Box Score
Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern kicked off the New Year with a MIAA conference game that saw 12 lead changes – ultimately won by the Lions, 76-71, in Joplin, Mo.
The Tigers (8-2, 2-2 MIAA) struggled from the free throw line, hitting just 53.7 percent (22 of 41) from the charity stripe. Beyond the arc, FHSU hit on three of its 12 attempts, as
Beth Bohuslavsky,
Nikola Kacperska and
Paige Lunsford had treys.
Junior center
Kate Lehman put together her seventh consecutive double-double in the loss, leading the team with 15 rebounds (she has 32 rebounds in last two games) and tying Kate Edwards for a team-high 17 points. Lehman added five blocks, just below her NCAA-leading per game average (5.5). Edwards just missed a double-double, pulling down nine boards and dishing out three assists to go with her 5-of-7 field goal shooting.
Freshman
Jill Faxon finished the game with nine points, all of which came in the first half, while
Chelsea Mason and Bohuslavsky had seven and six points, respectively.
Taylor Chandler and Kerrian Shaw tied Edwards for the team lead in assists (three).
Down by as many as seven (22-15) midway through the first half, Fort Hays State hung tough with Missouri Southern until 9:50, when the two tied at 24-24. A quick 4-0 burst gave FHSU a 28-24 lead, but the Lions fought back to lead, 34-31 with 4:29 to go in the half. Lehman, though, hit a layup with 3:07 to go to spark an 8-0 run for the Tigers, sending the teams to break with FHSU ahead, 39-34.
FHSU led by eight (63-55) with 8:39 remaining in the contest, but a 14-3 run for MSSU over the next 5:21 gave the Lions a 69-66 lead – the final lead change of the day. The Tigers would get back within two points with a Mason free throw on the next possession, but another burst of four unanswered Lion points stretched MSSU's lead to five.
With just under 30 seconds remaining, Chandler hit a layup to pull FHSU within one score (74-71), but two free throws for MSSU put the game out of reach.
The Tigers now head for Bolivar, Mo., where they will face Southwest Baptist on Monday evening at 5:30 p.m.
