The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will hit the floor inside Gross Memorial Coliseum for the first time in 2018 this Saturday (Jan. 13) when Nebraska-Kearney makes the short drive down Highway 183. First tip between the Tigers and Lopers is set for 2 p.m.

*Saturday is the annual Mascot Day, with local mascots from around Ellis County will be joining Victor E. Tiger throughout the afternoon.*
 
The squads head into the weekend knotted up at 3-3 in conference play, two of four teams currently tied for seventh in the MIAA. In fact, the Tigers (12-3) and Lopers (11-3) have had eerily similar seasons to date, with each side defeating and losing to the same conference teams. Both teams also went undefeated in conference play, including two common opponents in Newman and UC-Colorado Springs.
 
The Tigers are coming off a thrilling 1-point road victory over Southwest Baptist, 62-61, while No. 11 Central Missouri brushed aside the Lopers with ease their last time out, 81-46.
 
Fort Hays State has played UNK more often than any other program, with this the 89th meeting in the all-time series. The Tigers hold a 53-35 lead all-time and have dominated of late, winning 14 straight against the Lopers. The last UNK victory was a one-point win in Hays during Tony Hobson's first year as head coach (11/22/08, 55-54). Fort Hays State is 33-10 against the Lopers in Hays. Hobson is 14-1 against the Blue and Gold, including a 7-1 mark inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers defeated UNK twice last season, including an 11-point win at home (64-53) and a 6-point victory on the road (57-51).
 
Tatyana Legette is coming off another strong performance last Saturday, finishing one rebound shy of her fourth double-double of the season. She upped her scoring average to a team-high 13.6 points per game while also leading the team in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and assists (2.7 apg), all ranked in the top 15 in the MIAA. The Tigers are one of two teams in the MIAA with four players scoring in double figures each night, with Kacey Kennett (12.9 ppg), Taylor Rolfs (10.3 ppg) and Carly Heim (10.2) joining Legette.
 
Despite this being the first meeting of the year between the Tigers and Lopers, UNK has already made one road trip to Hays this season. They played a pair of non-conference games inside Gross Memorial Coliseum during the second week of the season (Nov. 17-18), rallying from 14 down to defeat Newman in overtime before topping UC-Colorado Springs the following day. The Lopers average 75.2 points per game, including three players averaging 12 or more points in Michaela Barry (15.2), Alyssa Frauendorfer (12.6) and McKenzie Brown (12.4). Brown leads the Lopers with 6.6 rebounds per contest while Grace Barry dishes out 2.8 assists each night off the bench. The Lopers are led by former Tiger assistant Carrie Eighmey, who also assisted and played for Hobson at Hastings College.