BY FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The 13th-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team left little doubt in Wednesday’s (Jan. 15) top-15 matchup against Emporia State, dominating the No. 15 Lady Hornets, 87-55. The 32-point margin of victory is the Tigers’ biggest win against the Lady Hornets in 86 meetings all-time.
The Tigers (14-2, 5-2 MIAA) buried a season-best 59.3 percent from the floor (32-of-54), their best shooting percentage in more than three years (66.2 percent vs Bethel, 11/25/16). Emporia State’s first conference loss of the season (12-3, 5-1 MIAA) is also its largest margin of defeat in more than two decades (1994-95, 91-59 vs MSSU).
Six Tigers scored in double figures for the first time since 2016 (vs. Kansas Christian, 12/31/16).
After the teams traded the lead three times over the first three minutes, the Tigers turned on the jets and did not look back. FHSU hit 70 percent (14-of-20) from the floor over the last 16 minutes of the first half, including a blistering 8-of-10 effort in the second quarter.
Allison McFarren capped off the half with eight points over the final 85 seconds. The freshman buried a triple from the right wing before knocking down another long range attempt from the left corner just 30 seconds later. McFarren ended the quarter with an up-and-under layup with the right hand to give the Tigers a 38-21 lead at the break.
Kacey Kennett took the reins on offense in the third quarter, knocking down both of her shots from the floor, including one from behind the arc, and all three free-throw attempts to lead the team to a 26-point frame. Despite Emporia State knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the final 26 seconds of the quarter, the Tigers still took a 22-point lead into the final period, 64-42.
The Tigers continued to lay it on in the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 37, 87-50, late in the game after an old-fashioned 3-point play from Lauryn Reither.
Fort Hays State held the Lady Hornets to a season-low 29.7 percent effort from the floor (19-of-64). ESU hit 12-of-33 from 3-point range and just 7-of-31 from inside the arc on the night. The 55-point effort was also Emporia State’s lowest scoring output of the season.
Kennett led the way with 16 points, adding five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Taylor Rolfs corralled a career-high 13 rebounds, adding 12 points for her second-career double-double. After hitting just 4-of-18 3-point attempts to open the year, McFarren recorded a career-high 15 points thanks to a 3-for-3 night from deep.
Belle Barbieri, Jaden Hobbs and Whitney Randall added 10 points each. Hobbs dished out nine assists against the Lady Hornets for the second time this season.
ESU senior Mollie Mounsey led all scorers with 23 points thanks to a 7-for-10 night from behind the arc.
The Tigers wrap up a quick homestand against another in-state rival Saturday (Jan. 18) when they host Washburn at 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.