Box Score

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team held a seven-point lead with 3:32 to go in regulation, but Truman closed the second half on a 7-0 run to force overtime on its home floor. The teams needed two overtime periods to decide a winner as the Bulldogs edged the Lady Tigers 57-55 to remain unbeaten on their home floor. Truman moved to 15-3 overall, 8-2 in the MIAA with the win, while FHSU moved to 12-5 overall, 4-5 in the MIAA.
 
The game was a defensive battle throughout as neither team finished over 35 percent shooting from the field. FHSU led by as many as eight in the first half, but held just a two-point halftime lead, 23-21.
 
Neither team led by more than four points in the second half until FHSU jumped out to a seven-point lead with 5:59 remaining in the game, which completed an 8-0 run after trailing by one at the 10:29 mark. Fort Hays State's last bucket of the half was on a Kaiameka Brown jumped with 3:32 remaining. FHSU would miss its final four shot attempts and went 0-of-2 at the free-throw line the rest of the way, allowing Truman to close the half on a 7-0 run, capped by a pair of free-throws by Jennifer Conway with 17 seconds remaining.
 
Fort Hays State was on top by three points with 2:18 remaining in the first overtime, but Allie Norton drained a 3-point field goal for Truman with just over a minute remaining to tie the game. Katelyn Edwards drove and hit a layup with 39 seconds remaining, but Norton had the answer on the other end hitting a pull up jumper from the left wing to knot the score again a 50-50. Fort Hays State did not have a good final possession and could not get a shot attempt off before the first overtime expired.
 
In the second overtime, Truman went on a quick 5-0 run to take a two-possession lead at 57-52, but the Lady Tigers once again went cold from the field without a field goal in the final 4:14 of the second bonus frame. A pair of Edwards free-throws pulled the Lady Tigers within three at 57-54 with 2:27 remaining, and then she hit one of two with 15 seconds left to cut the lead to 57-55. Fort Hays State forced a steal on a backcourt trap with six seconds remaining, but out of a timeout, the Lady Tigers once again could not get a good look at the rim as Traci Keyser's desperation attempt just inside the arc sailed long at the buzzer. Truman escaped with the two-point win despite not scoring in the final 3:11 of the game.
 
Edwards finished with a team-high 12 points and 10 rebounds, her fifth double-double of the season. Kate Lehman added 10 points, along with six rebounds and four blocked shots.
 
Allie Norton led Truman with 13 points, burying the two key baskets for Truman in the first overtime to force the second overtime. Nicole Gloor added 11 points and Amy Briggs had 10.
 
Fort Hays State has failed to close out a second-half lead now in its last four losses, all of which have been against strong conference opponents. In the last three losses (Washburn, Pittsburg State, and Truman), the Lady Tigers led by six or more with under 10 minutes to play. In the first of the four losses, FHSU held a seven-point halftime lead at Emporia State, which evaporated before the 10-minute mark of the second half.
 
Fort Hays State looks to take advantage of a four-game homestand that begins on Wednesday (Jan. 30) against Central Oklahoma in Hays. Game time is set for 5:30 pm at Gross Memorial Coliseum.