Fort Hays State used double-digit scoring efforts from three Tigers to pick up a 71-65 season opening win over Bemidji State on Friday, Nov. 14 at the Radisson Hotel Roseville Classic in St. Paul, Minn. 

FHSU (1-0) led by as many as 15 in the game, but was forced to hang on late as BSU (0-1) kept the game close down to the wire.
 
The Tigers stormed out of the gate, jumping out to a 12-4 lead in the first four minutes before stretching their lead to 15 (25-10) just eight minutes in.  That dominance, however, would not last as BSU answered with three consecutive three-pointers as part of a 15-1 run that cut the lead to one (26-25) at 7:29.  A free throw and a layup from Kate Lehman put the Tigers back up by four, though BSU trailed by two twice more in the half (29-27 and 32-30).  Inside 35 seconds to play, a four-point burst to end the half sent the Tigers to the break up six, 36-30.
 
Out of the pause, again started hot, using an 11-4 run (including nine unanswered) over the first 3:37 of the final period to push the lead back to double-digits 47-34. After BSU shrunk the Tigers' lead to six (42-48) at 14:37, three-pointers from Jill Faxon and Chelsea Mason provided an answer to push the lead back above 10 – where it stayed until 3:32 when a layup from BSU's Sierra Senske brought the score to 65-56. 
 
Inside 30 seconds to go, FHSU looked to be in control with a 10-point lead, but a jump shot from Tatum Sheley and a layup from Aimee Pelzer in a three-second span pulled the Beavers within striking distance (68-62).  Nikola Kacperska hit one of two free throws on the other end to put the lead back at seven, but Sheley's three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining continued to keep BSU close, down 69-65. Beth Bohuslavsky sealed the game with 12 seconds on the clock, however, hitting both free throws and sending the Tigers towards their 10th consecutive season-opening win.
 
Although the Tigers lost the turnover battle, 18-17, they did outscore BSU 19-12 in points off turnovers, including a 14-4 advantage in the second half.  On the boards, FHSU was dominant, outhustling the Beavers 52-39 overall and 21-11 on the offensive end. 
 
Both squads shot well from the field, hitting over 38 percent of their field goals, though FHSU shot just 47.6 percent from the charity stripe (10-21).
 
Lehman just missed a double-double for the evening, pacing the Tigers with 24 points and nine rebounds – adding three blocks in 29 minutes on the floor.  Bohuslavsky matched the rebounding effort with nine boards of her own, adding five points and a team-high seven assists.
 
Faxon's 21 points tied a career-high (set last season against Oklahoma-Panhandle State), as the sophomore hit 5-of-9 from three-point range while pulling down six rebounds and dishing out five assists.
 
Elle Stein was the other Tiger to hit double-digit in scoring, adding 11 to the winning effort in her Fort Hays State debut.
 
Under head coach Tony Hobson, FHSU is now 7-0 in season openers.
 
The Tigers continue their stay at the Radisson Hotel Roseville Classic on Saturday, Nov. 15, taking on host No. 10 Concordia-St. Paul at 5 p.m.