The women's basketball team will hit the road for the first time in nearly a month Wednesday (Dec. 5) when they travel to Topeka, Kan. to take on Washburn. First tip is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Lee Arena.
 
The Tigers enter the contest 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA, while the Ichabods open their conference schedule 6-1 on the year.
 
Fort Hays State won a thriller in its last trip to Topeka, defeating the Ichabods 61-60. FHSU trailed by as many as 19 after a 10-0 Washburn run to open the second half, but an unbelievable 29-4 run capped off by a half-court buzzer beater from Nikola Kacperska put the Tigers in front for good. Sarah Pimentel hit a free throw with five seconds left to put FHSU in front by four before Washburn hit an inconsequential buzzer beater of its own.
 
FHSU is 32-46 all-time against the Ichabods, and 15-23 against WU in Topeka. Tony Hobson is 7-11 against the Ichabods, including a 2-6 mark inside Lee Arena. The Tigers have won the last five games against WU, including two straight in Topeka for the first time since 1993-95. A win Wednesday would give the Tigers three straight wins in Topeka for the first time since 1980-82 and would match FHSU's longest winning streak in the series (6 games, 1976-79).
 
The Tigers turn the ball over just 10.1 times per game, fewest in all NCAA Division II. FHSU is also among the national leaders in assist/turnover ratio, ranking seventh with a mark of 1.39.
 
Two Tigers are averaging more than 15 points so far this season in Tatyana Legette (15.6) and Kacey Kennett (15.4). FHSU has not had multiple players finish a season with more than 15 points since Hobson's first year at the helm. (2008-09, Erica Biel 15.9 and Naomi Bancroft 15.4). Legette also leads the Tigers in rebounds (8.7 rpg) and assists (2.9 apg) and is the only player ranked in the top 10 in the MIAA in all three categories. Whitney Clampitt continues to impress in her freshman season, averaging 8.6 points and ranking second on the team with 2.6 assists per game. Belle Barbieri was a rebounding machine last week, grabbing 19 rebounds over the two games while making her first career start against Pittsburg State.
 
Washburn is coming off its first loss of the season after losing last week at Newman, 52-45. The Ichabods average 73 points per game, good for 8th in the MIAA. WU is 4-0 inside Lee Arena so far this season. Reagan Phelan is the leading scorer for WU, ranking 18th in the league with 14.0 points per game while ranking 5th in the MIAA with 2.3 steals each night. Axelle Bernard grabs an average of nine rebounds each game, tied for sixth-most in the conference. Denesia Smith dishes out more than three assists per night, good for sixth in the MIAA.