FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team fought its way to a double-overtime win over Missouri Southern Saturday afternoon, winning 85-81. The Tigers (21-6, 15-6 MIAA) moved into third place in the MIAA standings with the win, one-half game behind the Lions (19-7, 15-5 MIAA).
Both teams were firing on all cylinders offensively out of the gate, with the teams combining to shoot just under 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter. The Lions led by as many as four early before Emma Ruddle tied things up at 10 with a traditional 3-point play.
The Canton, Kan. native and McPherson High School grad later poured in a 3-pointer to give the Tigers the lead before adding a layup on the next possession to score her 11th point of the game less than five minutes into the contest.
Missouri Southern scored the next six points to go back up by one, but a Brooke Loewe 3-pointer gave FHSU a 21-18 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Kate Dilsaver dropped in back-to-back buckets early in the second quarter before knocking down a 3-pointer just two minutes later. Consecutive baskets from Jessie Sallach and Katie Wagner helped the Tigers push the lead as high as nine, 36-27, before the Lions scored seven in a row to close within one possession. Sydney Golladay ended the first half with a jumper from the left elbow to give the Tigers a 38-34 advantage.
Ellie Stearns opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer before Olivia Hollenbeck dropped in a layup, putting the home team back up by nine. Missouri Southern responded with an 8-0 run before eventually tying the score at 53 by the end of the frame.
The Lions then took their first lead since the first quarter early in the final frame before the Tigers scored the next six to go back up by four, 59-55. After a Hollenbeck basket gave the Tigers a 61-56 lead with 4:22 to go, Missouri Southern scored the next six points while FHSU missed seven-consecutive shots. The Tiger defense forced three turnovers during the stretch, preventing the Lions from pulling away.
Hollenbeck broke through with 29 seconds to go with a turnaround layup off a pass from Golladay, giving the Tigers a 63-62 lead. The Lions missed a layup as time was winding down but grabbed an offensive rebound before Hollenbeck committed her fifth foul of the game, sending Brandi Hudson to the free-throw line with a chance to take the lead with three seconds to go. MSSU missed the first before tying things up with the second free throw.
Golladay was able to create a decent look at the end of regulation, but her pull-up jumper from the left elbow bounced off the front rim to send things to overtime.
Playing in overtime for the first time this season, Fort Hays State took a five-point lead midway through the frame after two layups from Loewe and a 3-pointer from Sallach. Trailing by four with less than 30 seconds to go, MSSU scored on a stick-back layup to close within one possession before the Tigers committed a turnover to hand the ball back to the Lions. Hudson hit both her free throws after being fouled on a steal attempt, leveling the score at 71 with 12 seconds remaining.
Fort Hays State called a timeout to advance the ball and draw up the play, with Golladay again getting a decent look, but her baseline jumper again rimmed out to send things to a second overtime period.
The Tigers jumped in front again in the second extra period, including two big jumpers from Sallach to lead by four, 77-73. After FHSU struggled from the free-throw line over the first 45 minutes of action (9-of-21), the Tigers were able to seal the deal with free throws in the second overtime session. FHSU hit 10-of-12 from the stripe over the final five minutes, including two from Sallach to seal the win with five seconds left after the Lions had closed within one possession.
Despite playing limited minutes due to foul trouble, Hollenbeck led the Tigers with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Wagner added 13 points and four assists while playing in all 50 minutes.
Sallach scored nine of her 11 points in overtime while matching her season-high with nine rebounds. Ruddle scored 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting alongside three assists. Golladay distributed eight assists in the win, one off her career-best.
The Tigers scored a season-high 26 points in transition while outscoring the Lions in the paint, 38-30. Fort Hays State turned the ball over just 11 times despite playing 10 extra minutes, while FHSU scored 24 points off 16 Lion turnovers.
Fort Hays State hit 30-of-70 from the floor (42.9 percent), while Missouri Southern finished the game shooting 41.8 percent from the floor (28-of-67).
Fort Hays State will wrap up the regular season next Friday (March 1) when the Tigers host Nebraska-Kearney on Senior Night beginning at 5:30 p.m.