By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The Missouri Western women's basketball team went blow-for-blow with Fort Hays State in the first half, and the Griffons opened the second half on a 10-0 run to go up 35-27 with 7:54 left in the third.
Hays (7-3, 3-0 MIAA) hit back with runs of their own, including a 13-3 run midway through the fourth quarter, and the Tigers prevailed 64-58 at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday.
The Griffons (7-4, 2-2 MIAA) trailed by only two entering the fourth, but fell behind 52-44 with 6:02 remaining, and then back-to-back buckets by Hays' Olivia Hollenbeck put the Tigers up 56-47 with 3:33 left.
Missouri Western got back to within five, but never any closer.
"I thought we had people just nowhere to be found in the building that we depend on," Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker said. "I thought we made a lot of mistakes defensively that created offense for them in the first half."
Fort Hays State outrebounded Missouri Western in the fourth quarter 12-4, including 6-1 on the offensive glass. In fact, 10 of Fort Hays State's 13 offensive boards came in the second half.
The Tigers also turned 14 Missouri Western turnovers into 19 points the other way.
Fort Hays State also cashed in on 15-of-23 free throw attempts, while Missouri Western was just 4-of-7 at the line. Three-point shooting was also a factor.
The Griffons made just two of their first 20 three-point attempts and finished 4-of-24 from downtown. Hays was 9-of-24.
"Had some moments of good things, but too many turnovers," Whitaker said. "We couldn't make a shot for the longest time. When you can't make a shot, you have to find your way to the foul line, and obviously we did not."
Freshman Cleao Murray led the Griffons with a career-high 17 points. Junior Connie Clarke had 13 points and six rebounds. Junior Trinity Knapp logged eight points and six boards.
"Trinity Knapp was unbelievable in the first half defensively," Whitaker said. "She was taking things away from all over and not just Hollenbeck."
"Really proud of (Cleao) and really thought her last two games have been fantastic."
Sophomore Katie Wagner led Fort Hays State with 17 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Olivia Hollenbeck scored 13 points, nine of that in the second half, to go with seven rebounds.
Missouri Western is on the road on Saturday, December 17 at Washburn. The women will play at 1 p.m., the men at 3 p.m. Both games will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).
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