FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State Women's Basketball (6-3, 2-0 MIAA)
at Missouri Western (6-3, 1-1 MIAA)
Saturday, December 10, 2022 • 1:30 p.m.
St. Joseph, Mo. • MWSU Fieldhouse at Looney Complex
Radio • KJLS (103.3)
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FHSU at Northwest Missouri State (4-3, 0-2 MIAA)
Sunday, December 11, 2022 • 1:30 p.m.
Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Arena
Radio • KJLS (103.3)
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
The Fort Hays State women's basketball team hits the road for the first time in nearly a month this weekend for a pair of conference contests. First up is a rematch of the 2022 NCAA Division II Central Region Championship with Missouri Western on Saturday (Dec. 10, 1:30 p.m.) in St. Joseph, Mo. The Tigers will then turn around and play Northwest Missouri State one day later (Dec. 11, 1:30 p.m.) in Maryville, Mo.
Fort Hays State enters the week 6-3 on the year and 2-0 in MIAA play, while the Griffons are 6-3 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play and the Bearcats are 4-3 this season and 0-2 in league games. Both the Griffons and Bearcats will play No. 22 Nebraska-Kearney before hosting the Tigers.
Live video of the both contests will be available on The MIAA Network. Fans can purchase access to a single contest for $10, a month-long pass for $25 or a season-long, all-access pass for $125. Both the monthly and year-long passes gain access to any event in any sport streamed on The MIAA Network.
Live radio coverage with voice of the Tigers Gerard Wellbrock will be available over the air on KJLS 103.3 FM and online at hayspost.com.
Last Time Out
- The Tigers moved to 7-0 all-time against Rogers State with an 84-42 win Saturday afternoon, the largest margin of victory in series history.
- FHSU never trailed after hitting just under 45 percent (29-of-65) from the floor and creating 21 turnovers.
- Olivia Hollenbeck led the team with 18 points, with Katie Wagner adding 17.
- Megan Earney poured in four 3-pointers in a two-minute span for a career-high 12 points.
- The Tigers dominated on the glass for a second-consecutive game, outrebounding the Hillcats by 19, 47-28.
- FHSU grabbed a season-high 19 offensive rebounds, its most in a conference contest in more than two years (21 vs RSU, 2/20/20).
- The Tigers scored a season-high 25 points off the 21 RSU turnovers.
Tiger Notables
- Fort Hays State has won 216 games since the start of the 2014-15 season, by far the most of any MIAA team (ESU - 187 wins).
- The Tigers are 206-112 (.648) in conference games since joining the MIAA in 2006.
- The Tigers are 60-42 in games played in the state of Missouri during the Tony Hobson era, including an 11-6 mark in the city of St. Joseph.
- FHSU leads the league with a free-throw percentage of 78.7 percent.
- The Griffons (17.7 assists per game) and the Tigers (16.3 a/g) rank first and second in the league in distributing assists.
- Hollenbeck blocked three shots in the win over Rogers State, bringing her career total to 102. She is the eighth Tiger to surpass 100 career blocks and now sits in a tie for seventh at FHSU with Emma Stroyan.
- Lincoln, Neb. native Hollenbeck feels right at home when playing teams from the northwest corner of Missouri. She averages 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds against the Bearcats and 14.4 points against the Griffons.
- Brooke Loewe's 35 assists are third-most in the MIAA so far this season.
- Ellie Stearns ranks 11th in the league with 14 makes from behind the 3-point arc this season.
- The Tigers average 11.9 turnovers per game, sixth-fewest in the country.
- More than 40 percent of FHSU's wins during the Hobson era have come on a Saturday (137 of 318).
- Wagner and Missouri Western's Connie Clarke are tied for the league lead with five double-doubles on the year. That total is good for fifth in Division II.
- FHSU has more regular season wins (18) against the Bearcats than any other league rival during the MIAA era.
- All four teams playing this weekend in Maryville and St. Joseph rank in the top 50 in Division II in limiting turnovers, with three squads in the top six in the country. Northwest Missouri State ranks second with 11.0 turnovers per game, Nebraska-Kearney is fourth with 11.3 per game, Fort Hays State ranks sixth with 11.9 and Missouri Western is 48th with 14.2 turnovers per game.
- The Tigers have a chance to win the league for a third-consecutive year, a feat not accomplished in more than 15 years (Washburn 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06).
Series History with Missouri Western
- Fort Hays State leads the all-time series with Missouri Western, 32-24.
- The Tigers are 10-16 on the road against the Griffons, with FHSU winning each of the last two matchups in St. Joseph.
- FHSU is 16-7 against Missouri Western under Hobson, including a 5-6 mark on the road.
- Missouri Western came away victorious in the most recent meeting, rallying from a 21-point deficit to win the 2022 NCAA Division II Central Region Championship, 70-69 (3/14/22).
- FHSU had won four in a row before MWSU's postseason win. The Tigers have won seven of the last nine matchups.
Series History with Northwest Missouri State
- The Tigers hold a 19-10 lead in the all-time series against Northwest Missouri State.
- Each team has seven wins in 14 matchups all-time in Maryville.
- Fort Hays State is 17-4 against Northwest under Hobson, including a 7-4 record inside Bearcat Arena.
- The Tigers have won seven in a row against Northwest and 15 of the last 16.
- FHSU has won three in a row on the road against the Bearcats.
On This Day
- The Tigers are 9-1 in recorded history on December 10.
- Most recently, the Tigers defeated top-ranked Emporia State 54-51 at home in 2016.
- The Tigers are 7-4 in recorded history on December 11.
- Most recently, the Tigers lost to Nebraska-Kearney 61-56 at home in 2021.
The Coach
- Tony Hobson enters his 15th season at Fort Hays State and his 31st season as a head coach at the collegiate level in 2022-23.
- He is 318-112 as a Tiger and 731-218 all-time.
- Hobson ranks third all-time amongst MIAA head coaches with 318 wins at FHSU.
- He ranks in the top 30 in win percentage amongst all active NCAA head coaches and in the top 10 in Division II.
- Hobson earned the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Women's Four-Year College Coach of the Year award last season, his 19th career coach of the year award.
- He has coached four All-Americans, four Academic All-Americans, two conference players of the year and 48 All-MIAA performers over the last 14 seasons.
Scouting the Griffons
- MWSU opened the year with the same fate as the Tigers, going 1-1 at the D2CCA Tip-Off Classic and at the Courtyard Sioux Falls Tip-Off Classic.
- The Griffons are 6-3 on the year and 1-1 in MIAA play after an overtime win against Pittsburg State and a road loss against Missouri Western to open league competition.
- Connie Clarke leads the MIAA with 9.8 rebounds per night while ranking third in the league with 17.9 points each game.
-The Griffons have played at home just twice so far this season, defeating Truman State by 9 and Avila by 58.
Career vs. the Griffons
- Olivia Hollenbeck - 14.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg in 5 games, 4 games scoring in double figures
- Katie Wagner - 10.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.8 apg in 5 games, 2 double-doubles
- Jessie Sallach - 6.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.2 apg in 5 games, 2 games scoring in double figures
- Sydney Golladay - 4.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.6 apg in 5 games
- Kate Dilsaver - 1.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.7 apg in 3 games
- Emma Ruddle - 0.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.0 apg in 4 games
- Megan Earney - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg in 1 game
Scouting the Bearcats
- Northwest Missouri State enters the weekend 4-3 overall and 0-2 in league play after falling on the road against Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State last weekend.
- The Bearcats are led in scoring by Molly Hartnett, who ranks 18th in the MIAA with 12.6 points per game.
- Kelsey Fields leads the Bearcats with 9.1 rebounds per night, third-most in the MIAA.
- Northwest Missouri State leads the MIAA and ranks second nationally with just 11.0 turnovers per game.
- The Bearcats have played only one home game so far this season.
Career vs. the Bearcats
- Olivia Hollenbeck - 16.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.8 apg in 4 games, 1 double-double, 4 games scoring in double figures,
- Katie Wagner - 10.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.8 apg in 4 games, 1 20-point game
- Jessie Sallach - 7.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.8 apg in 4 games, 2 games scoring in double figures
- Emma Ruddle - 3.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.0 apg in 3 games
- Sydney Golladay - 2.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.8 apg in 4 games
- Kate Dilsaver - 1.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 2 games
- Megan Earney - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 1.0 apg in 1 game
Looking Ahead
The Tigers return home to wrap up the semester with three games in four days next weekend. FHSU will host a pair of conference opponents in Central Oklahoma on Friday (Dec. 16, 5:30 p.m.) and Newman on Sunday (Dec. 18, 2 p.m.) before putting a bow on the non-conference schedule against Bethany Monday evening (Dec. 19, 6 p.m.).