Women's Basketball | 1/3/2019 9:13:47 PM
Each week David Boyce, the MIAA’s featured writer, will cover a key match-up in one of the conference’s sports. In this week’s MIAA Showcase, Boyce covers a top 25 match in women’s basketball between Fort Hays State and Central Missouri.
WARRENSBURG, Mo. - Fort Hays State women’s basketball team solidified its hold as a top-five team in NCAA Division II.
The Tigers brought their perfect record to the Multipurpose Building Thursday evening and led nearly the entire game, beating Central Missouri, the defending national champions, 56-46.
Fort Hays, ranked No. 5 in the WBCA top 25, improved to 12-0 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA. It’s the best start in the program’s history. Central Missouri, ranked 15th, dropped to 8-3 and 1-2.
“It was a big win for us,” said Fort Hays senior Carly Heim, who finished with 14 points. “I thought we did a lot of little things right. It feels good to get a second chance at them. They did knock us out of the tournament last year.”
“I think we played really well. We showed a lot of toughness. I think it is great for our season. I hope it continues.”
A 9-0 run by Fort Hays early in the fourth quarter gave the Tigers a nice cushion in a game that was close throughout.
The Tigers took the lead late in the first quarter and never relinquished it. Still, Central Missouri stayed close. A basket by UCM junior Megan Skaggs at the start of the fourth quarter cut Fort Hays’ lead to 39-37.
Fort Hays made sure the Jennies got no closer. The run started with two free throws by Heim. The deflating blow came next from junior Lanie Page, who was scoreless entering the fourth quarter.
Page faked a three-point shot, thought about it for a second and then fired away. She swished it, giving the Tigers a 44-37 lead with 8 minutes, 20 seconds left.
“I had a bigger girl on me so my first plan was to drive on her,” Page said. “She backed up a little bit. I was open. I went for the shot and luckily it went in.”
Consecutive baskets by junior guard Kacey Kennett put the Tigers in front by double digits for the first time in the game at 48-37. Three different players scored during the 9-0 run.
“We have been balanced all year,” Fort Hays coach Tony Hobson said. “We have only played 12 games and have had six different leading scorers. We have four kids averaging 10 to 14 points per game and have two more averaging eight. It makes us hard to guard. You can’t really overplay anyone.”
Two free throws by Central Missouri’s Paige Redmond with 5 minutes left put an end to the Tigers’ run, but the Jennies still trailed by nine. Redmond finished with a game-high 19 points.
“That run was huge, especially at the beginning of the fourth quarter,” Page said. “That was the last 10 minutes of the game. It helped us pull it out.”
Fort Hays went into halftime with a slim 27-24 lead and a big reason for it was the unstoppable post moves by junior Belle Barbieri. She made all six of her shots in the paint. Her 12 points in the first two quarters left her two shy of her career high.
The game started well for Central Missouri, which knocked down its first two three-pointers for a quick 6-0 lead.
Barbieri scored the next six points and tied the game. The Tigers took their first lead at 10-8 on another basket by Barbieri. The first quartered ended with Fort Hays leading 19-16.
“We knew it was all about sealing,” Barbieri said of scoring in the paint. “I was able to finish strong. A lot of it comes with the guards, making passes and giving us good looks. I have such unselfish players on the team who make good passes.”
A couple of times Fort Hays built a five-point lead in the second quarter. Skaggs kept the Jennies close with a couple of baskets. Her second one in the second quarter pulled Central Missouri to within one at 25-24.
“It was important to go into halftime with the lead,” said Barbieri, who finished with 14 points.
“We came into the locker room confident, but we knew we had two more quarters to play hard. I think we locked down in the second half as well as we did in the first half.”