The 16th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team opens a three-game home swing Saturday (Feb. 1) with a big conference matchup against Nebraska-Kearney. Opening tip in the rivalry matchup is slated for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Promotions
Game Sponsor: Eagle
National Anthem: Washington Grade School
Student Section Theme: Black out the Lopers - wear black!
Kids K-12th grade get in FREE courtesy of Eagle and FHSU Athletics
Halftime performance: Vision Dance
 
The Tigers (16-3, 7-3 MIAA) are looking to avenge one of this season's losses after falling to the Lopers (19-2, 8-2 MIAA) back in December. Jaden Hobbs tallied 20 points and four assists in that contest, with Belle Barbieri nearly picking up a double-double (15 points, nine rebounds).
 
Fort Hays State is riding a 32 game regular season home winning streak, dating back more than two years. The Lopers were the last team to defeat FHSU at home during the regular season, winning 78-64 in January 2018.
 
Fort Hays State holds a 56-37 lead in the all-time series with UNK, including a 34-11 edge in games played in Hays. The Tigers have more games against and more wins over the Lopers than any other team in program history. FHSU has dominated the series of late, winning 17 of the last 19 meetings. Head coach Tony Hobson is 17-3 against the Lopers, including wins in eight of the 10 games played inside GMC. Hobson holds a 7-2 edge when coaching against his former player and assistant coach and current UNK head coach Carrie Eighmey.
 
Hobbs is currently averaging 4.6 assists per contest, which would tie for third-most in a single season in program history.
 
Kacey Kennett has been a scoring machine for the Tigers of late, averaging 16.8 points over the last four games.
 
Barbieri has been comfortable playing at home all season, knocking down 65.7 percent of her shots inside the Coliseum and leading the team with 12.0 points per home game.
 
Nebraska-Kearney currently sits in second in the MIAA standings with an overall record of 19-2 and an conference mark of 8-2. Both teams to defeat the Lopers this season are from the state of Kansas (Pittsburg State, Emporia State). They lead the league in both scoring offense with 79.4 points per game and scoring defense at 54.6 points allowed per contest. Their +24.8 scoring margin is fifth-best in the country. The Lopers sit just behind the Tigers in assist/turnover ratio, ranking fourth nationally at 1.46. They dish out 18.6 assists each night, fourth-most in the league. Haley Simental leads the team with 12.1 points per game, with Maegan Holt (10.8 ppg) and Brooke Carlson (10.7 ppg) also averaging in double figures. Simental's 3-point shooting percentage of 46.9 percent is 11th-best in the country.