#18 Fort Hays State Women's Basketball (6-0, 2-0 MIAA)
vs. Northwest Missouri State (7-0, 2-0 MIAA)
Thursday, December 7, 2023 • 5:30 p.m.
Gross Memorial Coliseum • Hays, Kan.
Game Sponsor: Domino's Pizza
National Anthem: Ellis High School (Women's) and Hays High School (Men's)
Promotion: Canned Food Drive - Bring a canned food item and get a $5 GA ticket. Food will be donated to the Tiger Pantry located in the Memorial Union
 
vs. Missouri Western (5-2, 1-1 MIAA)
Saturday, December 9, 2023 • 2 p.m.
Gross Memorial Coliseum • Hays, Kan.
Game Sponsor: Hays Regional Airport
Promotions: Toys for Tots Stuffed Animal Toss- Bring a stuffed animal to toss at halftime of the men's game, and get a $5 GA ticket. All stuffed animals will be donated to Toys for Tots!
 
Nearly one month into the regular season, the 18th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will finally play at home this weekend when the Tigers host a pair of conference rivals. First up is a Thursday contest (Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m.) against fellow unbeaten Northwest Missouri State before the Black and Gold Battle against Missouri Western follows on Saturday (Dec. 9, 2 p.m.).
 
Thursday will be the latest home opener for the Tigers in 46 years when FHSU first played at home in the 1977-78 season on December 9. FHSU's first home game was scheduled for Saturday, November 25 against Tabor, but it was postponed to December 11 due to adverse travel conditions for the Bluejays.
 
The Tigers (6-0, 2-0 MIAA) and Bearcats (7-0, 2-0 MIAA) are two of the 17 remaining undefeated teams in Division II, and two of just three left in the MIAA. Missouri Western heads into the weekend 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA.
 
Both the Bearcats and Griffons are receiving votes in this week's WBCA DII Coaches Poll, while the Tigers are ranked 18th in the coaches poll and 19th in the D2CSC National Media Poll. FHSU is 0-1 all-time when ranked 18th in the coaches poll.
 
Fort Hays State's six wins to start the season are tied for the eighth-best start in program history. A win Thursday would move this season into a tie for the fourth-best start in team history.
 
Gross Memorial Coliseum is celebrating its 50th anniversary season this year. The Tigers are 557-138 inside the Coliseum, good for a winning percentage north of .800.
 
Through the six victories so far this season, the Tigers have gone an entire game without trailing four separate times. FHSU fell behind by as many as 11 against Colorado Mesa before rallying for the victory while FHSU's largest lead of the year was 33 in the season opener against Minot State.
 
Fort Hays State is 21-10 all-time against the Bearcats, including wins in each of the last nine meetings. The Tigers are 12-2 at home against NWMSU, including wins in each of the last 12 home contests. The Bearcats' last win in Hays came back in 2006 (70-62, 12/30/06).
 
The Tigers are 34-25 all-time against the Griffons, including a nine-point Tiger victory in last year's MIAA Championship Quarterfinals (3/3/23). Fort Hays State is 21-7 at home against the Griffons, but MWSU has won each of the last two games in Hays by a combined two points, including a one-point win in the 2022 regional finals and a one-point, double-overtime win last January.
 
Olivia Hollenbeck and Katie Wagner have come to play against the Bearcats and Griffons in years past, with Hollenbeck averaging 16.4 points and 5.8 rebounds against NWMSU and 14.1 points and 4.3 rebounds against the MWSU. Wagner puts up 14.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists when playing MWSU and 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists against NWMSU. Hollenbeck has scored in double figures in all five career matchups against the Bearcats, including a career-high 25 points in a game in Maryville two years ago, and seven out of eight times against MWSU. Wagner grabbed a career-best 17 rebounds against the Griffons last year in Hays.
 
The Bearcats are off to a 7-0 start to the year, tied for the fourth-best start in program history. NWMSU leads the legaue and ranks ninth in the country in ball control, turning the ball over just 12.1 times per game. The Bearcats are hitting 3-pointers at a 36.3 percent clip, second-best in the MIAA. Lindsey Kelderman has hit 64.3 percent (18-of-28) of her attempts from behind the arc, second-best in the country.
 
Missouri Western enter the weekend 5-2 overall, including a 1-1 mark in conference games and a 1-0 record in true road games. The Griffons rank third in the conference with 10.9 steals per game. They also do a good job limiting turnovers on the other end, ranking second in the league and 20th nationally with just 13.1 turnovers per contest. Connie Clarke ranks sixth in the MIAA in steals per game (2.14), sixth in free-throw percentage (85.2) and eighth in rebounds per game (8.3).