By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
STORRS, Conn. – The fourth-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team tuned up for the 2021-22 season with an exhibition contest at Division I powerhouse UConn Sunday afternoon (Nov. 7), with the second-ranked Huskies pulling away early en route to a 111-47 victory. It was the second-ever meeting between the Tigers and Huskies.
The Tigers hung around with the annual national championship contenders in the second and third quarters, scoring 36 points across that 20-minute span while allowing 46. But the Huskies managed to score 33 points in the opening frame and another 32 in the final stanza while holding the Tigers to a combined 11 points in the first and last quarters.
Katie Wagner led the Tigers in both points and rebounds, totaling 11 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes of action. Olivia Hollenbeck also reached double figures in scoring, tallying 10 points, two rebounds and two assists. Returning seniors Whitney Randall and Jaden Hobbs both buried a pair of 3-pointers, with Randall accumulating eight points and one block and Hobbs recording six points, two assists, two steals and one block.
Carly Thompson scored four points and grabbed four rebounds in eight minutes off the bench, while Lauren West and Kate Dilsaver both added a 3-pointer in their first game in a Tiger uniform. Jessie Sallach rounded out the Tiger scoring with two points while adding three rebounds. Megan Earney, Grace Eck and Emma Ruddle also took to the floor for the Tigers.
Six Huskies scored in double figures, led by Christyn Williams’ 20-point outing. UConn finished the day shooting 57.8 percent from the floor, including an 8-for-12 effort from behind the arc in the opening half. The Tigers hit 26.7 percent from the floor (16-of-60), including six 3-pointers from four different players. Fort Hays State tallied assists on 10 of its 16 made buckets.
The Tigers scored 14 second-chance points after grabbing 11 offensive boards, while UConn totaled 18 second-chance points off 14 offensive rebounds.
Fort Hays State will open the regular season next weekend with a pair of games in St. Joseph, Mo. at the Hillard Women’s Basketball Tip-Off Classic hosted by Missouri Western State. The Tigers will battle Southeastern Oklahoma State on Friday beginning at 5:30 p.m. before facing off with Sioux Falls on Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m.