The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will play their final road game of the 2012 season on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 18) against Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. The Lady Tigers have won three consecutive games and are alone in fifth place in the MIAA standings, now just one game out of fourth place. FHSU, who knocked off Missouri Southern 80-63 earlier this season in Hays, has not swept a season series from the Lions since joining the MIAA and they have won in Joplin just once in that same span.
Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern have met 38 times in women's basketball, dating back to the 1976-77 season. Fort Hays State won nine of the first eleven meetings between the teams and the Lady Tigers currently hold a 22-16 all-time edge. The two teams have split the season series in four of the five seasons since FHSU joined the MIAA, with Missouri Southern winning both meetings last season. The Lady Tigers, who have won just once in Joplin as a conference member, will be looking to sweep Missouri Southern for the first time since joining the MIAA.
Missouri Southern is 7-17 (3-15 MIAA) on the year after losing seven of their last eight games. The Lions have fallen to the bottom of the conference standings, but with a win they could pull back into contention for a trip to Kansas City for the MIAA Tournament. Missouri Southern averages 63.5 points per game, 10th in the MIAA, and are led in scoring and rebounding by Erin Rice, who averages 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Larrita Gipson is dishing out 2.8 assists per game to lead the team.
Keriann Shaw joined the starting lineup at Washburn four games ago, making her the second freshman starter for Fort Hays State, joining
Kate Lehman. Shaw has been starting in place of
Kelsie Sorenson, who has been out with an illness and might be able to return for the MIAA Tournament. The freshmen have joined three players who have started all 25 games (
Crista Bechard,
Katelyn Edwards and
Traci Keyser) in the starting lineup. The Tigers have gone 3-1 since Shaw has been a starter and she has contributed 4.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in that span.
