Northeastern State (2-3, 2-3 MIAA) at
Fort Hays State (3-0, 3-0 MIAA)
Friday, December 18, 2020 • 5:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
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Game Sponsor: Redeem Designs
The Fort Hays State women's basketball team returns to Gross Memorial Coliseum for two more contests this weekend before the annual holiday break. First up for the Tigers is a Friday (Dec. 18) date with Northeastern State, slated for a 5:30 p.m. opening tip.
Limited reserved lower level tickets ($15) and general admission tickets are available for $10 ($5 for youth K-12). Click here to purchase tickets.
The game will also be available to view online via The MIAA Network. Fans can purchase access to every MIAA basketball game this season for just $100. Single-day passes are also available for $10.
After playing just one game over the first 23 days of the season, Fort Hays State is playing its third game in seven days Friday evening. It will be the first home doubleheader for the men's and women's basketball teams since February 22, which coincidentally was also against Northeastern State.
Fort Hays State is 26-3 under head coach Tony Hobson when playing on a Friday. This is FHSU's first regular season conference game to be played on a Friday since 2014 when the Tigers wrapped up the regular season against these same RiverHawks on Friday, February 28 (55-39).
The Tigers are 15-3 all-time against Northeastern State, including a perfect 7-0 mark in Hays. Fort Hays State has won 14-straight against NSU, its longest active winning streak against a conference opponent. The Tigers are 15-2 overall and 7-0 at home against NSU under Hobson.
Jaden Hobbs averages 15.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in two meetings with NSU, while Whitney Randall puts up 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in six contests against the RiverHawks.
The Tigers turn the ball over just 12.0 times per game, fifth-best in the country. Northeastern State ranks eighth in the MIAA with an average of 14.6 turnovers per contest.
Fort Hays State has been virtually unbeatable at home early in the season under Hobson. The Tigers are 78-4 at home in November and December since Hobson took the reins in 2008, including wins in 58-straight. The last Tiger home loss in the opening semester of a season was back in 2011 (12/7/11 vs WU).
Northeastern State is 2-3 so far this season, including an 0-2 mark away from home. The RiverHawks opened the year with wins over Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western before falling to Emporia State, Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State. While the Tigers are gearing up for their third game in seven days, NSU has not played in nearly two weeks (Dec. 5). The RiverHawks are fourth-best in the league in scoring at 71.2 ppg and fourth-worst in the league in scoring defense at 72.4 ppg. They dish out 14.4 assists per contest, just behind the Tigers to rank second in the MIAA. The RiverHawks rank second in the MIAA and sixth in Division II with a free-throw shooting percentage of 82.1 percent.
Zaria Collins averaged a team-high 20.5 ppg over the first two games before missing the last three contests. Tahlequah native Cenia Hayes leads the RiverHawks in rebounds (6.4 rpg), steals (3.4 spg) and blocks (1.0 bpg). She has scored 20 or more points three times this season.
FHSU Athletics