HAYS - The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women couldn't dig out of an early double-digit deficit and lost 57-51 to No. 14 Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA Tournament title game Sunday on front of 1,275 fans at Gross Coliseum.
The loss end the Tigers (22-3) 16-game win streak and drops the Tigers to 1-3 in MIAA Tournanment title games. It's the Lopers (22-3) first MIAA Tournament title in their first trip to the finals and their first conference tournament title since 2008 (RMAC).
It took over five and-a-half minutes for the Tigers to hit their first field goal as they fell behind 13-1. The Lopers extended their lead to 16 in the second quarter. The Tigers used a 7-0 run to pull within nine but Haley Simental hit an elbow jumper to push UNK's lead to 29-18 at the half.
A Whitney Randall basketball pulled the Tigers within six with 6:30 to play in the third but UNK answered with an 11-4 run to build the lead to 13 and they would lead by 12 after three quarters.
FHSU opened the fourth on a 12-4 run, the last five coming from Jaden Hobbs whose only 3-pointer of the game pullsed the Tigers within four at 47-43. The Tigers would get as close as three on three occassions d0own the stretch following a couple of baskets from Katie Wagner and Jessie Sallach.
The Tigers had a chance to pull within one after a steal but Hobbs was called for a double-dribble then Ellisa Backes hit a three to push UNK's lead to six.
Hobbs led the Tigers with 14 points despite going 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. Wagner added 13 points and six rebounds on 6-or-8 shooting.
Brooke Carlson,. who was named the tournament's most outstanding player, led UNK with 18 points. Haley Simental, who was named to the all-tournament team along with Backes, added 14 points.
The Tigers made only three of their first 21 shots and finished 39-percent (20-52) for the game. They hit only one of their first 10 attempts from three and finished 3-of-15 beyond the arc and 8-of-16 from the free throw line.