FHSU Sports Information Department
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team fought off an early deficit to win its fourth-straight game Thursday evening (Feb. 16), knocking off Northeastern State 64-44 on the road. The Tigers improve to 19-6 overall and 10-6 in conference play, while the RiverHawks dip to 6-18 this season and 2-14 in the MIAA after their 11th-straight loss.
Defense has been a strong point of late for the Tigers, holding opponents to fewer than 50 points for the third-consecutive game Thursday. The Tigers also controlled the ball well, turning the ball over six times, their fewest of the season.
Tatyana Legette recorded her fifth double-double of the season and second in a row, leading the Tigers with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Jill Faxon chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds, with Nikola Kacperska adding nine points and dishing out six assists.
The Tigers trailed for the entirety of the first quarter, falling behind by as many as seven after the RiverHawks opened the game on a 14-7 run. Faxon hit a three-pointer and Legette added a pair of free throws late in the period to close the deficit to 14-12 after 10 minutes of play.
Fort Hays State kept rolling in the second quarter, hitting 10-of-16 shots in the period to take a 38-25 lead into the break. The Tigers scored 15-straight points in the heart of the quarter, holding NSU without a field goal for nearly six minutes. Kacperska knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the quarter, with Sarah Pimentel and Madison Mittie also drilling shots from behind the arc.
The Tigers coasted to victory in the second half, leading by as many as 26 after Taylor Rolfs dropped in two-straight layups. The RiverHawks were limited to 6-of-27 shooting in the second half, finishing the game a lowly 25.4 percent from the floor. Fort Hays State dominated on the boards, grabbing 52 rebounds to 38 for the RiverHawks.
The Tigers will look to climb into fifth place in the MIAA standings when they face off with 18th-ranked Central Oklahoma Saturday afternoon (Feb. 18) in Edmond, Okla. First tip is set for 1:30 p.m.