HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team rang in the new year with a 68-39 victory over Bethany College Saturday afternoon in Hays (Dec. 30). The Tigers head into 2018 with an 11-2 record, while the game was an exhibition for the 8-7 Swedes.
 
The Tigers never trailed, scoring the first bucket just six seconds into the contest after Tatyana Legette sent the opening tip back to Lindsay Shupe, who found Emma Stroyan open under the basket for an easy layup. FHSU held Bethany scoreless for more than three minutes to open the game, allowing the Tigers to build a 7-0 lead.
 
Tiger newcomer Lanie Page made her FHSU debut midway through the opening quarter and immediately made her presence known. The sophomore transfer from K-State drilled her first four shots in a Tiger uniform en route to a team-high 14 points on the afternoon. Belle Barbieri grabbed an offensive rebound and found Page alone in the left corner, allowing the Wamego, Kan. native to knock down a 3-pointer on her first attempt of the year. Page added another triple from nearly the same spot two minutes later before knocking down a baseline jumper late in the period, helping the Tigers to a 10-0 run to extend the lead to 19-6.
 
Fort Hays State turned on the jets in the second quarter, scoring 22 points on 61.5 percent shooting (8-of-13) to head into the break in front 41-20. Whitney Randall would have set a new career-high had she just played in the second quarter, totaling seven points after drilling her first collegiate 3-pointer. The Tigers led by as many as 22 after going on a 12-2 run in the heart of the quarter. Randall and Carly Heim both hit a pair of free throws before Randall knocked down a triple from the top of the key, forcing the Swedes to use a timeout. The Tigers kept the pressure on out of the huddle as Page knocked down another jumper and Kacey Kennett poured in a 3-pointer on the next two trips down the floor.
 
Both sides were a bit sluggish in the third quarter, combining for 12 turnovers and just seven field goals. Five of those buckets, however, belonged to the Tigers, helping FHSU stretch its lead to 25 with 10 minutes to play, 52-27. The Tiger defense allowed just two Swede field goals in the period, including none over the final five minutes, 49 seconds. Stroyan matched her career-high with five blocks in the contest, including two in the third period.
 
Thanks to the strong defensive effort, the Tigers scored 12-straight points from the end of the third quarter into the final period, stretching the lead as high as 31 points, 58-27. The Swedes answered with a 9-2 run later in the quarter, but a 3-pointer from Whitney Clampitt in the final minute of the game sent the Tigers out on top.
 
Page led the team with 14 points, while Legette added 10 points and led the way with eight rebounds and three steals. 10 of the 13 Tigers to see the floor scored at least one point. Fort Hays State blocked 12 shots in the victory, its most in a game in almost exactly one year (15 vs Kansas Christian, 12/31/16).
 
The Tigers, winners of four-straight, will now return to conference play for the remainder of the season. First up is a road trip to Warrensburg, Mo. to take on 11th-ranked Central Missouri on Thursday (Jan. 4). First tip is set for 5:30 p.m. from the UCM Multipurpose Building.