Jan 27, 2023

๐Ÿ€ Tiger women come up short in 2 overtimes vs. MWSU

Posted Jan 27, 2023 11:10 AM
Fort Hays State's Katie Wagner (23) drives in the lane vs. Missouri Western State Thursday, January 26, 2023) in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Madison Shapland))
Fort Hays State's Katie Wagner (23) drives in the lane vs. Missouri Western State Thursday, January 26, 2023) in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Madison Shapland))

FHSU Athletics

HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team came up one point short Thursday evening, falling to Missouri Western in double overtime, 82-81. The lead changed hands for the 15th time with 4.8 seconds to go on a coast-to-coast layup from Sydney Golladay, putting the Tigers (15-7, 10-4 MIAA) up 81-80, but Missouri Western (18-4, 12-2 MIAA) answered with a layup with 2.2 seconds on the clock to finish on top.

Missouri Western came out of the gates hot, leading by as many as 14 in the first quarter thanks to 20 first-quarter points from Brionna Budgetts. The Tiger defense clamped down in the second frame, forcing six turnovers and limiting the Griffons to just eight points. FHSU scored the final five points of the half on a Megan Earney 3-pointer and a layup from Olivia Hollenbeck to close within single digits, 32-23.

Emma Ruddle kept the run going out of the locker room, burying a 3-pointer to help FHSU close within two possessions. MWSU answered with a bucket on the other end before the Tigers scored nine in a row to take their first lead of the game at 35-34.

The teams continued to trade blows the rest of the evening, with neither side leading by more than four over the final 17 minutes of regulation. Katie Wagner scored nine of her team-high 20 points in the third quarter, helping the Tigers close the gap and take the lead.

The lead changed hands 10 times in the fourth quarter alone, with each team stepping up and responding to every made basket. Fort Hays State took a four-point lead with 3:26 to play before the Griffons went on a 6-0 run to take a 60-58 lead with 36 seconds to go in regulation.

After four-consecutive misses by the Tigers gave MWSU a chance to stick around, a Hollenbeck stick-back layup with 24 seconds on the clock managed to tie things up at 60. Budgetts attempted a driving jumper as time expired, but her shot bounced off the bottom of the rim and sent the game to overtime.

The Tigers raced in front by five in the first overtime, their largest lead of the game, after points from four different players. Kate Dilsaver opened the scoring with a layup before baskets from Golladay and Ruddle put the Tigers up by four with 2:13 to go, 66-62. Katie Wagner pushed the lead to five with 90 seconds to play before a 7-0 Griffon run put MWSU back on top, 69-67. FHSU turned the ball over twice while the Griffons knocked down three-consecutive shots, giving the visitors another lead.

Golladay got the ball on the ensuing Tiger possession and drew contact as she attacked the rim, giving the sophomore a chance to tie it up at the line. A career 84.8 percent free-throw shooter, the Fremont, Neb. native did just that, knotting the score at 69 with 6.3 ticks on the clock. The Tigers defended the paint on the next Griffon play, forcing a kick-out pass and a 3-point attempt that rattled out to force a second overtime.

After the Tigers jumped in front in the first OT, it was the Griffons' turn in the second extra period. MWSU scored seven of the first eight points, taking a 76-70 lead with less than two minutes to go. Wagner buried a 3-pointer with 89 seconds remaining for FHSU's first field goal of the period, helping FHSU close within three.

Later down five, Hollenbeck hit a layup before a defensive stop gave the Tigers the ball down three. Wagner helped FHSU cut within one with a layup before the Griffons hit just one free throw to leave the door open.

It was deja vu all over again for Golladay, as she stepped up to the free-throw line with 12 seconds on the clock before tying the score at 79 with two perfect shots. A foul was called on the Tigers on the next possession, with MWSU hitting just one to retake the lead with 10.5 seconds to go.

That's when Golladay took an inbounds pass and drove the length of the floor, sprinting 94 feet before finishing off the glass with her right hand to put the Tigers in front with less than five seconds to play. But the Griffons had one final answer, scoring with 2.2 seconds to go to steal a second-straight one-point victory over the Tigers inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Playing in their first double-overtime contest since 2013, the loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Tigers in overtime.

Wagner also grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, recording the first 15-15 game for a Tiger since she did the same against Minnesota State in last season's NCAA Central Regional.

All four other starters scored in double figures for FHSU, giving the Tigers five players with 10 or more points for the first time this season. Hollenbeck totaled 16 points and two blocks, while Dilsaver scored 14. Golladay and Ruddle scored 10 each, with Golladay dishing out a game-high five assists. After going off for 20 points in the first 10 minutes, Budgetts led the Griffons with 29 points.

FHSU finished the game shooting 40.3 percent (29-of-72) from the floor after hitting just 30 percent (9-of-30) before halftime. The Tigers had a big edge on the boards, outrebounding the Griffons 51-43. FHSU took advantage of 12 offensive rebounds to the tune of 14 second-chance points.

Fort Hays State will look to get back on track Saturday (Jan. 28) when the Tigers host Northwest Missouri State beginning at 2 p.m.