Gross Memorial Coliseum will be the scene for the 2017-18 home opener for the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team, with the Tigers hosting a pair of Division II non-conference opponents this weekend. FHSU will face off with Colorado-Colorado Springs on Friday (Nov. 17) at 7 p.m. before turning around and matching up with Newman on Saturday (Nov. 18) at 4 p.m.
There will be a total of four games played in the Coliseum this weekend, with Nebraska-Kearney playing the Jets on Friday and UCCS on Saturday two hours prior to FHSU’s first tip.
The Tigers (2-0) opened the season on a high note last weekend, cruising past regional opponents Upper Iowa and Southwest Minnesota State. FHSU is outscoring its opponents by 38 points per game during this young season, sixth best in the country. The Tigers held the first two opponents to an average of 37 points per contest, second fewest nationally and tops in the conference.
Kacey Kennett led the Tigers offensively over the first weekend of action, scoring 15 points in both contests. Tatyana Legette ranks ninth in the conference with 8.5 rebounds per contest so far this year, while transfer Gokce Aslan dished out five assists in Saturday’s win over SMSU.
The Tigers have won 13 consecutive home openers dating back to the start of the 2003-04 season, going 21-4 in home openers since joining Division II in 1992-93. The home crowds inside the Coliseum have helped the Tigers to a 76-4 record at home over the last five seasons. Fort Hays State has won its last 40 regular season non-conference games.
FHSU vs UC-Colorado Springs • Friday, November 17 • 7 p.m. • FHSU leads all-time series, 6-4
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Colorado-Colorado Springs (0-2) returns two starters from last year’s team that won the RMAC Tournament championship to qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament for the third year in a row. Kristen Vigil is the top returning scorer for the Cougars after averaging 4.3 points per game last season. UCCS lost three all-conference performers to graduation and its top five scorers. Shanah Leaf has averaged 15.0 points per game so far this season, while Maddie Golla has grabbed 8.5 rebounds per game through the first two contests.
This is the first meeting between the former Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rivals since 2005, FHSU’s final season in the RMAC. The Tigers are riding a three-game winning streak in the series and are 4-1 against UCCS in Hays.
FHSU vs Newman • Saturday, November 18 • 4 p.m. • FHSU leads all-time series, 14-1
Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
The Jets are off to a 4-0 start after going 19-9 a year ago, good for sixth in the Heartland Conference. Guard Hannah Alexander was named on the preseason All-Heartland Conference team after picking up first team All-Conference accolades a year ago. The senior leads the team with 15.3 points per game on 49 percent shooting so far this season. Forward Abbey George is averaging 6.5 rebounds per contest in her redshirt-freshman season.
The Tigers have never lost to Newman at home, going 9-0 against the Jets in the Coliseum. The lone NU victory in the series came in 2010, with Fort Hays State winning the last four contests.