After a dominant performance in the semifinals, the third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will play for its first MIAA tournament title Sunday (March 10) when the Tigers (29-1) take on No. 24 Central Missouri (24-5). First tip from historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo. is set for 3:15 p.m.
 
This is the third trip to the MIAA Women's Basketball Championship title game for Fort Hays State, and its second-straight appearance. The Tigers have one conference tournament title all-time, winning the 1993 RMAC Shootout.
 
Sunday's contest will be available on Cox channel 22, Spectrum channel 30 and the Midco Sports Network for fans across the region unable to make it to KC. More information can be found here.
 
Central Missouri holds a 15-13 lead in the all-time series, but Fort Hays State has been clawing back of late. The Tigers have won six of the last eight matchups. The Jennies have controlled things at neutral sites, winning five of six such contests. FHSU is 1-3 against UCM in the MIAA tournament, including a win in the most recent meeting. The Tigers are 11-10 against Central Missouri under Tony Hobson.
 
UCM enters the title game on an eight-game winning streak. The Jennies cruised past Central Oklahoma in the MIAA quarterfinals, 80-47, before rallying in the second half to defeat Lindenwood in the semifinals, 67-61. The defending national champions rank second behind FHSU in the league in scoring margin (+10.3), scoring 72.8 points each game while giving up 62.4 per night. UCM ranks 11th in the league with 36.6 rebounds per contest. They rank second with 8.4 three-point makes every game. UCM placed two starters on the All-MIAA first team roster in senior Paige Redmond and junior Morgan Fleming. Redmond leads the team and ranks third in the MIAA in both scoring (16.6 ppg) and assists (4.4 apg). Fleming scores 15.2 points per game and adds 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Adding in third team All-MIAA performer Megan Skaggs, the Jennies leading scorers account for nearly 65 percent of their scoring.
 
MIAA Championship Game Notables
-Teams are 8-10 in the MIAA Championship game the year after losing in the title game
-No. 1 seeds are 20-10 all-time in the title game
-No. 1 seeds are 10-8 vs No. 2 seeds in the title game
-A No. 1 seed has not won the MIAA title since 2013, longest drought in tournament history
-The Tigers are 12-9 in the MIAA Championship tournament
-The Tigers are 0-2 in the championship game
-Fort Hays State is 4-1 as the No. 1 seed, 1-5 as the No. 2 seed and 0-1 as the No. 1 seed against No. 2