By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The No. 16 Fort Hays State women’s basketball team came up short against Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday (Feb. 1), falling 72-67. The loss snapped a 32-game regular season home winning streak spanning back more than two years.
The teams went back-and-forth for the first 18 minutes of action before UNK scored 13-straight before halftime, culminated by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Madison Dreckman. The flurry of points allowed the Lopers to turn a 38-35 deficit into a 48-38 halftime lead in just under two and a half minutes.
Nebraska-Kearney went on to score the first four points of the second half to go in front by as many as 14, stretching the run to 17-consecutive points, the longest given up by the Tigers this season. Fort Hays State outscored the Lopers over the final 18 minutes, 29-20, but UNK did enough over that less than four-minute stretch spanning halftime to hold on and win.
The Tigers closed within five with 3:55 to go after a bucket from Jaden Hobbs, but Nebraska-Kearney knocked down 9-of-12 free throws down the stretch to keep the Tigers at bay. A Taylor Rolfs 3-pointer sparked one final Tiger rally with 65 seconds remaining. Hobbs added two more on a pair of free throws before Kacey Kennett buried a deep 3-pointer from the right wing with 23 seconds left, making the score 71-64.
The Tiger defense then forced a five-second violation on the ensuing inbounds pass, returning possession to the home team. Cydney Bergmann quickly navigated into the lane and made a driving layup through contact, nailing the free throw to claw within four with 15.7 seconds left, 71-67. UNK hit one of two free throws to go back up by five before two Tiger shots were off the mark in the waning seconds.
Fort Hays State struggled from the floor all afternoon, knocking down 37.3 percent of its shots (22-of-59). The Lopers buried 50 percent from the floor (27-of-54), including a 40 percent effort from deep (6-of-15). The Tigers took advantage at the free-throw line, knocking down 19-of-22 (86.4 percent).
Kennett matched her season-high with 22 points while adding eight rebounds and one steal. Belle Barbieri recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Hobbs totaled 12 points, six assists and one rebound.
Five Lopers scored in double figures, led by Brooke Carlson’s 18 points.
The Tigers will look to start a new home winning streak on Thursday (Feb. 6) when they host Newman as a conference rival for the first time. Opening tip is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.