#5 Fort Hays State (18-2, 18-2 MIAA) at
Missouri Western (6-14, 6-14 MIAA)
Thursday, February 25, 2021 • 5:30 p.m.
St. Joseph, Mo. • MWSU Fieldhouse
Radio: KJLS (103.30FM)
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The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team wraps up the regular season with two road games this week, beginning with a Thursday night meeting with Missouri Western (Feb. 25). First tip in the women's-only contest is slated for 5:30 p.m. from the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph, Mo.
After Saturday's win over Central Missouri, the Tigers have a one-game lead over the Jennies and Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA standings with two games to play. Fort Hays State needs one win to secure at least a share of its third regular season MIAA title (2014-15, 2018-19). Barring any game cancellations, the Tigers would also clinch the No. 1 seed and hosting duties for the MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Citizens Bank & Trust with one more win.
FHSU's win over the Jennies was the 18th Tiger victory of the season, marking the fourth time the Tigers have reached 18 MIAA wins over the last seven seasons. That total has been reached by an MIAA team just 10 times since FHSU joined the league in 2006-07. No other school has more than two such seasons. Fort Hays State can tie the MIAA record for conference wins in a season at 20 with wins in its final two games.
Winners of their last 13 games, The Tigers are in the midst of the sixth-longest winning streak in program history. It's the longest active streak in the MIAA and fifth-longest in DII. A win Thursday would put this stretch in a tie for the fifth-longest winning streak in team history.
The Tigers won their 10th home game of the season last week, reaching double figures in home wins for the 11th year in a row. FHSU has won at least 10 home games in 12 of head coach Tony Hobson's 13 seasons as a Tiger.
Whitney Randall leads the Tigers in scoring with 15.8 points per game. Jaden Hobbs adds 14.9 points per contest, giving the Tigers two of the top 10 scorers in the MIAA. Hobbs also leads the MIAA in assists (5.8 assists per game) while ranking second in steals (2.3 steals per game). In addition, Hobbs is scoring a team-best 17.2 points per game in road games this season. Katie Wagner is grabbing a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game in her freshman season, good for ninth in the conference.
The Tigers are 29-23 all-time against the Griffons, including a win over MWSU three weeks ago in Hays, 58-49. FHSU has won eight of the last 11 meetings. The home team has dominated the series, with the Tigers leading 20-5 in Hays and the Griffons leading 16-8 in St. Joseph. Fort Hays State has lost its last three games against MWSU in St. Joseph, with the last Tiger win coming in December of 2013. The Tigers are 13-6 against the Griffons under Hobson, including a 3-6 mark on the road.
Randall has played the Griffons five times, averaging 9.0 points per contest. She scored a team-high 23 points in the game three weeks ago. Olivia Hollenbeck added 15 points in her first matchup with MWSU.
The Griffons are 6-14 after winning three of their last six games. MWSU is 4-5 at home this season. They are one game back of eighth place in the MIAA standings with two games to play. MWSU ranks 11th in the MIAA in scoring offense (61.0 ppg) and ninth in scoring defense (67.0 ppg). The Griffons rank 13th in the league with an assist/turnover ratio of 0.65. They poke away 8.95 steals each night, second-most in the conference. Asia McCoy leads the team in points (8.2 ppg), rebounds (5.2 rpg) and blocks (0.6 bpg). Camille Evans dishes out 2.5 assists per game and leads the Griffons with 1.6 steals each night.
FHSU Athletics