7-of-13 from the free throw line. They did force Central Missouri into 20 turnovers but scored only eight points off turnovers for the game.
Jaden Hobbs was the only Tiger to reach double-figures with 14 points. Belle Barbieri scored eight while grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds.
UCM, who is No. 1 in this week's NCAA II Central Region rankings, was led by Morgan Flemming's 20 points. Nija Collier added 15.
The Tigers, who were ranked sixth in this week’s NCAA II Central Regional rankings, will find out Sunday night if they are selected for next week’s NCAA II Tournament.