Box Score The Fort Hays State women's basketball team extended its win streak to five games, hanging on for a 54-53 win in Maryville, Mo. on Wednesday evening (Feb. 13). Northwest Missouri State had a chance to tie the game with three free-throws with one second remaining, but the final attempt missed allowing FHSU to escape with the one-point win. FHSU moved to 17-5 overall and 9-5 in the MIAA with the win. Northwest Missouri State moved to 11-11 overall and 5-9 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State went on an 8-0 run early in the game and led by as many as nine in the first half before heading into the locker room only up three at halftime, 27-24.

Northwest Missouri State pulled even and even took the lead a few times early in the second half before FHSU ran its lead back to six with 10:38 remaining. However, the Bearcats reeled the Lady Tigers in again with an 11-2 run to take a three-point lead with 3:36 remaining. The Lady Tigers responded with a 6-0 burst to take the lead back by three with Tera Ingalsbe burying a pair of shots in the run.

With FHSU up one with just over 10 seconds remaining, Kelsie Sorenson grabbed a huge offensive rebound to keep the ball with FHSU. Traci Keyser buried a pair of free-throws to push the lead back to three. Northwest Missouri State's Monique Stevens was fouled beyond the 3-point line with just over a second remaining, but she only hit the first two of three free-throws and Sorenson was there for the rebound again to secure the game for FHSU.

Kate Lehman finished with her seventh double-double of the season, a 14-point, 10-rebound effort to lead FHSU. She also added four blocked shots. Traci Keyser also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points.

Monique Stevens led NWMSU with 12 points, followed by Maggie Marnin with 11. Both teams struggled offensively from the field, FHSU at 31.5 percent shooting for the game, compared to 30.8 percent for NWMSU.

With the win, Fort Hays State mathematically clinched a spot in the 12-team MIAA Tournament, still with four games to go. FHSU is still on the outside looking in for the top four seeds in the conference tournament. FHSU is currently in sixth, just a half game back of fifth, but still two games back in the loss column of third and fourth place. The top four seeds get byes to Kansas City and do not have to play in the opening round for seeds 5-through-12.

Fort Hays State looks for its sixth-straight win on Saturday afternoon at Nebraska-Kearney. Game time is set for 2 pm at the Health and Sports Center in Kearney, Neb.