Fourth-ranked Fort Hays State heads for Tahlequah, Okla., this Saturday to wrap up the regular season against Northeastern State. The MIAA Champion Tigers tip off the final game of the 2014-15 campaign at 1:30 p.m., from the NSU Events Center.
FHSU (25-2, 17-1 MIAA) is the No. 1 seed for the MIAA Tournament next week and will look to finish the conference season with just one loss. The Tigers, Pittsburg State and Emporia State have all locked up first round byes while Missouri Southern and Central Missouri are currently fighting for the fourth seed. MSSU is one game up on UCM headed into the final day of the season.
The Tigers were listed as the top ranked team for the second straight week in the NCAA Central Region Rankings, released Wednesday. One other version of the poll will be released next week leading up the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, held March 8. The top eight teams in the region advance to the NCAA Regionals, held March 13-15 at a site to be determined.
Senior Kate Lehman moved into second all-time on FHSU’s career scoring list last Thursday (versus Central Oklahoma) and is just five blocks away from overtaking the No. 2 spot all-time for career blocks in NCAA Division II. Lehman leads the Tigers with a double-double average of 19.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, adding 117 total swats on the year. Chelsea Mason (11.9 points per game) and Jill Faxon (10.0 points per game) are averaging double figures for the Tigers, leading the team in three-pointers made with 56 and 37, respectively.
NSU (11-14, 7-11 MIAA) fell to Nebraska-Kearney, 63-52, its last time out and is currently tied for ninth in the MIAA standings. The RiverHawks are led in scoring by Chelsey Beathard (10.0 points per game) while Fontana Tate has 9.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Just ahead of Tate on the rebounding leaderboard is Kate Bellamy and Bria Pierce, who each have 4.3 rebounds per game.