Box Score

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team hosted Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 19) for Senior Day. The Lions closed the game on a 15-6 run to take a 62-53 victory.

The game was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than 8 until the final minutes. The Lady Tigers fought back from 39-31 deficit with 13:26 to play and tied the game at 40 on a layup by Traci Keyser with 10:52 to go. Missouri Southern quickly raced the lead back out to 47-40 thanks to a pair of baskets by Jasmine Lovejoy and a 3-pointer from Afton Baldwin.

The Lady Tigers had one last surge left in them, pulling the game tied at 47 on a deep 2-point jumper by Kimber Weiser with 6:31 to play. From there, however the Lions would pull away and hold FHSU without another field goal. Missouri Southern took there largest lead of 62-50 with 16 seconds to play, but a trio of free throws by Weiser would cut the final margin back to 62-53.

Crista Bechard and Keyser each had 14 points for the Lady Tigers, who fall to 12-12 overall and 9-11 in conference play. Kara Champlin scored 4 points but grabbed 11 rebounds in her final collegiate game at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Fort Hays State struggled shooting the ball, hitting 32.7% (16-49) of their field goals and 22.7% (5-22) of their 3-point attempts.

Baldwin led Missouri Southern (15-9, 13-7 MIAA) with 18 points, while Lovejoy and Erin Rice each had 13.

The Lady Tigers are on the road for the final two games of the regular season, taking on Pittsburg State on Wednesday (Feb. 23) and Emporia State on Saturday (Feb. 26)