Box Score

Central Missouri opened the game with a 13-2 run and never looked back as they handed the Fort Hays State women's basketball team their second loss of the season by a score of 76-66 on Wednesday night (Jan. 4) in Warrensburg, Mo. The loss snaps a five-game winning streak and drops the Lady Tigers to 12-2 (4-2 MIAA) on the season.  
 
Fort Hays State missed their first six shots of the game, while Central Missouri built a 13-2 lead after hitting 3-of-5 three's in the game's opening minutes. FHSU was finally able to mount some offense when freshman Kate Lehman came off the bench to hit three straight baskets in the middle of the half, but Central Missouri was able to match each and had built a 22-11 lead by the second media timeout.
 
The Jennies hit 6-of-13 shots from long range in the first half and over 50% of their shots overall to take a 44-24 lead to the break. Central Missouri held the Lady Tigers to their lowest scoring output in a half this season. Lehman was the lone bright spot in the half as she came in to score 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 3-4 at the free throw line. Nobody else for FHSU made more than one basket in the half and FHSU was held without a 3-pointer (0-9) in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Fort Hays State battled back in the second half after falling down 48-26 on the first possession of the half. FHSU finally started to shoot the ball a little better, but the deficit was too much to overcome. Traci Keyser knocked down the first three for FHSU at the 13:35 mark to cut the lead to 54-38 and a Melissa Nelson bucket on the next possession put FHSU within 14 at 54-40. Central Missouri would come back with six of the next eight points to extend the lead back to 18 at 60-42.
 
The defense would pick up over the next few possessions, allowing FHSU to pull within 10 at 62-52 following a pair of Lehman buckets bookended by three pointers from Crista Bechard and Keyser. Katelyn Edwards would finish off a 9-0 with by hitting a basket as she was fouled, but she missed the free throw that could have cut the lead to seven, and FHSU trailed 62-54 with 6:30 to play.
 
Nicole Caddell provided the answer for Central Missouri down the stretch, getting a bucket on two straight possessions to push the Jennies lead back into double digits at 66-56. Both teams went cold for the next few trips down the court until Kaiameka Brown hit a three pointer that brought FHSU back within striking distance at 68-59 with 2:23 to play. Caddell again provided offense for the Jennies, hitting 1-of-2 free throws on the next trip to push the lead back to 10.
 
FHSU would get within six at 69-63 following four consecutive free throws from Keyser, but following a timeout, Central Missouri drew up a play to get Caddell open on the inbounds pass and she got behind the defense to put UCM back up eight at 71-63. Keyser hit another three to cut the lead to 73-66, but it was too late and the Jennies were able to put the game away at the free throw stripe by a final of 76-66.
 
The 76 points given up by the Lady Tigers is the most on the season, and the 47.0% (31-of-66) shooting was the second-best by a team against FHSU this season. Conversely, Fort Hays State had one of their worst shooting games of the year, hitting just 5-of-21 (23.8%) from long range and 22-of-67 (32.8%) overall. Fort Hays State turned the ball over just nine times, but Central Missouri even topped that with just eight turnovers.
 
Central Missouri snapped a four-game conference losing streak with the win and they improve to 9-4 (3-4) on the year. Caddell led the Jennies with a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds. Taylor Hanson and Renae Shippy scored 16 and 14 points, respectively for the Jennies.
 
The good news for FHSU continues to be the emergence of Lehman, who recorded the first double-double of her career with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Keyser also notched her first double-double after going for 18 points and 12 rebounds, marking a new career high in rebounds for the second straight game. The Lady Tigers did outrebound Central Missouri 47-41, but UCM had six blocked shots to just one for FHSU.
 
Fort Hays State will return home from this road trip to face Southwest Baptist on Saturday (Jan. 7) at 2:00 p.m. in Gross Memorial Coliseum.