FHSU Athletics
#6 Fort Hays State Women's Basketball (15-1, 6-1 MIAA)
at Northwest Missouri State (10-7, 3-4 MIAA)
Saturday, January 17, 2026 • 1:30 p.m.
Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Arena
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Sixth-ranked women's basketball concludes a four-game road trip on Saturday (Jan. 17) when the Tigers take on Northwest Missouri State. First tip is slated for 1:30 p.m. inside Bearcat Arena in Maryville, Mo.
Quick Hits
- FHSU leads the MIAA with 426 wins since joining the league 20 years ago (2006), one more than ESU.
- This season is now tied with 2021-22 for the fourth-best start in team history. The Tigers opened the 2018-19 season 32-1, the 2014-15 season 22-1 and the 2015-16 season 16-1.
- The Tigers have earned five MIAA Athlete of the Week honors this season, with all other teams combining for three.
- Now with 974 points in her first 60 games as a Tiger, Talexa Weeter needs 26 points to become the 26th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. Provided she reaches that threshold in the next four games, she will be the second-fastest Tiger in history to reach 1,000 points (Annette Wiles - 57 games, Shauna Porter - 65 games).
- Brooke Loewe broke her own school record with 17 assists against Nebraska-Kearney last Tuesday, the most assists in a game by any NCAA women's basketball athlete across all divisions this season.
- Loewe averages 10.9 assists per game. She is the only NCAA athlete, male or female, currently averaging in double figures in assists.
- Talexa Weeter leads Division II and ranks second across all NCAA divisions with an average of 28.9 points per game. For context, the MIAA record for single season scoring average is 25.4 ppg (MSSU's Melissa Grider, 95-96).
- Weeter's 45 points against Northwest Missouri State are tied for the most in a game by a DII athlete this season.
- Fort Hays State leads Division II with an average of 21.1 assists per game while ranking second in assist/turnover ratio (1.32) and third in field goal percentage (48.7 percent)
20 Wins Now the Norm
- Fort Hays State has now reached the 20-win plateau in each of the last 14 seasons, extending the longest active streak of 20-win seasons in Division II. FHSU's streak is tied for the sixth-longest active streak of 20-win seasons across all NCAA Divisions.
- FHSU reached the 20-win plateau just eight times over the first 42 years of the program before the current streak began in 2011-12, including no more than two consecutive 20-win campaigns during that time.
- The next-best active streak of 20-win seasons in the MIAA is four (MWSU), while the next-best streak in DII is Drury with 12.
- Only five DI programs have longer active stretches of 20-win seasons, including UConn (32), Baylor (25), Stanford (23), Florida Gulf Coast (21) and Louisville (15). Fort Hays State's run of 14-straight 20-win seasons is tied with South Carolina and South Dakota State for sixth-best in all NCAA women's basketball.
National Rankings
- FHSU leads in the country with 21.1 assists per game while ranking second in assist/turnover ratio (1.32), third in field goal percentage (48.7 percent), fifth in defensive rebounds per game (31.6), seventh in fewest fouls per game (13.1), eighth in winning percentage (93.8 percent), 10th in scoring offense (79.6 ppg), 16th in 3-point percentage (35.4 percent) and 20th in scoring margin (+15.9).
- Brooke Loewe's 10.9 assists per game are the most across all NCAA divisions. In fact, she is the only NCAA student-athlete, male or female, currently averaging in double figures in assists.
- Talexa Weeter leads Division II and ranks second across all NCAA divisions with an average of 28.9 points per game.
- Loewe's 17 assists against Nebraska-Kearney are the most in a game across all NCAA divisions of women's basketball this season and second-most across all divisions including men's basketball (Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Quion Williams had 18 assists vs. Champion Christian).
- Loewe has recorded 14 or more assists five times this season. Only one other DII athlete has done so once (Brielle Minor, Cal Poly Pomona).
- Weeter's 45 points against Northwest Missouri State are tied for the most by a DII athlete this season.
- Weeter ranks second in the MIAA in rebounds (8.9 per game) and third in the MIAA in field goal percentage (54.2 percent).
- Olivia Mortensen ranks fourth in the MIAA with a field goal percentage of 52.4 percent.
Last Time Out
- The No. 6 Tigers built a big first half lead before holding on down the stretch to defeat Missouri Western on Thursday (Jan. 15), winning 66-60.
- FHSU led by as many as 19 before the Griffons pulled within one possession twice in the fourth quarter, including making it a one-point game with 63 seconds remaining.
- The Tigers hit 5-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch and made two defensive stops to clinch the win.
- Talexa Weeter led all scorers with 33 points, the eighth 30-point game of her career.
- The Tigers collected a season-low five offensive rebounds but grabbed a season-high 38 defensive rebounds.
Class of the Conference
Since joining the MIAA in 2006-07 (20 seasons), the Tigers lead the league with 426 wins. They have averaged more than 21 wins per season during that time
MIAA Athlete of the Week x 5
- Fort Hays State has earned five MIAA Athlete of the Week honors this season, including four for Talexa Weeter and one for Brooke Loewe. The entire rest of the league has a combined three such awards this season.
- Weeter averaged 32.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 60.5 percent from the floor in the first two games of the season.
- The Goodland, Kan. native then averaged 33.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in the two wins in Denver before Thanksgiving.
- Weeter totaled 32 points and 13 rebounds in a blowout win over No. 6 Pittsburg State.
- She erupted for an average of 37 points and 12 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles against Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western, including a career-high 45 points against the Bearcats that is one off the program record and is tied for the most points scored by a DII athlete this season.
- Loewe earned the award on January 13 after breaking the school record with 17 assists at Nebraska-Kearney and following that up with 15 assists against Northwest Missouri State. Both totals are more than any other DII athlete this season, while her 17 assists are the most across all NCAA divisions this season and are the most by a DII athlete since 2023. She averaged a double-double for the week with 10.0 points and 16.0 assists.
Fresh Start
- Olivia Mortensen is the 14th true freshman to start a season opener for the Tigers during the DII era (since 1991-92) and the first since Ellie Stearns in 2022.
Roster Report
- Fort Hays State's roster includes seven returners and six newcomers, including five freshmen and one transfer.
- This year's squad includes players from seven different states, including five from Kansas, three from Colorado and one each from Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina and Texas.
- There are three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and five freshmen on the squad this year.
- The Tigers return two All-MIAA honorable mention selections in Brooke Loewe and Talexa Weeter.
Nationally Recognized
- The Tigers are ranked sixth in this week's WBCA Coaches Poll.
- FHSU has been ranked as high as No. 3 this year.
- Fort Hays State opened the year ranked ninth national coaches poll.
- This is the seventh time the Tigers have been ranked in the preseason. FHSU also opened the 2024-25 ranked 23rd, the 2022-23 season ranked third, the 2021-22 season ranked fourth, the 2019-20 season ranked seventh, the 2018-19 season ranked 12th and the 2015-16 season ranked 10th.
- Fort Hays State has been ranked inside the top 25 in 122 different weekly releases from the WBCA.
- This is the eighth-straight season the Tigers have been ranked at some point and the 13th-such season all-time.
- Including the 2017-18 season (multiple weeks receiving votes), the Tigers have been mentioned in the polls at least once in each of the last 13 seasons.
18 and Over
The Tigers have finished a season with at least 18 MIAA wins five times since joining the league in 2006-07, more than any other school during that span (UCM 4, MWSU 3, UNK 2, MSSU 1, NWMSU 1, PSU 1, WU 1).
Double-Digit Winning Streaks
- Fort Hays State had a pair of 12-game winning streaks last season, the third time in team history that the Tigers have had multiple double-digit winning streaks in a season.
- FHSU won 14 in a row early in the 1990-91 season before winning 20 straight to finish the year and claim the 1991 NAIA Championship.
- The Tigers then won 15 in a row to begin the 2018-19 season and added a 17-game winning streak later in the season.
- The Tigers have now recorded 16 double-digit winning streaks in team history. The 12-game streaks last season were tied for the sixth-longest winning streaks in team history.
Making it a Habit
After reaching the NCAA Tournament once in its first 23 years in the Association, Fort Hays State has now been selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship nine times over the last 11 seasons.
The Big 3-0
Fort Hays State reached the 30-win plateau for the fourth time in program history in 2021-22. FHSU has three 30-win seasons since 2014-15, while the rest of the MIAA has two 30-win campaign combined during that span (UCM 2017-18, PSU 2024-25).
Trophy SZN
The Tigers won their fourth regular season MIAA championship and their second MIAA postseason tournament championship in 2021-22. FHSU now has 11 regular season conference titles all-time and three conference tournament titles. No school has won more MIAA regular season titles since FHSU joined the league in 2006-07 (FHSU 4, WU 4, UCM 3, MWSU 3, ESU 2, PSU 2, NWMSU 1, MSSU 1, UNK 1).
Century Mark
FHSU has 25 100-point outings in its illustrious history, most recently a 100-59 win over Rogers State (2/20/20), which was the first time FHSU scored 100 points against a Division II opponent since 2013 (114-86 vs Newman, 1/26/13).
On This Date
- The Tigers are 10-3 in recorded history on January 17, most recently defeating Northeastern State 71-41 at home in 2015.
- Kate Lehman and Chelsea Mason tied for the team lead with 18 points.
- FHSU last lost on this date in 2009 to Pittsburg State.
Scouting the Bearcats
- The Bearcats are 10-7 overall and 3-4 in MIAA play after dropping four of five since the calendar turned to 2026.
- NWMSU ranks second in the MIAA in blocks (4.3 per game) and offensive rebounds (13.4 per game) while they rank second-to-last in the league in assist/turnover ratio (0.67) and free throws made per game (10.5).
- Bailey Birmingham is the top 3-point shooter in the league, knocking down a conference-best 40 on the year, 2.5 per game and 38.5 percent from behind the arc.
Series History with Northwest Missouri Stat
- Fort Hays State is 27-11 all-time against the Bearcats, including a dominant 23-2 run since 2011.
- The Tigers are 9-8 on the road against Northwest Missouri State, including a one-game winning streak and a 9-2 record in the last 11 meetings inside Bearcat Arena
- The Tigers have won five in a row overall.
- FHSU is 6-1 against NWMSU under head coach Talia Kahrs, including a 1-1 record on the road.
- The Tigers and Bearcats have never played an overtime game.
- FHSU is 24-8 against Northwest in MIAA regular season contests.
Last Meeting with the Bearcats
- The No. 6 Tigers used a big second half to rally from a 20-point deficit and defeat Northwest Missouri State on New Year's Day, 84-71 (1/1/26).
- It was tied for the largest comeback by the team during the MIAA era (also down 20 before winning at UNK, 2/2/19).
- Talexa Weeter erupted for 45 points, including 29 in the second half. It was one shy of the program record for points in a single game and was the first 40-point game for a Tiger since 1993. She also broke the record with 17 free throws made and tied the record with 20 free throws attempted.
- FHSU hit 50 percent from the floor (28-of-56).
- The Tigers committed a season-low nine turnovers.
Career Stats vs. NWMSU
- Talexa Weeter - 16.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.5 apg in four games - two games in double figures, including a career-high 45 points and one double-double
- Olivia Mortensen - 11 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 apg in one game
- Brooke Loewe - 5.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 4.0 apg in eight games - two games in double figures, including one double-double
- Ellie Stearns - 4.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.3 apg in nine games - two games in double figures
Looking Ahead
The Tigers will play seven of their final 11 regular season games at home beginning Thursday, January 22 when they host Rogers State. First tip is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.