BY FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship
Central Region Quarterfinal
No. 7 seed Fort Hays State (23-7) vs. No. 2 seed Minnesota Duluth (26-6)
Friday, March 13 2:30 p.m. Warrensburg, Mo.
FREE Live Video
The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team opens its run to a National Championship Friday (March 13) when the Tigers battle Minnesota Duluth in the Central Region quarterfinals. Opening tip between the Tigers and Bulldogs is slated for 2:30 p.m. from the UCM Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg, Mo.
The NCAA has made the decision to limit attendance to essential staff and limited family attendance all upcoming NCAA championship events (Divisions I, II and III), effective immediately. This includes all winter championship events. Fort Hays State University Athletics will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.
The Tigers opened the regular season with a 59-51 win over these same Bulldogs in the first meeting in series history (11/8/19 in St. Joseph, Mo.). Fort Hays State is 1-2 in the NCAA tournament against teams it played in the regular season.
Fort Hays State has now been selected to play in the NCAA Championship in five of the last six years and six times overall. This is the third-consecutive year the Tigers are competing for an NCAA national title, the longest stretch in program history.
Four Tigers are averaging in double figures, with all five starters scoring nine or more points per night. Jaden Hobbs leads the team with 12.6 points per game, with Kacey Kennett close behind at 12.1 points per contest. Belle Barbieri chips in 10.7 points and a team-high 9.1 rebounds per game, while Taylor Rolfs averages 10.0 ppg and Whitney Randall contributes 9.0 ppg.
In the NCAA DII Championship, the Tigers are…
-5-5 all-time
-3-2 in the quarterfinals
-1-2 in a neutral venue
-3-1 against NSIC opponents
-0-0 as the No. 7 seed
-0-3 against the No. 2 seed
-3-0 against unranked opponents
-1-2 while unranked
Career Stats in the NCAA Division II Championship
Kacey Kennett – 13.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.6 apg in 5 games, two double-doubles, scored in double figures four times, 20+ points once
Belle Barbieri – 12.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg in 5 games, two double-doubles, scored in double figures four times
Taylor Rolfs – 8.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.4 apg in 5 games, scored 10+ twice
Whitney Randall – 8.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg in 5 games, one 20-point outing
Madison Mittie – 7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.3 apg in 3 games, scored in double figures once
Kacey Kennett, Jaden Hobbs and Belle Barbieri were named All-MIAA performers for their outstanding seasons. Kennett was named to the second team for the second year in a row, picking up the honor for a third time after being listed as honorable mention as a sophomore. Hobbs earned a spot on the third team in her first season as a Tiger. Barbieri picked up honorable mention status for the second year in a row.
Fort Hays State is 17-2 against current NSIC programs under head coach Tony Hobson, and 44-16 all-time against schools from the Northern Sun.
Minnesota Duluth won the regular NSIC championship, its first since 2002-03 after finishing 20-2 in conference play. The Bulldogs advanced to the NSIC postseason championship game before falling to St. Cloud State in its most recent action, 71-62. They had won 12 straight games before that loss. Head coach Mandy Pearson was honored as the NSIC Coach of the Year, while starting forward Brooke Olson was named the NSIC Player of the Year. Katie Stark and Sarah Grow also earned All-NSIC honors. The Bulldogs average 69.7 points per contest, outscoring their opponents by an average of 8.7 points per night. The Bulldogs grab 34.2 rebounds each game, 2.3 fewer than their opponents. They rank fourth in the country with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.37 and sit in sixth nationally with just 11.9 turnovers per game. Brooke Olson leads the team with 17.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.