By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
A quick start and three players scoring in double figures helped the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team complete the season sweep against the Lincoln Blue Tigers, winning 77-57 inside Gross Memorial Coliseum on Thursday (Feb. 9).
The Tigers (19-7, 14-4 MIAA) dominated around the rim, scoring 42 points in the paint and snagging 21 more rebounds than Lincoln (5-18, 3-13 MIAA).
Fort Hays State raced out to a 10-point advantage by the first media timeout, leading 14-4. The first four minutes of the game were dominated down low by Olivia Hollenbeck. After reaching ten plus points in each of the last four games, Hollenbeck was well on her way to do the same against the Blue Tigers after scoring eight early points.
Fort Hays State’s Katie Wagner helped push the lead to 25-8 by the end of the quarter with nine points in the frame. As a team the Tigers shot 55 percent (11-for-20) from the field throughout the first 10 minutes of action while limiting their opponents to just 28.6 percent (4-for-14).
The Blue Tigers were kept at bay despite outscoring Fort Hays State 12-11 in the second quarter. After a missed layup early in the quarter by the Tiger offense, Emma Ruddle helped the team come alive from beyond the arc, burying her first of two three-pointers in the quarter with 8:05 left to play in the half.
The six points from Ruddle from distance aided the offense as shots from the interior were not falling. Despite outscoring Tony Hobson‘s bunch in the second quarter, Lincoln still trailed at the half, 36-20. Hollenbeck, Wagner and Ruddle all had reached double figures in the points column by the halftime break.
The intermission helped the Tigers gear up for a quick 7-0 spurt to start the second half. Ruddle picked up right where she left off, drilling her third three of the game. Hollenbeck continued to haunt the Blue Tigers, following Ruddle’s three with a layup and two free throws.
Heading into the final quarter, Fort hays State possessed a 55-38 lead. The Tigers continued to pour it on in the final frame, knocking down 53.3 percent from the floor (8-of-15) thanks to seven different players scoring. Kia Wilson tied her season high with eight points while grabbing a season-best six rebounds in just nine minutes of action.
Wagner did her part both from the field and on the glass by hauling in a game-high 16 rebounds. Wagner also finished the game with 16 points for her seventh double-double of the season and the 19th in her career.
Hollenbeck finished with a game-high 19 points, with Ruddle adding 15 points, three steals and two blocks.
The Tigers finished the game shooting 42.9 percent from the floor (30-of-70) and 36.8 percent from behind the arc (7-of-19).
The Tigers will wrap up their regular season home schedule on Saturday (Feb. 11) when they honor the lone senior on the team, Clary Donica, before the opening tip against 10th-ranked Central Missouri at 2 p.m.