HAYS, Kan. - The 23rd-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team forced 22 turnovers and knocked down more than 46 percent from the floor in a wire-to-wire victory over Tabor College Saturday evening (Nov. 26) inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, 65-51. The Tigers (4-3) were well-balanced on offense, with eight different players scoring at least five points in the victory.
 
The Tigers scored the first 13 points and never looked back, holding Tabor scoreless for more than seven minutes to start the game. The Tiger defense set the tone early, forcing eight Bluejay turnovers on Tabor's first nine possessions.
 
Fort Hays State led by as many as 17 in the first before the visitors scored the final bucket to make the score 19-4 in favor of the Tigers after one period. Tabor got things going a bit on offense in the second quarter, knocking down three from behind the arc and hitting 7-of-11 from the floor to close within 12 by halftime, 35-23.
 
A 14-4 Tabor run spanning the final 35 seconds of the first half and the first six minutes of the second half helped the Bluejays close within two possessions, 39-33. But a bucket from Katie Wagner, combined with two more Wagner baskets during the Tabor run, helped the Tigers maintain momentum before a big 3-pointer from Kate Dilsaver pushed the lead back to double figures for good.

 
Fort Hays State went on to score 12 of the final 14 points in the third quarter, highlighted by a buzzer-beating triple from the top of the key out of the hands of Megan Earney. The Clive, Iowa sophomore then repeated the effort early in the fourth quarter, drilling a triple from the same spot as the shot clock expired to build the lead to 20, 58-38.
 
The Tigers later led by as many as 24 following buckets from Kia Wilson and Clary Donica before Tabor closed the game on a 13-3 run.
 
Fort Hays State turned the 22 Tabor turnovers into 24 points while converting on 13 offensive rebounds to the tune of 13 second-chance points. The Tigers dished out a season-high 22 assists on their 30 made buckets, including five each from Brooke Loewe and Sydney Golladay, four from Ellie Stearns and three from Olivia Hollenbeck.

 
Wagner led the team with 16 points after hitting 8-of-13 from the floor, while Wilson, Donica and Hollenbeck all scored eight points each. Stearns, Sallach and Earney all had six points in the win, while Teegan Werth led the Bluejays with 11 points.
 
The Tigers will continue their five-game home stand and open conference play on Thursday (Dec. 1) when FHSU hosts Northeastern State beginning at 5:30 p.m.