Story by MAYAN PAZ Photo by JORDYN BREDENBERG
Tiger Media Network
Losing just three games this season, the Fort Hays State University women’s basketball team earned the No. 2 seed in this week’s MIAA Tournament in Kansas City. FHSU (25-3, 16-3) is led by recently named MIAA Player of the Year Katie DeGarmo. This is the second year in a row DeGarmo has earned POY honors and said the team is ready to win the tournament.
“I think we can go all the way, I think we’re ready for it,” she said. “Experience is huge and we have a lot of players that have had a lot of experience in the tournament, so I think that’s going to be what sets us apart.”
As the No. 2 seed, the Tigers earned a bye in the first round and will play Central Missouri (17-14, 8-11) in the quarterfinals. UCM defeated Emporia State 70-59 on Wednesday. For FHSU Head Coach Talia Kahrs, there are some advantages in disadvantages of having that bye-round.
“I think it’s nice to be able to have a day and then get to play and then have another day off, hopefully when we win, and it’s hard not knowing who you’re going to play,” Kahrs said before the tournament began. “So, preparing for two teams is tough, and it’ll be a quick turnaround the next day. But, I like being the two seed and having time to prep for either team and then once we win, having that day off on Friday.”
The Tigers will have to play without MIAA All-Defensive honoree Kate Dilsaver, who tore her ACL late in the regular season.
Kahrs said the team will have to adjust to playing without Dilsaver ahead of the tournament.
“We just have to do different things and do other things better,” Kahrs said. “And so continuing for the girls to figure out their roles and play their roles and not feel like they have to do what Kate did because nobody can, and just continue to do what they can do really well.”
Dilsaver averaged 9.1 points and two steals per game in just over 30 minutes per night. However, the Tigers will lean on MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-MIAA member Olivia Hollenbeck, who averages 16.5 points per game, as well as honorable mention All-MIAA members Brooke Loewe and Talexa Weeter. Loewe leads the MIAA with 7.1 assists per game while Weeter scores 13.1 points per game off the bench.
“I think if we can continue just to play our role in whatever that looks like, night in and night out, and then obviously, just being down in numbers obviously plays a toll on your body when you’re playing three games in four days,” Kahrs said. “If we can do that and just really try to recover and those types of things, make sure we’re getting the rest that we need to continue to win.”
DeGarmo will have a target on her back as player of the year but trusts her teammates to do the job when she is being marked closely.
“I think that [attracting focus] is something I have been used to, but knowing I just have to ultimately play my game, let the game come to me, not try and do too much, and try and find my teammates when they’re open, and thankfully, they’re doing really well,” she said.
FHSU and UCM will tipoff at 8:15 tonight from inside Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City.