The final home game of the 2011-12 season for the Fort Hays State women's basketball team is going to be a big one. Fort Hays State hosts in-state rival and No. 22-ranked Emporia State on Saturday (Feb. 25) for Senior Day with a chance to tie the Lady Hornets in the MIAA Conference Standings. After knocking off No. 11 Pittsburg State on Wednesday, the Lady Tigers are 20-7 (12-7 MIAA) on the year, just one game behind Emporia State (18-7 (13-6 MIAA) who is in a tie for third place.
The in-state rivalry between Fort Hays State and Emporia State is the third-most played series in FHSU history. The Lady Tigers and Hornets have faced off 67 times dating back to the 1974- 75 season, with Emporia State holding a 41-26 advantage in the all-time series. Emporia State has won the last 13 meetings between the schools, including the past 11 with FHSU as a member of the MIAA. Fort Hays State hasn't knocked off the Hornets since taking a 65-62 win in Hays on December 8, 2002.
Emporia State is ranked No. 22 in NCAA Division II and No. 5 in the most recent South Central Region Rankings. The Lady Hornets are coming off a loss to MIAA-leading Washburn on Wednesday and they have slid into a tie for third with Central Missouri in the conference standings. The Lady Hornets play stout defense, ranking second in the MIAA in scoring defense (59.0 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (35.3%) and they have the best 3-point percentage defense (27.1%) in the conference. Emporia State has three players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Heather Robben at 14.0 points per game. Merissa Quick (11.2) and Kelsey Balcom (10.8) are the other leading scorers for the Lady Hornets, and Quick also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Fort Hays State will be facing their seventh ranked opponent of the season on Saturday, with a record of 2-4 against such teams to date. FHSU opened the season with a 67-56 win over No. 20 Tarleton State, then lost four straight against ranked foes before knocking off No. 11 Pittsburg State on Wednesday. Fort Hays State is 13-50 against ranked foes since joining NCAA Division II with an 11-15 record against ranked foes at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Lady Tigers are 4-17 against ranked foes under
Tony Hobson, but they are 4-6 against ranked teams since the beginning of last season.
Saturday's game will be the final home game for the three seniors on the 2011-12 Fort Hays State team.
Crista Bechard,
Janel Durler and
Kimber Weiser will all be playing their final game at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Bechard has started all 53 games she's played at FHSU since joining the Tigers before last season. Durler has started 21 of 52 games in her two-year career, averaging 1.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Weiser has appeared in 71 games over three seasons, making two starts, and has a career average of 4.7 points per game.
