FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The seventh-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team won its 10th consecutive game Thursday evening, defeating Missouri Southern 64-55 at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers (23-2, 14-2 MIAA) never trailed in the contest while holding the Lions (16-12, 8-8 MIAA) to a shooting percentage of 31.3 percent, their second-worst shooting game of the season.
Fort Hays State also started the season with a 12-game winning streak, making this just the third time in program history that the team has reeled off multiple double-digit winning streaks.
Brooke Loewe finished the game with three assists, giving her 166 for the season to tie the program record that has been in place for 34 years (Kristi Leeper-Meis, 1990-91).
Olivia Hollenbeck won the tip and got the ball to Katie DeGarmo who drove straight to the basket and scored six seconds into the contest. That basket was the first of a dozen for the graduate student who led the way with a season-high 27 points and 15 rebounds to record her third double-double in a row and the 44th of her career.
Both sides cooled off from there, combining for just eight points in the first seven minutes of action. Fort Hays State bounced back down the stretch, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor to finish the quarter with a 16-9 lead.
Kate Dilsaver opened the second quarter with a basket to put the Tigers up nine before the Lions started to claw back, eventually closing within two late in the frame. FHSU bounced back to score the final four points of the half to go into the break up 28-22.Fort Hays State continued to pull away early in the second half, using an 11-4 run to push the lead as high as 13. The Lions answered with another rally, trimming the deficit to six with a banked in 3-pointer just before the end of period horn, 51-45.The Tiger defense helped FHSU hold on down the stretch, limiting the Lions to just 4-of-17 shooting in the final frame (23.5 percent) while forcing three turnovers and blocking one shot.
DeGarmo scored 17 of her 27 points after halftime while adding two steals and one block. Talexa Weeter contributed 11 points and eight rebounds, while Dilsaver totaled 10 points, eight rebounds and two steals.
The Tigers dominated in the paint, outscoring the Lions 44-24. Both teams collected 39 rebounds while Fort Hays State hit 46.3 percent from the floor (25-of-54).
UP NEXT
Fort Hays State will return to action on Saturday (Feb. 22) when the Tigers host fifth-ranked Pittsburg State in a top 10 battle. First tip in the Senior Day matchup is set for 2 p.m.