By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
WICHITA, Kan. - The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team scored the final eight points after Eastern New Mexico rallied to tie the game with just under 2 1/2 minutes to play and beat the Greyhounds 74-66 Friday on the first day of the Newman Classic at Fugate Gymnasium.
The Tigers (3-0) led by only two at the half and quickly found themselves down for the first time this season early in the third quarter before a 7-0 run put them back on top. Two baskets from Talexa Weeter and one from Olivia Mortensen helped FHSU push its lead to a game-high 11 points three minutes into the fourth quarter, but the Greyhounds scored nine straight to tie the game with 2:24 to play.
Talexa Weeter, who scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Tigers, scored on the next two possessions. Brooke Loewe added two free throws and freshman Brittan Zeka locked down the win with her first field goal as a Tiger, giving FHSU an eight-point lead with 20 seconds to go.
Freshman Olivia Mortensen added 17 points and six assists, Loewe nearly recorded a triple double with 15 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
The Tigers hit 50 percent from the floor as a team (28-of-56) while holding Eastern New Mexico to just 36.2 percent shooting (25-of-69). FHSU accumulated 24 assists on their 28 made baskets and outscored the Greyhounds (1-3) by 10 in the paint, 34-24.
Up next
FHSU will wrap up the weekend in Wichita on Saturday when the Tigers take on William Jewell College beginning at 3 p.m.