The 10th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team returns to the floor after a two-week break when it hosts South Dakota School of Mines at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. Tipoff is set for 2 pm. The Lady Tigers enter the game at 9-0 overall, the best start in school history for the program. South Dakota Mines enters at 9-3 overall and on a three-game win streak.
The Lady Tigers are the only unbeaten team remaining in the MIAA after No. 6 ranked Washburn suffered two straight losses just before the Christmas break. Fort Hays State is one of just three teams to remain unbeaten in MIAA play, which resumes on January 3 for the Lady Tigers at Northeastern State. This is the first-ever meeting with South Dakota School of Mines in women's basketball for FHSU. South Dakota Mines is a provisional member of NCAA Division II, making the transition from NAIA.
Kate Lehman leads FHSU in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots. She is averaging 18.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 blocked shots per game. She leads NCAA Division II in blocked shots per game and is helping the Lady Tigers rank second nationally in that category at 7.4 per game. Lehman has scored in double figures in all nine games this year.
Kate Edwards is also performing at her steady rate, reaching double figures in each contest this year. She is averaging 13.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. She is also tied for the team lead in assists per game at 3.1 with
Kaiameka Brown.
Melissa Nelson is third on the team in scoring at 8.8 points per game and
Tera Ingalsbe is coming off the bench to average 7.9 points per game. All five of Fort Hays State's starters are averaging at least five points per game.
Fort Hays State leads NCAA Division II in scoring defense, allowing just 46.0 points per game, and scoring margin (+32.0). The Lady Tigers also rank in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin, turnovers per game, and field goal percentage defense.
