Washburn (0-1, 0-1
MIAA) at
Fort Hays State (0-0,
0-0 MIAA)
Tuesday, December 1, 2020 5:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. Gross Memorial Coliseum
Game Sponsor: Heartland
Building Center
After a 12-day delay to the start of the season, the Fort Hays State women’s
basketball will hit the floor for the first time Tuesday (Dec. 1) at home
against in-state rival Washburn. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Gross
Memorial Coliseum.
Limited reserved lower level tickets ($15) and general admission tickets are
available for $10 ($5 for youth K-12). Click
here to purchase tickets.
The game will also be available to view online via The
MIAA Network. Fans can purchase access to every MIAA basketball game this
season for just $100. Single-day passes are also available for $10.
2020 marks the first time in 47 years that the Tigers have not played a game in
November. This is 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.
Washburn holds a 47-36 lead in the all-time series, but the Tigers have
dominated the series of late, winning nine of the last 10 meetings. A win
Tuesday would be FHSU’s fifth-straight victory against Washburn, matching the
longest streak in series history. The Ichabods hold a slim 20-19 lead in games
played in Hays, with the Tigers winning six-straight inside Gross Memorial
Coliseum. The Tigers are 11-12 against Washburn under Hobson, including a 7-4
mark inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers return eight letterwinners, including two starters, from last year’s
squad that qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships for the
fifth time in six years. Head coach Tony
Hobson added six freshmen to the roster this season, including
four guards and two forwards.
Hobson enters his 13th season at Fort Hays State with a 260-101 record as a
Tiger. Hobson is 673-207 in 28 seasons as a head coach at the college level,
winning 76.5 percent of his games.
Fort Hays State has won its last 16 season openers, the longest such streak in
program history. The Tigers are 34-17 all-time in the first game of the year.
The Tigers have also won 16 consecutive home openers.
The Tigers have not opened the season against an MIAA school since 1997-98 when
Fort Hays State, members of the RMAC at the time, played Emporia State in a
non-conference game.
FHSU is 48-16 in the month of December under Hobson.
After finishing eighth in the MIAA a year ago (18-12, 11-8), Washburn was once
again picked to finish eighth according to the MIAA Women’s Basketball
Preseason Coaches Poll. The Ichabods return 11 letterwinners, but just one
starter and just three players that played in at least 20 games last season.
Senior Hunter Bentley is the top returner for the Ichabods. The two-time
honorable mention All-MIAA selection averaged 13.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1
assists as a junior. WU dropped its season opener on the road against
Nebraska-Kearney, 62-52. Returner Macy Doebele came off the bench to lead the
Ichabods with 12 points, while Nuria Barrientos totaled six points, six
rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in her first game as an
Ichabod.
Ichabod head coach Ron McHenry enters his 21st season at the helm with a career
record of 464-152. He is 17-11 against the Tigers and 6-7 inside Gross Memorial
Coliseum.
