FHSU Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. - The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team racked up 27 assists in a 90-54 win over William Jewell on Saturday at the Newman Classic, including a school-record 14 from Brooke Loewe. FHSU's 27 dimes are the most for the team against a Division II opponent since January 2022 (29 vs. Lincoln, 1/8/22).
Fort Hays State (4-0) opened with strong offensive execution, highlighted by Avery Lowe's two early layups, both assisted by Loewe. William Jewell (0-3) answered with an 8-3 run to take a momentary lead before Talexa Weeter gave the Tigers the lead for good just 3:40 into the game.
The Tigers capitalized on fast-break opportunities, with Weeter contributing significantly with a series of scores, including a three-pointer and several free throws. By the end of the first quarter, the Tigers led 27–13.
Fort Hays State seized control with a decisive run in the second quarter, outscoring William Jewell 20-8, including 16 bench points. A pivotal moment occurred when Olivia Mortensen's layup at 7:53, assisted by Loewe, sparked a surge that included a fast-break 3-pointer by Kaitlin Schumann. As the quarter concluded, the Tigers led 47-21.
The Tigers capitalized on a strong defensive effort in the third, spearheaded by Mortensen, who opened the quarter with a layup following a Lowe steal. The Black and Gold extended its lead with a late three-pointer from Brittan Zeka and a layup by Loewe in the final seconds, stretching the lead to 69-39.
Fort Hays State solidified their advantage in the fourth quarter highlighted by a 3-for-3 effort from behind the arc from TiAna Davis. Callie Ott distributed four assists in the quarter, helping the Tigers push the lead as high as 38.
All 11 Tigers to see the floor scored at least two points in the win, led by Weeter with 17 points. Loewe added five rebounds, four points and two steals to her school-record 14 assists. Davis contributed 12 points, making all three of her attempts from beyond the arc, while Lowe tallied a career-best 11 points while collecting six rebounds and registering two steals. Ott racked up eight points and six assists, while Pilley scored 10 points thanks to a pair of 3-pointers.
FHSU finished the game shooting 52.2 percent from the floor (35-of-67), hitting at least half of its shots for the third game in a row. The Tigers capitalized on 18 Cardinal turnovers, converting them into 29 points, while amassing 42 points off the bench.
Up next
Talia Kahrs' squad will have a quick turnaround before playing the back half of four games in six days on Tuesday and Wednesday (Nov. 25-26) in Denver. The trip to the Mile High City begins against UC-Colorado Springs on Tuesday at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. MT) before wrapping up on Wednesday against host MSU Denver at 4 p.m. (3 p.m. MT).