FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The eighth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team pulled away from Arkansas-Fort Smith with an impressive 82-62 win Saturday afternoon at Gross Memorial Coliseum, giving the Tigers (20-2, 11-2 MIAA) 20 wins for a 14th consecutive season. FHSU holds the longest active streak of 20-win seasons in Division II and the sixth longest streak across all NCAA women's basketball. The next-longest active streak in the MIAA is just three seasons (MSSU, MWSU, PSU).
The Tigers hit a blistering 55.0 percent from the floor, their best shooting game against a Division II opponent this season. It is FHSU's 11th win by 20 or more points this year.
Fort Hays State was off and running from the jump, with the home team scoring the first 11 points to take complete control. After missing their first two from the floor the Tigers hit 5-of-6 in a span of two minutes, 11 seconds while forcing UAFS into three missed shots and three turnovers.
Olivia Hollenbeck took the reins in the first quarter, scoring 12-straight points for the Tigers to outscore the Lions 12-6 in the frame. The home team led by 16 at the end of the first period after Talexa Weeter ended the frame with a basket, putting FHSU up 22-6.The Tigers later led by as many as 22 late in the first half before the Lions put together an 11-2 run, closing within 13. Brooke Loewe thwarted the run with a basket just before the buzzer, giving FHSU a 47-32 lead at the break.
After hitting 53.8 percent from the floor in the opening half (21-of-39), Fort Hays State turned things up a notch by hitting 70 percent of its shots in the third quarter (7-of-10). The only thing that kept FHSU's lead hovering around 20 points was the Lions forcing five Tiger turnovers in the frame.
The visitors opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to pull within 17, 67-50, before the Tigers held UAFS without another field goal for more than six minutes. FHSU took advantage with an 11-1 run, pushing the lead as high as 27, 78-51.Fort Hays State scored 25 fast-break points in the victory, the highest total against a Division II team this season.
Hollenbeck led all scorers with 27 points while adding four blocks and three steals on defense. Katie DeGarmo added 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals, while Loewe tallied eight points and eight assists.
UP NEXT
The Tigers hit the road to take on a pair of in-state rivals next week beginning Wednesday when FHSU takes on Emporia State beginning at 5:30 p.m. inside White Auditorium. The Black and Gold will then make its way to Wichita to take on Newman beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.