HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team came up just short in its final home game of the 2022-23 season, falling 71-64 against 10th-ranked Central Missouri. The Tigers (19-8, 14-5 MIAA) rallied from 11 down to pull within two with three minutes to play, but the Jennies (19-3, 15-3) did just enough down the stretch to secure the win.
 
The Tigers raced in front by six over the first five minutes after two buckets each from Emma Ruddle and Katie Wagner. UCM responded with back-to-back 3-pointers, leading to a 16-16 tie at the end of the first quarter.
 
The teams traded punches for the majority of the second quarter, with neither side leading by more than three until a late 7-0 Jennie run gave UCM a 33-28 lead at the break.
 
The visitors made it 12-straight points after hitting the first two buckets after halftime, pushing the lead to 10. The Jennies later led by as many as 11 before taking a 55-45 advantage into the final quarter.
 
Jessie Sallach helped the Tigers rally in the fourth quarter, knocking down 4-of-5 from the floor including multiple fadeaway jumpers. FHSU scored 14 of the first 20 points in the final frame to close within two, 61-59, on a Wagner free throw.
 
Central Missouri responded with a 3-pointer with 2:56 to play, re-establishing a two-possession lead. The Jennies managed to score on their final five possessions while forcing a pair of stops on the other end to seal the win.
 
Wagner led the Tigers with 16 points and seven rebounds while dishing out a career-high nine assists, the most by a Tiger this season. Ruddle knocked down a trio of 3-pointers for the fourth game in a row, totaling 14 points and three steals. Sallach scored 14 points, matching her season-high, while grabbing five rebounds.
 
The Tigers outshot the Jennies from the floor, 48.9 percent to 45.6 percent, but were snake bit at the line after hitting 14-of-25. Central Missouri collected nine more rebounds than FHSU, 35-26.
 
Fort Hays State will hit the road for its final three games of the regular season, beginning with a Thursday evening (Feb. 16) matchup against Pittsburg State beginning at 5:30 p.m.