FHSU Athletics
#23 Fort Hays State (2-0)
vs. Adams State (2-1)
Friday, November 15, 2024 • 5:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
National Anthem: Lincoln Elementary
Promotions: Canned Food Drive for Tiger Food Pantry - $5 ticket with a non-perishable food donation
vs. MSU Denver (0-2)
Saturday, November 16, 2024 • 5 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
National Anthem: FHSU Pep Band
Promotions: Canned Food Drive for Tiger Food Pantry - $5 ticket with a non-perishable food donation
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
The 23rd-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will make its home debut this weekend with a pair of games against former RMAC rivals. The Tigers will first battle Adams State on Friday beginning at 5:30 p.m. before hosting MSU Denver on Saturday beginning at 5 p.m.
Nebraska-Kearney will also be playing the same two teams in the reverse order in neutral site contests, with those matchups slated to begin two hours before the listed FHSU game time.
Full Weekend Schedule
Friday, November 15
3:30 p.m. - Nebraska-Kearney vs. MSU Denver
5:30 p.m. - Fort Hays State vs. Adams State
Saturday, November 16
3 p.m. - Nebraska-Kearney vs. Adams State
5 p.m. - Fort Hays State vs. MSU Denver
Single-game tickets are now available for purchase online. Only upper level general admission tickets are available, with pricing set at $12 for adults and $5 for youth K-12. Tickets can also be purchased at the door, with ticket booths opening one hour prior tipoff.
Live video will be available all weekend on The MIAA Network, brought to you by Tiger Media Network. Single game broadcasts can be purchased for $20, while fans can also purchase a monthly subscription for $30 or a year-long all-access pass for $140.
Radio coverage of the FHSU games will be available on KJLS 103.3 FM and online here, while live stats for all four games will also be posted online here.
The Tigers are off to a 2-0 start after a pair of big wins in St. Joseph, Mo. at the 2024 Central Regional Crossover Challenge, defeating Augustana and MSU Moorhead by an average of 20 points. The Tigers lead the MIAA and rank 11th in DII in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 29.7 percent from the floor.
Olivia Hollenbeck was named the first MIAA Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week, presented by Southern Bank, of the 2024-25 season after leading the Tigers with 24.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.5 blocks per game over the weekend. She opened the year with 29 points in the win over the Vikings, one off her career high.
Hollenbeck moved up to ninth on the FHSU all-time scoring list in the process, now with 1,450 career points. She is 14th on the career scoring list amongst active DII players, while her 174 blocks are sixth-most among current DII competitors.
Katie Wagner DeGarmo is closing in on 1,000 career rebounds as she looks to become just the second player in team history with both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds (Kate Lehman). She enters the weekend with 974 career rebounds after grabbing nine boards across the first two games.
Brooke Loewe dished out four assists in both wins last weekend, good for fifth in the league with 4.0 assists per game. The junior leads the MIAA with 3.5 steals per contest after poking away five steals in the win over MSU Moorhead.
After scoring a career-high 17 points in the final game of the 2023-24 season, Kate Dilsaver nearly surpassed that total in the 2024-25 season opener when she totaled 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Augustana. She is the lone Tiger to hit multiple 3-pointers in a game so far this season.
Sophomore Talexa Weeter led the team with eight rebounds in the season opener against Augustana, the most rebounds in a game by a Tiger this season. She is also averaging 7.5 points per game after hitting one 3-pointer in each contest over the weekend.
The Tigers are 28-5 in home openers during the NCAA DII era (since 1991-92). The women are 568-140 at home since Gross Memorial Coliseum opened in 1973, good for a winning percentage better than 80 percent.
The Tigers have won 12 in a row against schools from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. FHSU's last loss to an RMAC team came at Nebraska-Kearney in November 2007 (54-70, 11/29/07). FHSU is 2-0 against RMAC schools under Kahrs.
The Tigers are 24-1 all-time against Adams State, including wins in all 13 games played in Hays. FHSU has won three in a row after the Grizzlies beat the Tigers for the first time in 2004.
Fort Hays State is 15-13 overall against MSU Denver, including a win in the most recent meeting last year in Denver (65-45, 11/20/23). The Tigers are 10-2 at home against the Roadrunners, including wins in seven-straight home matchups.
Adams State is 2-1 so far this season, picking up wins over Kutztown and Midwestern State while falling to Harding by six. The Grizzlies were an NCAA Tournament team last year, winning a program-record 25 games before falling to eventual national runner-up Texas Woman's in the regional semifinals. The Grizzlies are second in the RMAC in field goal defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 36.9 percent from the floor so far this season. Taejhuan Hill is tied for third in DII with two double-doubles on the year. She leads the team with an average of 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
MSU Denver is 0-2 to start the year, losing to Angelo State and No. 2 Texas Woman's. The Roadrunners rank 263rd out of 280 NCAA DII teams with a shooting percentage of 31.0 percent. Five players average at least five points per game, led by Mikylah Espinosa with 7.0 points per game.