KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern locked up in a physical battle for the MIAA Tournament Championship on Sunday (Mar. 6) at Municipal Auditorium. The Lions were tough to shake off, but in the end the Tigers prevailed in the lowest scoring MIAA Women's Tournament Championship Game. FHSU was involved in the previous lowest scoring championship game, which was in 2015 against Emporia State.
Fort Hays State, ranked No. 1 in the latest NCAA Region Rankings, secured the automatic qualifier from the MIAA for the NCAA Tournament and moved to 28-3 on the season. Missouri Southern is now 24-6 overall and saw its 17-game win streak that went back to early January snapped. The Lions won their final 15 games in conference regular season play to tie FHSU for the regular season title before matching up in the tournament championship game on Sunday.
The teams were deadlocked 8-8 after one quarter, but the Tigers started to get separation in the second quarter with a 15-5 run to open the second quarter. FHSU led 23-13 but saw MSSU storm back quickly with a 10-0 run to tie the game. Jaden Hobbs buried a 3-point field goal just before the end of the first half to give FHSU a 26-23 advantage at the break.
Missouri Southern tied the game once again at 27-27, but then FHSU went on a 6-0 run with 3-point field goals from Katie Wagner and Hobbs. The Lions countered with five straight points to get the lead back to one before FHSU took a two-point advantage, 36-34, into the fourth quarter.
The Lions would tie the game twice more in the fourth quarter, the latest on a 3-point field goal by Layne Skiles to make it 40-40. However, Hobbs stepped up in the clutch and nailed a key 3-point field goal from the left wing to put the Tigers up three. Then with the Tigers up two with about 15 seconds remaining, Sydney Golladay drove to the hoop and made a critical reverse layup to give the Tigers the separation they needed with little time remaining. Missouri Southern missed its next shot and Golladay put the game on ice with a couple of free throws to create the final six-point margin.
Hobbs was the only Tiger to reach double figures in scoring with 10 points, while pulling down six rebounds. She tied for top assist honors on the team with Katie Wagner, each with three. Wagner finished with nine points and a team-best nine rebounds. Hobbs earned MIAA All-Tournament honors, along with Tournament Most Outstanding Player Whitney Randall, who finished with eight points. Golladay, Cydney Bergmann, and Olivia Hollenbeck all finished with six points.
MIAA Player of the Year Lacy Stokes led the Lions with 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Skiles also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points.
Holding the No. 1 ranking throughout all NCAA region rankings this season, the Tigers will now see if they are selected to host the NCAA Central Regional on Sunday night (Mar. 6) at 9 pm on the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship Selection Show.