Women’s basketball beats NWMSU, wins share of MIAA crown

By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION

MARYVILLE, Mo. – The sixth-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team won its fourth MIAA regular season title and became the first team to win back-to-back championships since 2012-13 with a 69-47 road win over Northwest Missouri State Saturday afternoon (Feb. 26). The Tigers put the hammer down in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bearcats 23-6 while hitting 75 percent from the floor to lock down the win and the 13th conference championship in program history.

It was a tale of two quarters in the first half, with the Tigers shooting better than 50 percent in the first before struggling in the second quarter. Northwest did the exact opposite, hitting only three baskets over the first 10 minutes before burying 50 percent from the floor in the second period. Fort Hays State took the lead for good with a 9-0 run at the end of the first quarter before leading 33-26 at the break following a late bucket from Jaden Hobbs.

Northwest kept things close in the third, outscoring the Tigers 15-13 to close within 46-41 by the end of the quarter. Olivia Hollenbeck and Cydney Bergmann ensured the Tiger victory with 10 points each in the final quarter. The defense did its job as well in the final stanza, limiting Northwest to just six points on 2-of-13 shooting while blocking two shots and making one steal.

Hollenbeck racked up a career-high 25 points and 12 rebounds alongside four blocks and three assists. Bergmann added 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench, while Hobbs scored 10 points and dished out eight assists. The senior now has 413 in her career at FHSU, tied for second-most in program history with Kristi Leeper-Meis (1987-91).

The Tigers finished the game shooting 48.2 percent from the floor (27-of-56) and 50 percent from behind the arc (4-of-8) while holding Northwest to just 30.6 percent shooting (15-of-49). Fort Hays State dominated on the boards, outrebounding the Bearcats 41-27. FHSU had 20 assists as a team, the ninth time the Tigers have had at least that many in a game this season.

Fort Hays State will be co-champions with Missouri Southern and will be the No. 2 seed in next week’s MIAA Championship, presented by Citizens Bank & Trust. The Tigers will play the winner of Central Oklahoma and Emporia State on Thursday (March 3) at 2:15 p.m. inside the historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

Tourney information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fresh off its fourth MIAA regular season championship and 13th league title overall, the sixth-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team will play in the 2022 MIAA Basketball Championship presented by Citizens Bank & Trust as the No. 2 seed. The Tigers will open their postseason run Thursday afternoon (March 3) at 2:15 p.m. in the quarterfinal round against the winner of No. 7 Central Oklahoma and No. 10 Emporia State.

After Fort Hays State took on hosting duties for last year’s reduced field, this year’s tournament is returning to historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City March 2-6. The top 10 teams in the final regular season standings qualified for the tournament, with the seven-through-10 seeds playing a first-round game on Wednesday. The top six seeds will then open play in the quarterfinals, with two games on Thursday and two more on Friday. Both semifinal games will be played on Saturday before the Championship Sunday tips off at 1 p.m.

Limited single-session and youth tickets are still available in the FHSU athletics office on campus (Cunningham 138) or over the phone at (785) 628-4050. Tickets can also be purchased online or at the box office.

The Tigers, 25-3 overall and 19-3 in MIAA play, were co-champions with Missouri Southern (22-5, 19-3 MIAA), with the Lions assuming the No. 1 seed due to their head-to-head victory over FHSU in the lone meeting this season. This is the first of FHSU’s MIAA titles that have not been won outright.

This is also the first time the Tigers will play in the MIAA Championship as the No. 2 seed. Fort Hays State is making its 11th-consecutive appearance in the tournament and its 13th trip overall. The Tigers have only ever played in the event as the No. 1, No. 3, No. 5, No. 5 and No. 7 seeds.

Fort Hays State is 16-11 all-time in the MIAA Championship tournament, including a 11-10 record in Kansas City and an 8-4 mark in the quarterfinals. The Tigers have never played UCO in the postseason and are 2-3 against Emporia State in the tourney. FHSU has never played a team seeded seventh or 10th, while the Tigers are 8-2 in the bracket when playing as a ranked team in the latest WBCA DII Coaches Poll.

If the Tigers were to advance to the semifinals on Saturday, they would again play in the second game of the session, scheduled to start at 2:15 p.m.

2022 Women’s Basketball Championship Schedule:
Wednesday, March 2 – First Round
Women’s Game 1 – No. 8 Pittsburg State vs. No. 9 Washburn – 12 p.m.
Women’s Game 2 – No. 7 Central Oklahoma vs. No. 10 Emporia State – 2:15 p.m.

Thursday, March 3 – Quarterfinals Day 1
Women’s Game 3 – No. 1 Missouri Southern vs. Winner of Game 1 – 12 p.m.
Women’s Game 4 – No. 2 Fort Hays State vs. Winner of Game 2 – 2:15 p.m.

Friday, March 4 – Quarterfinals Day 2
Women’s Game 5 – No. 4 Central Missouri vs. No. 5 Missouri Western – 12 p.m.
Women’s Game 6 – No. 3 Nebraska Kearney vs. No. 6 Northwest Missouri – 2:15 p.m.

Saturday, March 5 – Semifinals
Women’s Game 7 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 – 12 p.m.
Women’s Game 8 – Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 6 – 2:15 p.m.

Sunday, March 6 – Championship
Women’s Game 9 – Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8 – 1 p.m.

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