FHSU Athletics
No. 23 Fort Hays State Women's Basketball (3-3, 0-0 MIAA)
vs. Tabor College (4-3, 2-0 KCAC)
Saturday, November 26, 2022 • 5 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Game Sponsor: Riverside Chiropractic
National Anthem: FHSU Pep Band
Promotion: Toys for Tots Stuffed Animal Toss - Bring a stuffed animal to toss at halftime of the men's game, and get a $5 GA ticket.
Radio: KJLS (103.3)
CLICK TO LISTEN
The 23rd-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will return to action after a short Thanksgiving break on Saturday (Nov. 26) when the Tigers host Tabor College beginning at 5 p.m. The contest is a part of the first men's and women's basketball doubleheader of the season, with the men hosting Manhattan Christian later that evening.
The sixth-annual Toys for Tots Stuffed Animal Toss will take place during halftime of the men's contest on Saturday. Fans can purchase a general admission ticket for just $5 when they bring a new stuffed animal with them to Gross Memorial Coliseum. The animals will be tossed onto the court at halftime of the men's game and will be donated to Toys for Tots.
Live video of the matchup between the Tigers and Bluejays will be available on The MIAA Network, presented by Tiger Media Network. Fans can purchase access to a single contest for $10, a month-long pass for $25 or a season-long, all-access pass for $125. Both the monthly and year-long passes gain access to any event in any sport streamed on The MIAA Network.
Last Time Out
- Fort Hays State turned in another 1-1 weekend last Friday and Saturday at home, falling on a buzzer-beater against Minnesota State before defeating Colorado Mesa by 25 points.
- Katie Wagner averaged a double-double on the week, putting up 12.5 points and 10.5 rebounds across the two games.
- Olivia Hollenbeck scored 16 points in the win over Colorado Mesa. The forward hit 57.1 percent from the floor (8-of-14).
Tiger Notables
- Wagner's four double-doubles are tied for first with seven other student-athletes in Division II. No other player in the MIAA has more than three double-doubles on the year.
- Wagner also leads the conference and ranks 27th nationally with an average of 10.5 rebounds per game. She leads the Tigers with 12 offensive rebounds, helping the Tigers to an average of 9.3 second chance points per game.
- The Tigers are ranked 23rd in the latest WBCA DII Coaches Poll. This is the 26th-consecutive week the Tigers have been listed in the top 25, three shy of the longest stretch in program history (29 weeks between 2018-19 preseason and Feb. 4, 2020).
- Hollenbeck needs five blocks to become just the eighth Tiger all-time to reach 100 career blocks.
- Ellie Stearns has hit a team-high 11 3-pointers through six games this season, seventh-most in the MIAA to date.
- Four different Tigers have led the team in scoring so far this season (Hollenbeck 2, Wagner 2, Whitney Brown 1, Stearns 1).
- The Tigers have a chance to win the league for a third-consecutive year, a feat not accomplished in more than 15 years (Washburn 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06).
- Mallory Cowman is the only Tiger with any experience playing Tabor after recording 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block against the Tabor JV team while at Butler CC (11/8/21).
Home Cooking
- This is the 50th season of basketball inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
- The women are 548-134 at home over the last 50 seasons, good for a winning percentage better than 80 percent.
- The Tigers have won at least 10 home games in 34 of the last 49 seasons inside the Coliseum, including each of the last 12 seasons and 13 of 14 during the Tony Hobson era.
- FHSU has only two losing records at home during the GMC era.
- Fort Hays State has not lost consecutive home games since January 15 & 19, 2011 (PSU, ESU).
- The Tigers are 149-14 at home since the start of the 2012-13 season (.914).
- FHSU is 190-31 (.860) at home under Hobson, including a 116-24 record in conference games and a 74-7 mark in non-conference games.
- FHSU has not lost more than three games at home in a season since 2010-11.
Series History
- Fort Hays State is a perfect 21-0 all-time against the Bluejays, by far the most games played against an opponent without a loss in program history (Bethel is second with FHSU leading that series 10-0).
- The Tigers are 17-0 against Tabor at home, 2-0 on the road and 2-0 in neutral site meetings.
- Fort Hays State is 9-0 against the Bluejays during the Hobson era, including an 8-0 record inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
- The most recent meeting was in 2019 (11/30/19), also played on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Fort Hays State limited the Bluejays to just four points in the first quarter en route to an 88-36 home victory. The Tigers never trailed, leading for more than 38 minutes of the contest. Kacey Kennett led the Tigers with 12 points while the Tiger defense forced 26 turnovers thanks to 17 steals.
The Coach
- Tony Hobson enters his 15th season at Fort Hays State and his 31st season as a head coach at the collegiate level in 2022-23.
- He is 315-112 as a Tiger and 728-218 all-time.
- Hobson ranks third all-time amongst MIAA head coaches with 315 wins at FHSU.
- He ranks in the top 30 in win percentage amongst all active NCAA head coaches and in the top 10 in Division II.
- Hobson earned the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Women's Four-Year College Coach of the Year award last season, his 19th career coach of the year award.
- He has coached four All-Americans, four Academic All-Americans, two conference players of the year and 48 All-MIAA performers over the last 14 seasons.
Scouting the Bluejays
- Tabor is 4-3 so far this season after winning each of its last four games. The Bluejays are 2-1 away from home this season.
- Zoe Rust surpassed the 1,000 career-point plateau last weekend against Sterling. The senior leads the team with an average of 8.7 points per game.
- The Bluejays finished last season 22-9 overall and 19-5 in the KCAC, qualifying for the NAIA Tournament.
- Shawn Reed is now in his 12th season at the helm at Tabor College. He holds a career record of 232-120 and has won three KCAC regular season titles, five KCAC tournament championships, seven national tournament appearances and two trips to the Elite Eight.
Looking Ahead
Fort Hays State wraps up a five-game home stand and enters conference play next weekend when the Tigers host Northeastern State on Thursday, December 1 at 5:30 p.m. and Rogers State on Saturday, December 3 at 2 p.m.