BY FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team hit more than half of its shots in each quarter of a dominant 100-59 victory over Rogers State Thursday (Feb. 20) evening inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. It was the 25th time the Tigers (19-6, 10-6 MIAA) have scored 100 or more points in a game, with 13 of those triple-digit scoring performances coming under head coach Tony Hobson.
After grinding out a two-point road win over the Hillcats (4-22, 2-15 MIAA) with a late run last month in Claremore, Okla., the Tigers made sure the outcome was determined much earlier the second time around. Fort Hays State came out of the gates on fire, leading 30-5 by the end of the first quarter thanks to 52 percent shooting (13-of-25). The Tigers were equally efficient on the defensive end, limiting RSU to just one first-quarter field goal (1-of-12). Fort Hays State did not turn the ball over in the first quarter while forcing six Hillcat turnovers over the first 10 minutes.
Fort Hays State scored the first 13 points of the contest after Belle Barbieri opened the game with a layup one minute in. The senior capped off the run with another layup three-and-a-half minutes later on the heels of a 3-pointer from Kacey Kennett. Barbieri went on to tally eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks in the first quarter alone, leading to her second-straight double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
After the Hillcats knocked down their first field goal of the game nearly six minutes in, the Tigers finished the quarter on a similar 13-0 run to build its lead to 25.
Rogers State snapped out of its funk early in the second quarter, hitting six of its first nine shots to trim the lead to 18, 32-14. But the Tigers continued to pour it on the rest of the way, hitting more than 52 percent from the floor in all four quarters and finishing the game 40-of-75 from the floor (53.3 percent).
Kennett scored seven of her team-high 16 points in less than two minutes during the second quarter, knocking down three-straight shots from the floor. Jaden Hobbs put a bow on the first half with a buzzer-beating jumper from the elbow, giving the Tigers a 53-24 lead at the break.
Fort Hays State put the game away with a 16-0 run over the heart of the third quarter, hitting 6-of-10 from the floor while forcing five turnovers and eight-straight missed shots by the Hillcats. Cassidy Haufler capped off the run with layups on back-to-back possessions, both of which were the result of an offensive rebound.
The Tigers corralled 21 offensive boards on the night, leading to 27 second-chance points. FHSU had a dominant 52-31 edge in total rebounds.
Lauryn Reither took over for the Tigers in the fourth quarter, tallying nine points on 3-of-4 shooting including a pair of makes from behind the arc. Rogers State matched the Tigers’ 23 points in the final quarter, but Fort Hays State’s 41-point advantage from the first 30 minutes was more than enough to secure the win.
The Tigers finished the game with a season-high nine blocks, led by Barbieri’s career-best four blocks.
Kennett’s team-high 16 points were aided by a 4-of-6 evening from behind the arc. The senior added six rebounds, two steals and one block. Hobbs tallied 14 points, three assists, one steal and two blocks.
Whitney Randall chipped in 10 points while Taylor Rolfs scored 10, putting all five Tiger starters in double figures.
The Tigers scored 36 points off the bench, with Haufler matching her season-best with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting.
The Tigers will wrap up their home schedule on Saturday (Feb. 22) at 2 p.m. when they host Northeastern State for Senior Day.