FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season Monday with a 58-52 win over Tabor, scoring the final eight points to secure the victory. The Tigers (1-0) scored 46 points in the paint and turned 22 Tabor turnovers into 19 points.
The duo of Nia McKenzie and Olivia Mortensen got things going for the Tigers, scoring all 17 of FHSU's first-quarter points. Both put in an early basket, but the Bluejays soon moved ahead 8-4. Mortensen later kickstarted an 11-0 Tiger run with a layup at 5:01 before McKenzie tied it with an inside basket before adding the free throw to put the Tigers in front 9-8. Mortensen added a steal and fast-break layup, another layup and an assist on McKenzie's jumper that made it 15-8 at 2:28. Adrian Hazelwood and Karlie Smith hit 3-pointers for Tabor around a Mortensen fast-break layup, leaving the Tigers ahead 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Mikayla Pilley opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer off Callie Ott's assist to push the lead to six. Kenlee Durrill scored her first bucket as a Tiger midway through the frame before the Tiger defense kept Tabor off the scoreboard for the final 5:08 of the half thanks to steals from Kailyn Hanni and McKenzie and blocks from Arika Feldman and Pilley.
After going into the locker room up by seven, 29-22, McKenzie scored off a Hanni assist in the first minute of the third quarter to give FHSU its largest lead of the night. Tabor slowly chipped away, hitting five of its next six shots to pull within two, 37-35. Pilley, Hanni and Avery Lowe helped keep the Bluejays at bay with baskets before a Hanni three-point play pushed the lead back to five. Tabor managed the final two buckets of the quarter, however, to close within one, 44-43.
The visitors kept the run going in the fourth, scoring the first five points to take a 48-44 lead. Mortensen and McKenzie helped the Tigers battle back, with each putting in a pair of baskets to level the score at 52. The defense took over from there, forcing the Bluejays to turn the ball over on each of their final five possessions and holding TC without a field goal over the last five-plus minutes of action. Hanni gave the Tigers the lead with 2:29 to go with another layup through contact before Mortensen added a pair of baskets down the stretch to seal the win.
Mortensen scored 24 points on 12 field goals and added three steals. McKenzie finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and five steals in her Tiger debut, while Hanni added nine points, five assists and three steals in her first collegiate contest.
The Tigers will next head to Springfield, Mo. for the GLVC/MIAA Crossover this weekend (Nov. 13-14), where they will first take on host Drury Friday at 5:45 p.m.