FHSU Sports Information Department
Fort Hays State plays its final game of the regular season on Saturday (Feb. 26) in Edmond, Okla., as it takes on Central Oklahoma. Game time is set for 1:30 pm. The No. 9 Tigers look to keep the pressure applied in both the MIAA regular season standings and the NCAA Regional Rankings, entering the game at 24-3 overall and 18-3 in the MIAA. Central Oklahoma is 17-10 overall and 11-10 in the MIAA.
The Tigers have plenty to play for on Saturday. First, the Tigers are still alive for a possible MIAA Regular Season Title. The Tigers would need a win and a Missouri Western loss on Saturday to claim a share of the regular season title with Missouri Western. But second and more importantly, the Tigers look to keep the pressure on other teams in the battle for the No. 1 seed in the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament. FHSU entered play this week as the No. 2 ranked team in the region, behind Pittsburg State, which sits in third place in the MIAA standings. Missouri Western is No. 4 in the region and plays Central Missouri on Saturday. Pittsburg State goes on the road to face Missouri Southern. Winona State, ranked No. 3 in the region, won its opening round game of the NSIC Tournament on Wednesday and plays on Sunday in the quarterfinals.
The Tigers enter Saturday on a four-game win streak after knocking off Northeastern State no Thursday evening in Tahlequah, 59-56. Fort Hays State defeated Central Oklahoma by that same exact score earlier this year in Hays, in overtime.
Chelsea Mason continues to lead the Tigers in scoring at 13.6 points per game. She scored in double figures for the 22nd time this year with a team-high 19 at Northeastern State. Jill Faxon, Beth Bohuslavsky, and Paige Lunsford also average double figures in scoring. Five of the top six scorers on the team all have 40 or more steals for the season. FHSU continues to lead the NCAA in turnover margin at +10.9.
Central Oklahoma snapped a three-game losing streak on Thursday night by defeating Nebraska-Kearney 70-53. McKenzie Solberg leads the Bronchos in scoring at 15.7 points per game.