HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team scored the first 11 points Thursday (Jan. 14) and never looked back, cruising past Northwest Missouri State, 74-49. The Tigers (7-2, 7-2 MIAA) hit nine shots from behind the arc, including five 3-pointers from Jaden Hobbs and three from Whitney Randall.
 
Randall opened the scoring with a 3-pointer from the top of the key just 10 seconds into the contest. The senior went on to lead the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her second-career double-double. The Alva, Okla. native hit 4-of-7 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.
 
Just about everything went right for the Tigers early on, with the home team scoring on its first four possessions while holding the visitors scoreless for nearly three minutes. The defense forced a shot-clock violation after Randall's triple before Olivia Hollenbeck converted a layup off a pass from Sydney Golladay.
 
Hobbs drilled her first long-range attempt the next trip down the floor before Hollenbeck pushed the lead to double-digits with a stick-back layup through contact. The freshmen made the following free throw to give the Tigers an 11-0 lead just two minutes, 15 seconds into the game.
 
Northwest (3-4, 3-4 MIAA) closed within five after six quick points, but the Tigers kept things rolling in the quarter. Fort Hays State hit 9-of-14 from the floor in the opening frame, including a 5-of-8 effort from behind the arc.
 
The Tigers scored the next nine points to go in front by double figures for good, culminated by a Golladay three in transition at the 4:50 mark.
 
Randall opened the scoring in the second quarter with another 3-pointer, this time on a pass from Golladay. Hobbs took care of business the rest of the stanza, hitting 3-of-3 from the floor and both of her 3-point attempts to give her 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the opening half.
 
The Tigers cooled off a bit in the third quarter offensively, but the defense was just as stout, holding the Bearcats to just three field goals while forcing three turnovers in the period.
 
Fort Hays State led by as many as 34 midway through the fourth quarter after back-to-back buckets from Jessie Sallach. The freshman hit 3-of-4 shots in the second half, scoring a team-high six points after halftime while adding four rebounds.
 
The win, combined with other results from around the conference, helped the Tigers leap from fourth to second in the MIAA standings.
 
Fort Hays State finished the game shooting 48.1 percent from the floor (25-of-52), the Tigers' third-straight game shooting 45 percent or better. The Tigers hit 9-of-20 from behind the arc (45 percent) and 15-of-18 from the charity stripe (83.3 percent).
 
The Tiger defense forced 15 turnovers thanks to seven steals while blocking six shots. NWMSU was held to a season-low 33.3 percent effort from the floor (17-of-51). Their 49 points match their lowest scoring output of the season.
 
Hobbs totaled 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including a 5-of-7 night from behind the arc. The senior added four assists, two steals and two rebounds.
 
Hollenbeck tallied 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks, while Sallach added eight points, four rebounds and one assist. Golladay dished out a team-high six assists to go along with five points, two rebounds and one steal.
 
The Tigers wrap up their quick homestand Saturday against Missouri Western beginning at 2 p.m.