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Tiger women lose small lead in loss
1/17/2010
By CONOR NICHOLL
cnicholl@dailynews.net
PITTSBURG --Senior forward Erica Biel delivered a solid game for the Fort Hays State University women's basketball team. However, the other Tiger post players struggled against Pittsburg State University's forwards, especially in the second half.
The Gorillas' dominance on the inside led to a 71-65 loss for FHSU on Saturday afternoon at Pittsburg State's John Lance Arena. Fort Hays set a season-high for points allowed and was outrebounded 26-18 in the second half.
"I was really disappointed not necessarily with Erica but with our other post players," Tiger second-year coach Tony Hobson said. "They played really weak as far as just boarding the ball. So many times Erica was contesting a shot and then that shot was missed. That other post player has to come in and get the rebound. We just didn't play very strong in there and that was the difference in the game."
Pittsburg State, down 57-52 with 10:26 left, outscored Fort Hays 19-8 down the stretch. Many of the baskets came off offensive rebounds and second chance opportunities. PSU improved to 9-7, 7-2 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, while FHSU dropped to 13-3, 6-3 in the conference.
"We got pushed around in the second half on the defensive board area," Hobson said. "That was the difference. We would build a four-or five-point lead and make them take a bad shot and they would get an offensive rebound and maybe get fouled."
Biel, a returning first team all-conference player, finished with a game-high 17 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. However, junior forward Shelby Hillman, freshman forward Kara McFarland and junior forward Kara Champlin combined for 14 rebounds and 13 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
Pittsburg State 6-foot-1 senior forward Nicole McCombs, a 2008-09 all-MIAA selection, collected a team-high 14 points and 14 rebounds.
"Nicole is a funny player," Gorilla head coach Lane Lord said. "She plays with a lot of emotion. When she keeps those emotions in check, she really helps our basketball team. At times, she is pretty excited and she gets mad at herself and it hurts her game, but tonight I thought she did a good job of keeping her composure. She is going to get doubled and tripled every time she touches it. She is going to get hacked and fouled, but she has to continue to keep her composure."
In the first half, Fort Hays outrebounded Pittsburg State 23-17, and tied the Gorillas at 28 at intermission. The Tigers' zone forced Pitt State to attempt 13 3-pointers.
"(Fort Hays) did a great job of getting second half opportunities," Lord said. "I thought in the second half we did a better job rebounding. The key for us was to limit them to one shot, us get out in transition because their zone was really good. You just don't play a lot of teams that run zone. We knew that they were going to run it and we worked on it all week, but they did a great job of it."
In the second half, the Gorillas worked the ball inside more frequently. McCombs had 10 second-half points, and 6-3 sophomore forward Larissa Richards picked up four points and six rebounds. All of her points came after the break. Pittsburg State extended its lead to 68-65 with 3:07 left on an offensive rebound by senior DePrice Taylor that led to a McCombs layup. McCombs tacked on another layup for a 70-65 lead with 49 seconds left.
"We can't have McCombs back or underneath the basket," Hobson said. "You have to release and get around in front of her and you have to front her all the time. ... Champ just didn't get position early like she needed to. McCombs is going to score on most people if she gets it that deep."
Senior Kayla Klug, who had missed Monday's game against Missouri Southern State University because of an ankle injury, returned to score 16 points. Senior Naomi Bancroft, the MIAA's leading scorer, tacked on 13, but PSU's inside play provided the difference.
"They had three or four putbacks that cost us," Hobson said. "That's where they beat us."
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| TS | 04/06 | Emporia State | L 8-1 |
| SB | 03/30 | Panhandle State | W 10-2 (5 inn.) |
| SB | 03/30 | Panhandle State | W 13-3 (5 inn.) |
| BB | 03/30 | Washburn | W 3-1 |
| BB | 03/30 | Washburn | W 3-1 |
| TS | 03/23 | Kansas Wesleyan | L 6-3 |
| BB | 03/23 | Metro State | W 20-8 |
| BB | 03/23 | Metro State | W 6-5 |
| SB | 03/19 | Nebraska-Omaha | L 4-2 |
| SB | 03/19 | Truman State | W 4-1 |
| SB | 03/18 | Mo. Western | L 6-2 |
| BB | 03/17 | Missouri S&T | W 2-1 (10) |
| SB | 03/17 | Bethany | W 6-1 |
| SB | 03/17 | Bethany | W 8-1 |
| BB | 03/16 | Misosuri S&T | L 13-4 |
| MB | 03/14 | Central Missouri | L 80-73 |
| BB | 3/13 | NW Missouri | W 13-10 |
| BB | 03/13 | NW Missouri | W 4-3 |
| MB | 03/13 | Central Oklahoma | W 80-64 |
| SB | 03/08 | Fort Lewis | W 5-4 |