By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The ninth-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team renews its rivalry with No. 24 Emporia State Saturday (Dec. 8) inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. First tip between the Tigers and Lady Hornets is set for 2 p.m.
Gameday promotions include:
Game Sponsor – Heartland Building Center
Second annual Stuffed Animal Toss – fans will get a general admission ticket for just $5 when they bring a new stuffed animal to toss onto the court during halftime of the men’s game. All toys will be collected and donated to Toys for Tots.
SAAC Pictures with Santa – The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee reached out to Santa and scheduled a special appearance this weekend at the Coliseum! Santa will be available for pictures from halftime of the women’s game until the start of the men’s game. Your donation of $5 or more will go directly to Make A Wish
Student Section Theme – Ugly Christmas Sweater
Emporia State is the second-most frequent opponent for the Tigers all-time behind Nebraska-Kearney, whom FHSU defeated 62-53 Tuesday. This will be the 83rd meeting between the in-state rivals, with ESU holding a 49-33 edge in the series. Things have started to turn of late, however, with the Tigers holding a 7-6 lead since the start of the 2013-14 season including the current two-game winning streak. The teams have split the last 10 meetings 5-5. The Tigers haven’t lost to ESU at home in the regular season since 2011-12. FHSU is 7-16 against the Lady Hornets under Tony Hobson after losses in the first 10 meetings. The all-time series is tied at 19-19 in Hays, including a 5-5 mark under Hobson.
After falling on the road early in the season, Fort Hays State won its fifth-straight regular season home game against the Lady Hornets in convincing fashion last season, handing ESU its worse loss in more than two decades with a 90-63 win (1/31/18). The Tigers went on to win the season series when they defeated ESU in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City, 57-54. The loss snapped a 16-game winning streak for the Lady Hornets in the MIAA Tournament (3/1/18).
Emporia State has bookended a 14-point road loss to Cameron with three wins to open head coach Toby Wynn’s first season 6-1. The Lady Hornets rank third in the MIAA in total offense, averaging more than 77 points per contest. They are the top 3-point shooting team in the league, hitting 38.8 percent from behind the arc. ESU boasts four starters averaging more than 11 points each night, led by Jessica Wayne’s 14.6 points per game. Tyra Jones paces the team with 8.1 rebounds each contest. ESU opens conference play Thursday in Kearney.
Tatyana Legette averages 11.7 points in seven career contests against Emporia State, including 20-plus points and a double-double in each of the last two home games. Carly Heim has scored in double figures three times against the Lady Hornets. Taylor Rolfs scored a career-high 17 points last season in Emporia.
The Tigers have defeated Emporia State seven times since the start of the 2013-14 season, more than any other school (UCM is second with four). The Lady Hornets have lost 32 games in that span, with FHSU accounting for 22 percent of those losses.
The Tigers are off to a 7-0 start for the fifth time in program history and the first since 2015-16. FHSU has started the year with eight or more consecutive wins just twice, 2015-16 and 2012-13 (10 wins both seasons).