FHSU Athletics
DENVER - After leading by as many as 12 in the fourth quarter, the fourth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team needed a pair of Talexa Weeter free throws with seven seconds left to edge the University of Colorado Colorado Springs 66-65 Tuesday afternoon at the Auraria Event Center. The Tigers (5-0) outrebounded the Mountain Lions by nine, 41-32, and scored 14 second-chance points in the win.
The Mountain Lions (1-3) used a 13-4 run over the final four minutes to tie the score at 60, including a trio of 3-pointers after hitting only three over the first three quarters. UCCS later took the lead with 13 seconds left on a traditional 3-point play, grabbing the lead for the first time since the first quarter.
UCCS scored seven of the first nine points to take a quick 5-point lead, FHSU's largest deficit of the season, before a pair of Talexa Weeter 3-pointers helped the Tigers pull in front 14-13 by the end of the opening quarter.
Playing in her home state for the first time as a Tiger, Olivia Mortensen stepped up in the second quarter, totaling nine points to help FHSU build a 30-24 lead by halftime.
After the Tigers connected on just 3-of-12 from behind the arc over the first 20 minutes, FHSU added to its lead in the third quarter thanks to a 4-of-8 effort from deep. Ellie Stearns knocked down a pair of triples, with Weeter and Brittan Zeka each adding one long-range connection. Zeka's fast break triple put the Tigers up 49-37 late in the quarter, the largest lead of the game for either team.
FHSU maintained that lead for the first three minutes of the fourth quarter before UCCS mounted its comeback. The Mountain Lions converted a traditional 3-point play with 13 seconds left, taking a 65-64 lead. The Tigers called timeout to advance the ball to the front court and drew up a play for Weeter, who drew a foul in the paint. The junior buried both free throws with seven seconds on the clock, giving FHSU a 66-65 lead.
The Mountain Lions used their final timeout to advance the ball to the front court, but with a foul to give the Tigers committed a quick foul to make UCCS inbound the ball again. FHSU played sound defense on the final shot attempt, forcing a contested shot to miss and seal the win.
Weeter led all scorers with team with 33 points, surpassing the 30-point plateau for the third time in her career and the second time this season. The Goodland, Kan. native added 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the year and the fifth of her career while hitting 8-of-9 from the floor.
Mortensen added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Stearns chipped in nine points and five rebounds. Brooke Loewe dished out eight assists, giving the senior 435 for her career to move into second all-time at Fort Hays State, passing Jaden Hobbs. Kaitlin Schumann, another Colorado freshman playing for the first time in her home state, blocked a pair of shots while collecting a career-best seven rebounds.
Up next
The Tigers will wrap up the trip to the Mile High City on Wednesday (Nov. 26) when they take on host MSU Denver beginning at 4 p.m. (3 p.m. MT).