FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (17-5, 11-5 MIAA)
vs. Central Oklahoma (5-17, 4-12 MIAA)
Saturday, February 10, 2024 • 2 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Game Sponsor: Vyve Broadband
National Anthem: Hays High Plains Chorus/Tumbleweed Chorus
Promotions: Student-athlete academic recognition, FHSU 20-year donor recognition
Halftime Entertainment: Styles Dance Performance (women's game)
The Fort Hays State women's basketball team wraps up the weekend at home against Central Oklahoma Saturday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers (17-5, 11-5 MIAA) are coming off a 19-point win over Newman, while the Bronchos (5-17, 4-12 MIAA) lost to Nebraska-Kearney by 21 on Thursday.
Fort Hays State defeated the Bronchos by 18 earlier this season in Edmond, Okla. (12/19) thanks to a season-high 13 3-pointers. Emma Ruddle buried four shots from behind the arc in the win, with Kate Dilsaver adding three, Ellie Stearns pouring in two and Sydney Golladay, Katie Wagner, Brooke Loewe and Jessie Sallach all hitting one triple each.
The Tiger defense leads the MIAA and ranks 20th in Division II after allowing just 56.4 points per game so far this season. FHSU is also 12th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.19), 13th in turnovers per game (13.0), 21st in fouls per game (14.2), 23rd in free-throw percentage (76.8 percent) and 25th in 3-point percentage (34.8 percent).
Fort Hays State are three wins away from reaching the 20-win plateau for a 13th-consecutive season. The Tigers' current streak of 12-straight 20-win seasons is the longest active streak in Division II. The next longest active streak of 20-win seasons in the MIAA is just four seasons (Nebraska-Kearney).
Olivia Hollenbeck erupted for a career-high 30 points in Thursday's win over Newman, including 18 points in the first quarter and 22 before halftime. The 30-point outing helped her pass Tatyana Legette to move into 14th on the all-time scoring list at FHSU (1,258 career points). She needs three points to tie Kris Osthoff for 13th on the list.
Wagner (863 career rebounds) needs two rebounds to tie Tatyana Legette for fourth all-time at Fort Hays State. She can also climb into the top five all-time in scoring with 28 points (currently 1,524 career points), which would match Roberta Augustine.
The Tigers are 20-5 all-time against Central Oklahoma, including wins in each of the last nine meetings. Fort Hays State has won 11 of the 12 meetings held in Hays, with UCO's lone win inside Gross Memorial Coliseum coming almost exactly four years ago (2/8/20, 77-66). FHSU is 1-0 against the Bronchos during the Kahrs era. The Bronchos defeated the Tigers on this date in 2018, 72-70.
The Bronchos are 5-17 on the year, including a 2-8 record in true road games. UCO averages 63.6 points per game while allowing 71.5 assists per night, ranking 12th in the league with a scoring margin of -7.8. Central Oklahoma commits 20.8 fouls per game, ranking 280th out of 291 Division II programs. Karly Wadsworth leads the Bronchos with an average of 8.8 points per game.