#16 Central Missouri (17-2, 17-2 MIAA) at
#8 Fort Hays State (17-2, 17-2 MIAA)
Saturday, February 20, 2021 • 2 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
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Game Sponsor - Hays Regional Airport
After taking care of business at home on Thursday, the No. 8 Fort Hays State women's basketball team wraps up its regular season home schedule Saturday (Feb. 20) against No. 16 Central Missouri in a game with huge implications. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers (17-2, 17-2 MIAA) and Jennies (17-2, 17-2 MIAA) are tied for first place in the MIAA standings with three games yet to be played. The winner of Saturday's battle will have a strong hold on first place, gaining a one-game lead with just two games to play as well as securing the upper hand in most tiebreak scenarios.
Tickets are still available, including a limited number of lower level seats. Click here to secure your seat now.
Fort Hays State is looking for revenge after falling to the Jennies earlier this season in Warrensburg, 79-72 (1/7/21). The Tigers have not lost since that game six weeks ago, winning each of their last 12 contests. It is the longest active winning streak in the MIAA, tied for sixth-longest in Division II and is the sixth-longest in program history.
Central Missouri leads the all-time series 18-14, including wins in the last three meetings. FHSU is 8-2 at home against the Jennies after winning each of the last six matchups inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. UCM has not won in Hays in more than 11 years (2/13/10). Head coach Tony Hobson is 12-13 against the Jennies, including a 7-1 mark at home. The Tigers and Jennies have played seven times since UCM's last trip to Hays in January 2017, including four regular season games in Warrensburg, two postseason meetings. Madison Mittie is the only current Tiger who has played Central Missouri in Hays.
Jaden Hobbs averages 18.7 points, 4.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds in three games against the Jennies. Whitney Randall averages 6.7 points in seven games against UCM. Mittie has played UCM four times, averaging 6.5 points per contest.
Hobbs leads the MIAA and ranks 10th in the country with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.86. The senior averages 5.6 assists per game and is on pace to break the program record in assists per contest (5.4, Maisha Prewitt, 1998-99).
Randall leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.8 points per contest, ninth-best in the MIAA. The senior has scored in double figures in all but one contest and has led the team in scoring in eight different games.
Olivia Hollenbeck blocked four more shots Thursday night, giving the freshman 38 swats on the season, ninth-most in the country.
Freshmen continue to play a significant role for the Tigers, combining to play 42.7 percent of the minutes (1622:28) and scoring 40.8 percent of the points (29.6 ppg) for the Tigers.
The Jennies bring a 10-game winning streak to Hays along with their league-leading 17-2 record. UCM ranks fourth in the league in both scoring offense (71.1 ppg) and scoring defense (59.3 ppg). UCM outrebounds its opponents by 8.4 boards per game, the top rebound margin in the MIAA. The Jennies are second in the conference in shooting from the floor (43.8 percent), from behind the arc (43.3 percent) and from the line (75.6). Nija Collier leads the team and ranks 10th in the conference with 15.2 points per game. She ranks fourth in the MIAA in rebounding, grabbing a team-high 8.6 boards per contest. Morgan VanHyfte has 46 steals on the year, ninth-most in Division II.
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