HAYS, Kan. - The eighth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team dropped its regular season finale against Nebraska-Kearney Thursday evening (Feb. 26), falling 73-63. The Tigers (24-4, 15-4 MIAA) led by one heading into the fourth quarter, but a 30-19 Loper (15-15, 8-11 MIAA) final frame helped the visitors keep their MIAA Tournament hopes alive.
 
With the result, the Tigers will finish second in the MIAA standings and will play as the No. 2 seed in next week's (March 4-8) conference championship tournament inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City.
 
FHSU's run to a title will begin Thursday in the quarterfinals against either the No. 7 seed or the No. 10 seed at 2:15 p.m. Should the Tigers emerge victorious, they would play the No. 3 seed or the No. 6 seed in the semifinals on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. before a potential Sunday championship game at 1 p.m.
 
The Tigers never trailed in the first half, trailing by as many as six before a Kaitlin Schumann buzzer-beater from mid-court pulled FHSU within 15-12.
 
The Tigers scored six-straight points midway through the second quarter to level the score at 20, but a 13-5 Loper run gave UNK a 33-25 advantage at the break.
 
The visitors kept things rolling out of the locker room, scoring the first six points of the second half to extend their run to 11-straight points.
 
The Tigers called a timeout to talk things over and bounced back after that, hitting five of their next nine shots to go on a 19-4 run and take their first lead of the game.
 
Schumann hit her second 3-pointer to kick-start the run before the Tigers converted on a five-point play. Ellie Stearns buried a corner three as Talexa Weeter was fouled in the lane, giving the junior two free throws after the made basket.
 
Stearns later hit another triple from the same spot right in front of the FHSU bench, giving the Tigers their first lead of the game with two minutes left in the third quarter, 42-41.
 
The Tigers led by as many as three on a pair of Olivia Mortensen baskets early in the fourth quarter before UNK went on another 9-0 run, taking the lead for good. FHSU trailed by one possession with as little as 3:19 on the clock, but the Lopers hit 13-of-14 from the free-throw line in the final minute to seal the win.
 
Weeter led the team with 15 points and eight rebounds. Mortensen added 12 points and eight boards, while Schumann matched her career high with 12 points.
 
The Tigers shot 37.7 percent from the floor (23-of-61), 28.6 percent from behind the arc (6-of-21) and 68.8 percent from the charity stripe (11-of-16).
 
Brackets for the MIAA Tournament will be released on Saturday after all games in the conference have concluded.