The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team won its ninth straight home opener with a 78-37 victory over McPherson College on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The win is the eighth straight win for the Tigers over McPherson College. With the regular season and home-opening win, the Tigers are now 1-0 in the 2012-13 season.
The Tigers scored the first seven points to take a 7-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game and pulled out to a 24-4 advantage midway through the first half. At halftime, FHSU led the Bulldogs, 32-11.
In the second half, the Tigers used a quick 13-4 run to push the lead to 45-15 with 15:54 remaining in the game. Already up 61-28, the Tigers scored 15 of the next 17 points to lead 76-30 with 3:37 left. The Tigers cruised to the 78-37 win.
Sophomore Kate Lehman totaled a career-high nine blocks, one more than her previous high of eight achieved twice last season. She poured in a game-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. She also finished with seven rebounds.
Junior Katelyn Edwards finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grapping a game-high 13 rebounds in only 22 minutes. The double-double is her ninth of her FHSU career. Edwards, an All-MIAA Second Team selection a season ago, totaled game highs and career highs in assists (six) and steals (five), and added a career-high three blocks.
For the game, 11 Tigers scored with 15 players seeing game action. The Tigers shot 44.8 percent in the game from the floor, and the defense held McPherson to 26.3 percent, including 16.7 percent in the first half.
The Bulldogs of McPherson were led by sophomore Brittany Pittas with 13 points and Madison Chambers had a team-high eight rebounds.
The Tigers welcome Bethany College to Gross Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday (Nov. 13) for a 5:30 p.m. tip with the Swedes. The game is the second of four straight home games for the Tigers.
– FHSU Sports Information –