By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
JOPLIN, Mo. - The No. 15 Fort Hays State women's basketball was held scoreless for over nine minutes over the second and third quarters and lost 67-58 to Missouri Southern Thursday night at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Complex. The Tigers (12-3, 6-3 MIAA) entered the game as one of 10 NCAA Division II teams that had not lost away from home. The Lions (10-4, 6-2 MIAA) extended their MIAA-best winning streak to seven games.
The teams went back-and-forth in the first quarter with FHSU building a four point lead before settling for a 15-13 lead at the quarter break. Kate Wagner banked in a 3-pointer with 7:39 to play in the second to put the Tigers up 21-8, it was the last points they would score in the half. Missouri Southern went on a 22-0 run to take a commanding 40-21 lead early in the third quarter.
The Tigers missed 10-consecutive shots and turned the ball over four times while the Lions hit 9-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe during the run.
After falling behind by 22 early in the fourth quarter, Fort Hays State scored 12-straight highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Brooke Loewe and Wagner to pull within 10 with six-plus minutes remaining. Following a MSSU timeout, the Lions responded by scoring the next seven points.
The Tigers held Missouri Southern scoreless for the final 4:55, but the Tigers were unable to draw any closer than the final nine-point margin.
Wagner led the Tigers with 15 points thanks to a career-high three 3-pointers alongside eight rebounds and three steals. Olivia Hollenbeck added 11 points and two blocks, while Sydney Golladay scored 10 points and dished out three assists. Loewe scored eight points off the bench and distributed a team-best four assists.
Missouri Southern hit 50 percent from the floor (30-of-60) while the Tigers countered with a shooting percentage of 37.5 percent (21-of-56). However, Fort Hays State hit five more 3-pointers than the Lions, 8-3.
Fort Hays State will wrap up the weekend Saturday with a top-25 battle against No. 20 Pittsburg State. First tip in Pittsburg, Kan. is slated for 1:30 p.m.
FHSU Sports Information contributed to this story