Box Score

Traci Keyser was one of four players scoring in double figures for Fort Hays State as they knocked off Southwest Baptist 64-55 on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 7) at Gross Memorial Coliseum.  Keyser led the Lady Tigers with 15 points, while Melissa Nelson had 12 and Katelyn Edwards and Kaiameka Brown each scored 10. The win improves FHSU to 13-2 (5-2 MIAA) on the year, surpassing their win total from last season.

Southwest Baptist held an advantage over the Lady Tigers in field goals and shooting percentage, but FHSU countered with an 11 rebound advantage and 10 more free throws which proved to be the difference. SBU shot 22-of-51 (43.1%) from the field and 5-of-14 (35.7%) from beyond the arc, but only got to the free throw line seven times, making six of them. Fort Hays State was 21-of-55 (38.2%) from the field and 6-of-21 (28.6%) from downtown, but used their size and quickness advantage to draw five more fouls which resulted in 18 more free throws. Keyser knocked down 5-of-6 free throws for FHSU, who made 16-of-25 (64%) attempts from the line, as FHSU outrebounded the Bearcats 41-30.

FHSU failed to score for the first two minutes of the game before Keyser knocked down the first of her two three pointers in the game. The Tigers quickly took a four point lead after a bucket from Edwards would not look back for most of the half. SBU cut the lead to one two different times, but the depth of FHSU paid off late in the half. Keyser hit her second three with 2:09 to play in the half, upping the lead to nine at 32-23. The bucket sparked a 7-0 run by FHSU to end the half, capped off by a Janel Durler layup in the final minute which sent the Tigers to the break with a 36-23 lead.

Southwest Baptist came out of the break and scored the first five points, cutting the Tiger lead to eight at 36-28. Fort Hays State countered with a 10-0 run which really broke the game open for good. The lead reached its peak at 21 after Brown knocked down a three pointer which made the score 63-42 with just over five minutes to play. SBU continued to battle and held Fort Hays State to just one point the rest of the way, but they could not overcome the FHSU lead. Chasity Prince hit a three for the Bearcats with seven seconds to play that cut the lead to 64-55, the closest that SBU had been for most of the half.

LaKendra Smith had a huge game to pace the Bearcats, going for 21 points and 13 rebounds. Kayla Hruby also had 13 for SBU, who falls to 5-8 (1-7 MIAA) on the season.

Fort Hays State got strong contributions from several players, being paced by Keyser with 15 and Nelson with 12. Kate Lehman continued her emergence, scoring eight points, pulling down eight rebounds and blocking three shots in 21 minutes of action. She tied with Durler for the team lead in rebounds, while four different players (Keyser, Brown, Christa Bechard, Kelsie Sorenson) had two assists each. The Tigers tied their season low with just four steals, but they turned the ball over only 12 times, nearly three below their season average.

There is little time for the Lady Tigers to rest and regroup as Missouri Southern visits Gross Memorial Coliseum on Monday (Jan. 9) for another MIAA contest. The game will tip off at 5:30 pm.