#5 Fort Hays State (19-2, 19-2 MIAA) at
Northwest Missouri State (7-14, 7-14 MIAA)
Saturday, February 27, 2021 • 1:30 p.m.
Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Arena

The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team looks to match the MIAA record for conference wins in a season Saturday (Feb. 27) when the Tigers wrap up the regular season at Northwest Missouri State. The opening tip from Bearcat Arena in Maryville, Mo. is set for 1:30 p.m.

After clinching at least a share of their third MIAA regular season championship Thursday, the Tigers (19-2, 19-2 MIAA) can win the trophy outright with a win Saturday. If the Tigers reach 20 wins, it would match Missouri Western's record for conference wins in a single season by an MIAA team (2015-16).

Fort Hays State could have a pair of players go over 1,000 career points on Saturday, with Jaden Hobbs sitting six points away (994 career points including OSU) and Whitney Randall currently 12 points shy of 1,000 (988 points).

Hobbs leads the MIAA and ranks fifth nationally with an assist/turnover ratio of 3.05 while ranking fourth in the country with 122 assists on the year. She also ranks in the top 10 in Division II with 57 3-pointers made (second) and 48 steals (ninth).

Jessie Sallach has scored in double figures in each of the last two games after scoring 10 points in less than 10 minutes Thursday.

Olivia Hollenbeck has 40 blocks on the year, good for 11th in the country.

The Tigers need one more win to reach 20 victories for the 10th year in a row. FHSU had only recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons twice before the current streak began in 2011-12 (1989-90 and 1990-91, 2004-05 and 2005-06). In comparison, the Tigers recorded eight 20-win seasons over the first 42 years of the program before reaching the milestone each of the last nine years. Tony Hobson has coached the team to nine of its 17 20-win seasons, the most for a single coach all-time.

The Tigers are 16-10 all-time against the Bearcats, while Northwest Missouri State holds a 7-5 advantage in games played in Maryville. The Tigers have won 12 of the last 13 meetings, including each of the last four. Fort Hays State is 14-4 against the Bearcats under Hobson, including a 5-4 mark on the road.

Fort Hays State is 49-40 in games played in Missouri under Hobson.

Northwest Missouri State enters the final game of the regular season 7-14 overall and one game back of the No. 8 seed. The Bearcats need a win and a Missouri Southern loss to qualify for the MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Citizens Bank & Trust. NWMSU ranks 13th in the league in scoring (54.5 ppg), but ranks fourth in the conference in scoring defense (59.2 ppg). The Bearcats grab 29.8 rebounds each night, fewest in the MIAA. They average just 10.6 turnovers per game, fourth-fewest in the country. Freshman Molly Hartnett leads the team and ranks 13th in the MIAA with an average of 14.2 points per contest. She also dishes out a team-high 2.7 assists each game while Mallory McConkey grabs a team-best 5.7 rebounds per night.