KEARNEY, Neb. - The sixth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team saw its 12-game winning streak end in the final game of the regular season Saturday (March 1), with the Tigers losing to Nebraska-Kearney 76-65 on the road. The Tigers (25-3, 16-3 MIAA) trimmed a 15-point deficit to just two points with less than four minutes to play, but the Lopers (20-8, 13-6 MIAA) held on down the stretch for the win.
 
The Tigers will now await the final release of the MIAA KPI standings to learn their seed for the 2025 MIAA Basketball Championship presented by Southern Bank. Brackets and schedules will be released later Saturday evening.
 
After falling to the Tigers by 36 points just three days ago, the Lopers bounced back at home by shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and scoring 18 second-chance points on 17 offensive rebounds.
 
The Tigers scored the first six points of the game and led for much of the first quarter before the Lopers tied things up at 14 eight minutes into the contest. UNK took its first lead of the game with the final basket of the opening quarter, leading 16-15.
 
An Ellie Stearns 3-pointer tied the game at 18 early in the second frame before the home team used a 12-2 run to take the lead for good. Megan Earney drilled another Tiger triple for the final points of the first half, helping FHSU close within 32-26.
 
The black and gold pulled within four to start the second half thanks to six points from Katie Wagner DeGarmo, but a 13-2 UNK run pushed the lead as high as 15 with 14 minutes left, 49-34.
 
Fort Hays State punched back with its own 15-2 run, including 11-straight points to close within two before the end of the quarter. A trio of long-range makes fueled the Tiger run, including a pair from Brooke Loewe and another from Talexa Weeter.
 
The Lopers were able to push their lead back to nine midway through the fourth quarter before FHSU made one final run, scoring the next seven points to pull within 62-60. DeGarmo opened the run with a layup before Earney drilled another 3-pointer. The Tigers added a pair of free throws later to pull within one possession, but UNK hit 8-of-8 from the free throw line down the stretch to hold on for the win.
 
DeGarmo and Olivia Hollenbeck tied for the team lead with 16 points, while Weeter added 12 and Loewe chipped in 11. DeGarmo collected a team-best nine rebounds, while Loewe totaled six assists.
 
The Tigers hit 40.4 percent from the floor (19-of-47) but managed just 67.7 percent from the free throw line (21-of-31).
 
Fort Hays State will head to Kansas City, Mo. to open the postseason next week (March 5-9) with the 2025 MIAA Basketball Championship. The Tigers will play in the quarterfinals on either Thursday or Friday, with the semifinals and finals to follow on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.