Coming off back-to-back wins over Top 5 teams, the sixth-ranked Fort Hays State Women's Basketball team continues its stretch of rivalry games this Saturday (Jan. 31) at Washburn.  Game time from Topeka, Kan., is set for 5 p.m., and is the first of two meetings between the teams this season.
 
FHSU (19-1, 11-0 MIAA) currently holds a two-game lead in the MIAA standings, but will face a tough test at Lee Arena, where they haven't beaten the Ichabods in over 20 years (the last victory was during the 1994-95 season).  Under head coach Tony Hobson, the Tigers are 2-11 against Washburn, though they split last season in home and away contests. 
 
Kate Lehman continues to anchor the Tigers, averaging a double-double in points (20.8) and rebounds (10.8) with 90 blocks on the year.  Lehman is 12 rebounds away from No. 1,000 in her career, and moved into third on the school's all-time scoring list with 18 points against Emporia State last Thursday.  Chelsea Mason is netting 2.3 three-pointers per game and leads the team with 46 made on the year – a big part of her 12.6 scoring average (second highest on the team). 
 
Jill Faxon has reached double-digits in three consecutive games, pulling her average up to just below the 10-point margin at 9.4 on average.  Keriann Shaw has three double-doubles on the year and has provided FHSU a spark with 6.6 rebounds and 6.1 points per game.
 
Washburn (14-5, 6-5 MIAA) is tied for fifth in the conference and battling for a first-round bye in the MIAA Tournament as the season nears its fourth month.  The Ichabods were previously ranked as high as seventh in the WBCA Top 25, but fell out of the rankings two weeks ago and are receiving votes.  Taylor Ignoto leads the team at 13.9 points per game, while Casyn Buchman is scoring 13.6 points per game with 4.8 rebounds on average.  In the paint, Jayna Smith's 6.5 rebounds per game is a team-high, just ahead of Honor Duvall, who is averaging 6.2 rebounds with 12.0 points per contest.
 
Should the Tigers win on Saturday, it will be the fourth consecutive 20-win season for FHSU and the fourth overall under Hobson.  The Tigers have never had four consecutive 20-win seasons, and could approach the school's NCAA Division II wins record (23) by the end of the year.