#14 Nebraska-Kearney (21-3, 19-3 MIAA) at
#5 Fort Hays State (22-2, 20-2 MIAA)
MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Citizens Bank & Trust
Championship Game
Sunday, March 7, 2021 • 2 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
LISTEN LIVE
The No. 5 women's basketball team plays for its second MIAA tournament title Sunday afternoon (March 7) when the Tigers host No. 14 Nebraska-Kearney. First tip in the final game of the 2021 MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Citizens Bank & Trust is slated for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
Limited upper level general admission tickets are available. Tickets can be purchased online via the following link, over the phone at (785) 628-4050 or in person in the athletics office.
FHSU students will get in free when they present a valid Tiger Card to the ticket booth at gate 2.
Fans wishing to watch from home can do so on The MIAA Network. MIAA Championship passes are available for $25 and will be valid for all games in both the men's and women's tournaments. Fans that purchased season-long access to the network will automatically have access to all tournament games. $10 single day access passes are also available for purchase. Live audio and live stats will also be available online.
Scouting the Lopers
The Lopers have dominated each of their first two MIAA tournament games, beating Pittsburg State by 16 in the quarterfinals (66-50) before knocking off Washburn by 19 in the semifinals (59-40). Nebraska-Kearney has the top defense in the conference, allowing just 52.3 points per game, more than four points fewer than second place. They also rank first in the league in shooting percentage, hitting 44.5 percent from the floor, just in front of FHSU's 44.1 percent. The Lopers rank third in the MIAA with 38.2 rebounds per contest and are second behind FHSU in assist/turnover ratio at 1.10. The Lopers had five All-MIAA selections, including second-teamer Elisa Backes, third team honors for Brooke Carlson and Haley Simental, an honorable mention not for Klaire kirsch and a spot on the All-Defensive team for Kelsey Sanger.
All-time vs. Nebraska-Kearney
- This is the 97th meeting all-time between the Tigers and Lopers.
- Fort Hays State holds a 58-38 in the series.
- The Tigers have played and defeated UNK more than any other program.
- The Black and Gold are 35-12 against the Lopers in Hays.
- Fort Hays State has won 19 of the last 22 meetings overall while the teams have split the last 5 games in Hays, 2-2.
- The Tigers are 19-4 against the Lopers under Hobson and 9-3 in games played in Hays.
- FHSU is 1-0 against the Lopers in the MIAA tournament, a 20-point opening round win in the 2014 tournament.
Last Meeting with the Lopers
Fort Hays State bounced back from a slow start to beat the No. 4 Lopers for the second time in three days in late January, 68-60 (1/30/21). The Tigers trailed by as many as 10 in the first half before using a big third-quarter run to take control. FHSU went on a 17-2 run to turn a six-point deficit into a nine-point lead. The Tigers hit 7-of-8 from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the win. Five Tigers scored in double figures, including 17 from Hobbs, 16 from Randall, 11 from Hollenbeck, 10 from Bergmann and 10 from Wagner. A full box score can be found on page 33.
Career vs. UNK (full career stats vs. UNK on page 8)
Jaden Hobbs - 16.3 points, 5.5 assists in 4 games
Katie Wagner - 8.0 points, 7.5 rebounds in 2 games
Whitney Randall - 6.5 points in 8 games
Olivia Hollenbeck - 9.0 points in 2 games
MIAA Championship Tournament Notables
- This is the first time an MIAA Tournament champion will be crowned in a venue other than Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. since 2002 when Missouri Western hosted the event in St. Joseph, Mo. The last 18 tournaments have concluded in KCMO.
- This is just the third time in tournament history that all three semifinal and championship games will be played in the same venue outside Municipal (1983 @ UCM, 1991 @ UCM).
- The Tigers have reached the finals in three of the last four tournaments, more than any other school (UCM 2, UNK 1, LWU 1, ESU 1)
- FHSU is 16-10 all-time in the MIAA tournament
- The Tigers are 5-0 at home
- FHSU is 1-0 against Nebraska-Kearney
- The Tigers are 1-2 in the title game
- FHSU is 7-1 when playing as the No. 1 seed
- The Tigers are 1-1 when playing the No. 3 seed
- The Tigers are 8-2 in the tournament when ranked in the WBCA DII Top 25
- FHSU is 1-8 against WBCA DII ranked teams in the tournament and 1-2 against ranked teams while also ranked themselves
- Coach Hobson's 16 wins in the tournament are fifth-most all-time
- Madison Mittie has scored in double figures in all three MIAA Tournament games played inside the Coliseum over the last five years
- The No. 1 seed in the tournament has won it all each of the last two years, including FHSU in 2019, and 22 times in tournament history (first held in 1983).
Conference Tournament at Home
The Tigers are 10-1 in conference tournament home games during the DII era, including a 5-1 record in RMAC Shootout quarterfinal games FHSU hosted between 1995 and 2006.
Stingy Defense
The Tigers have held opponents under 50 points eight times this season, tied for the most amongst MIAA schools (WU 8, UNK 6, UCM 5, NWMSU 4, NSU 2, LU 1, NU 1, PSU 1, RSU 1, UCO 1)
All-Conference Honors
Fort Hays State received six MIAA postseason awards, including first team honors to Jaden Hobbs and Whitney Randall, All-Defensive team honors to Cydney Bergmann, honorable mention status for Bergmann and Olivia Hollenbeck and Coach of the Year to Tony Hobson. It is the first time the Tigers have had multiple first team all-conference selections since 1994-95 (Krist Osthoff & Kristin Wiebe). Bergmann is the ninth Tiger to be listed on the MIAA All-Defensive team and the first since current assistant coach Paige Lunsford in 2015-16. Hollenbeck is the first Tiger freshman to earn all-conference status since Kate Lehman in 2011-12. This is Hobson's fourth MIAA Coach of the Year honor.
Milestones
- Whitney Randall eclipsed 1,000 career points in the MIAA Quarterfinals against Missouri Southern, becoming the 22nd Tiger to reach that milestone. She is the seventh player to do so under Hobson. This is the third consecutive year the Tigers have had an individual reach 1,000 career points (Kacey Kennett 2019-20, Tatyana Legette 2018-19).
- Jaden Hobbs went over 1,000 collegiate points in the regular season finale at Northwest Missouri State. She scored 308 points in two seasons at Oklahoma State and has scored 720 points over the last two seasons at FHSU.
Trophy SZN
The Tigers won their third regular season MIAA championship over the last seven years. It is FHSU's 10th regular season conference title all-time and the 12th conference championship overall. Only one school has won more MIAA regular season titles since FHSU joined the league in 2006-07 (WU 4, FHSU 3, UCM 3, ESU 2, MWSU 2, PSU 1, NWMSU 1).
18 and Over
Fort Hays State reached 18 MIAA wins for the fourth time, all happening in the last seven seasons. That total has been reached by a conference team 12 times since the Tigers joined the MIAA (2006-07); four by the Tigers, three by UCM and once by five other schools.
20 Wins Now the Norm
The Tigers have now won at least 20 games in each of the last 10 seasons after doing so just eight times over the first 42 years of the program. FHSU had never recorded more than two consecutive 20-win seasons before the current streak began in 2011-12 (1989-90 and 1990-91, 2004-05 and 2005-06). Tony Hobson has coached the team to 10 of its 18 20-win seasons, more than all other coaches combined. The next-best active streak of 20-win seasons in the MIAA is four (UCM).
Regional Focus
Fort Hays State is ranked first in the third and final Central Region Rankings, announced Wednesday. For this year only, the NCAA Division II women's basketball central region will consist of teams from the MIAA and NSIC. The two league champions and four at-large selections will compete in the Central Region Championships next weekend in Warrensburg.
The Tiges Go Marching
The Tigers are 22-14 in the month of March under Hobson.
Just Keep WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWinning
The Tigers won their 17th-straight game Saturday, tied for the third-longest winning streak in team history. This is the 13th winning streak of 10 or more games in FHSU history. It is the longest active streak in the MIAA and third-longest in Division II.
Double-Digit Winning Streaks in Program History
Consecutive Wins Season(s) Dates
23 90-91 & 91-92 1/18/91 - 11/24/91 (20 in 91-92, 3 in 91-92)
21 2014-15 11/19/14 - 2/7/15
17 2020-21 1/9/21 - Current
17 2018-19 1/19/19 - 3/16/19
15 2018-19 11/9/18 - 1/12/19
14 1990-91 11/23/90 - 1/12/91
10 1974-75
10 1977-78
10 1993-94 1/15/94 - 2/12/94
10 1996-97 1/24/97 - 2/17/97
10 2005-06 11/29/05 - 1/17/06
10 2012-13 11/10/12 - 12/29/12
10 2015-16 11/13/15 - 12/17/15
All Week Long
The Tigers played at least one game on each day of the week this season for the first time since 2018-19.
Home is Where the Wins Are
-The Tigers have won double digit home games 11 years in a row. FHSU has won at least 10 home games in 12 of Hobson's 13 seasons at FHSU.
-FHSU has not lost more than two games at home since 2011-12.
-Fort Hays State has not lost consecutive home games since January 15 & 19, 2011 (PSU, ESU).
-The Tigers are 133-9 at home since the start of the 2012-13 season (.937 winning percentage).
-FHSU is 174-26 (.870) all-time at home under Tony Hobson, including a 107-22 record in conference games and a 67-4 mark in non-conference games.
-The Tigers finished 2018-19 with an 18-1 record inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, tied for the most home wins in a single season in program history (18-1 in 2014-15).
Making it a Habit
After reaching the NCAA Tournament once in its first 23 years in the Association, Fort Hays State has now been selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship five times over the last six seasons.
Theft In Progress
Jaden Hobbs totaled eight steals in the win over UCO on Dec. 15, the most steals for a Tiger in a game since 2004 when Ashlee Gustin totaled eight steals in back-to-back games against New Mexico Highlands (12/11/04) and CSU-Pueblo (12/16/04).
Dishing it Out
Jaden Hobbs dished out 11 assists in the win over RSU on Dec. 20, the most assists for a Tiger in a game since 2006 when Meshia Mason distributed 11 assists against Nebraska-Kearney (12/3/06).
Leaders in the Division II...
Fort Hays State ranks in the top 10 nationally in five categories, including assist/turnover ratio (1.40, 5th), assists (380, 4th), blocked shots (94, 6th), free throw attempts (430, 7th) and free throws made (322, 6th). (Doesn't include Saturday).
...And the MIAA
FHSU leads the conference in the following statistical categories: (Doesn't include Saturday)
Category Value NCAA Rank MIAA Rank
Assist Turnover Ratio (220 ranked) 1.4 5 1
Assists (219 ranked) 380 4 1
Assists Per Game (220 ranked) 16.5 25 1
Scoring Margin (220 ranked) 15 15 1
Won-Lost Percentage (213 ranked) 91.3 16 1
Nationally Recognized
- This is the fifth season in which the Tigers have been ranked in the top five of the WBCA DII Coaches poll, with each coming over the last seven years.
- Fort Hays State has been ranked in the top 10 at some point each of the last three seasons and in six different years all-time, all under coach Hobson.
- The Tigers been mentioned in the national polls in nine straight seasons and 10 years overall.
Fresh(man) Look
- Four different true freshmen have started for the Tigers so far this season (Golladay, Hollenbeck, Ruddle, Wagner)
- Sydney Golladay and Olivia Hollenbeck were the first pair of freshmen to start a season opener at FHSU during the programs' NCAA DII era (1991-present).
- FHSU started three freshmen (Golladay, Hollenbeck, Wagner) against Missouri Western (2/8/21).
- Through 24 games, true freshmen are playing 43.0 percent of the minutes for FHSU (2065:51) and scoring 43.1 percent of the points (31.3 ppg).
True Freshmen to Start Season Opener (NCAA DII Era)
2020 - Sydney Golladay
2020 - Olivia Hollenbeck
2017 - Whitney Randall
2016 - Madison Mittie
2009 - Kara McFarland
2004 - Tia Evenson
2003 - Katie Rousch
2001 - Annatrice Anderson
1999 - Jamie Heiman
1997 - Kelly Priest
1996 - Jessica Farmer
1991 - Amy Scoby
Preseason Prognostications
Fort Hays State enters the year ranked fifth in the Preseason MIAA Coaches Poll. The Tigers were one of four teams to receive a first-place vote. It is the ninth-straight year the Tigers have been listed in the top five of the preseason poll. Emporia State tops the poll, followed by Nebraska-Kearney and defending champion Central Missouri.
Opening the Year Right
- The Tigers have won their last 17 season openers, the longest such streak in program history. FHSU is 35-17 in season openers in program history.
- Fort Hays State has also won its last 17 home openers, with the last loss coming at the start of the 2003-04 season (70-88 vs. Southwestern College). The Tigers are 25-4 in home openers since joining the NCAA Division II in 1992-93.
Mark Your Calendars - Notes on the 2020-21 Schedule
-With NCAA Division II's reduction to a maximum of 22 games for the 2020-21 season, the Tigers are scheduled to play an all-conference schedule this year. FHSU will play nine schools home-and-away and four schools just once (WU, ESU at home, PSU, MSSU on the road). Don't ask us why they only play three in-state schools once; we don't make the schedule, we just publicize it.
-Fort Hays State played just five regular season games during the 2020 portion of the season and 17 contests after the new year. It is the fewest games played in the opening semester of a season since the Tigers played just five games in the 2003 portion of the 2003-04 season.
-The Tigers hadn't opened a season against an MIAA school since 1997-98 when FHSU, a member of the RMAC at the time, played Emporia State in a non-conference game (11/18/1997, L 60-85 at ESU).
-Due to the postponement of the first two games of the season, 2020 is the first time in 47 years that the Tigers won't play a game in November. This was the latest start to a season in program history since the 1973-74 season, when FHSU opened the year on December 5, 1973 with a 54-34 home win against Wichita State.
Century Mark
After a pair of 100-point performances last season (100-59 vs RSU, 106-22 vs USM), FHSU now has 25 100-point outings in its illustrious history. The win over Rogers State was the first time FHSU scored 100 points against a Division II opponent since 2013 (114-86 vs Newman, 1/26/13). 13 of those 100-point performances, more than half, have come under Hobson.
All-Time Winningest Head Coach
Tony Hobson won his 218th career victory at Fort Hays State University on January 5, 2019 against Southwest Baptist, giving him the most head coaching wins in program history.
Sharp Shooting Leads to Victory
The Tigers are 111-4 under coach Hobson when shooting 45 percent or better from the floor.
Overtime Specialists
The Tigers have won nine consecutive overtime contests, dating back to the final game of the 2012-13 season (3/9/13 vs UCM in KC).
Filling the Seats
Fort Hays State is leading the country with an average attendance of 740 per home game this season.
The Tigers also led the MIAA in attendance last season, doing so for the seventh year in a row. The Tigers averaged 2,296 fans per home game, more than 800 more than second place (Emporia State, 1,442 per game).
FHSU also ranked second nationally in attendance once again in 2019-20, doing so for the sixth year in a row. FHSU has finished in the top four nationally each of the last eight seasons and has been in the top 10 for 11-straight years. Fort Hays State had a higher average attendance than 82 percent of NCAA Division I programs, including regional schools like Kansas, Wichita State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Tigers would rank 62nd out of the 348 DI programs sponsoring women's basketball in 2019-20.
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