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Tigers to play rival on road
2/26/2008
By NICK McQUEEN
Hays Daily News
The Fort Hays State University women's basketball team is still seeking that eighth and final spot in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association's postseason tournament.
With two games left in the regular season, the Tigers have games against teams in the top half of the rankings that have already secured their postseason appearances. One of them, though, looks to take another step toward an outright conference championship. That team is 17th-ranked Washburn University, which plays host to the Tigers in Topeka on Wednesday night.
Women's action begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30.
"There is a reason they are No. 1 in the MIAA at this juncture," Tiger coach Annette Wiles said of Washburn. "We'll have our hands full, especially on their home floor."
Coming off a road loss Saturday at Truman State (Mo.) University, the Tigers sit in a tie with Missouri Western State University for eighth place and a game out of seventh place, held by Truman State.
While the Tigers travel to Washburn, Truman State hosts No. 18 Emporia State University, and Missouri Western travels to Northwest Missouri State University, which the Tigers will host in the regular season finale Saturday.
Truman State also has conference bottom feeder Pittsburg State University on its remaining schedule, while Missouri Western closes the season with Missouri Southern.
The Tigers likley need at least one win out of these remaining two games to have a shot at a postseason berth.
"This team could have hung its head at numerous points this season and at no point did they do that," Wiles said. "They haven't given up on this season, and they know we haven't given up on this season as coaches."
Through a 5-11 run thus far in the MIAA, Fort Hays (11-14) has yet to win a road conference game. The last road win came last season against Truman State, where Fort Hays fell 67-61 in its last outing.
"That was probably one of the most disappointing losses," Wiles said. "We got a win there last year and played them well at our place (this year). To go out there and not be able to finish that game and get a win was disheartening, but we're not going to hang our heads.
"We have bigger things ahead of us and that's where our focus has shifted," Wiles added.
The Lady Blues sit atop the MIAA standings at 13-3 in MIAA play and are 21-4 overall and have the No. 2 ranking in the South Central Region. They are led by Corky Stiger's 16.5 points per contest. She poured in 20 when the two teams met earlier this season, a 70-53 win for Washburn at Gross Memorial Coliseum.
"They have the inside and the outside," Wiles said of Washburn. "They have the ball handlers, the perimeter shooters, and the post players."
Three players average in double figures. Amanda Holmes and Janice Bright each contribute just over 10 points per contest, while the Lady Blues average 70.3 points per game.
The Tigers answer with seniors Brianna Willhite and Sheena Kuntzsch, who if the Tigers fail to make the postseason tournament, will be playing their final two games in a Fort Hays uniform -- as would senior point guard Meshia Mason. Kuntzsch and Willhite have led the Tigers in scoring in 16 out of 25 contests this year. Kuntzsch is averaging 13.1 points, while Willhite is up to 13.8 for a Tiger team that averages 66.7 points per outing, but is 0-10 away from Hays.
Tiger men look to hold on
When the Tiger men lost four road games in a row to start February, the No. 8 ranking in the South Central Region looked to be in a little trouble. Fort Hays, though, responded with a streak that has now stretched to four in a row following Saturday's 62-58 win at Truman State. When the Tigers take on Washburn on Wednesday, the Ichabods can play the spoiler role.
It's not like Tiger coach Mark Johnson to look at a ranking and play based on that, but Fort Hays could earn a spot in the regional tournament with a pair of wins this week.
"We're really just focused on that week in and week out," Johnson said. "Coming off that four-game losing streak, we started playing with a sense of urgency. If we keep winning, they can't pass us."
Both Washburn (17-8, 9-7) and Fort Hays (17-8, 9-7) have wrapped up spots in the postseason MIAA tourney, and now it just comes down to seeding. Fort Hays, with an 84-83 win over the Ichabods earlier this season, sits one spot better, in fifth place in the standings. If the conference tournament were to start today, Fort Hays would play Missouri Southern (10-6) in the first round.
Washburn would play Northwest Missouri State.
"We're a young team with a lot of new guys, but these guys keep answering the bell," Johnson said. "They have really come together and have been motivated to play with that sense of urgency, and we'll do that this week, too."
The Tigers' success this season has been boosted by junior guard Tyrone Evans, who leads the Tigers with 12.5 points a game. Junior guard Terry Jeffries is No. 2 in the MIAA in assists, averaging 4.16 a game. When the two teams met at GMC in January it took a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Evans to get it done for the Tigers. Evans scored 28 points in that game with his eighth 3 providing the game winner, while Jeffries chipped in 20.
Mario Scott led four Ichabods in double figures in that contest with 20 points. Angel Santiago, who put up 12 in the game and was averaging 10 points for Washburn, quit the team after playing in 20 games with just one start.
Washburn is led by Brady Sisk's 10 points a game, but the Ichabods are No. 3 in the conference, averaging 77.7 points with no individuals in the top 20.
Assistant sports editor Nick McQueen can be reached at (785)628-1081, Ext. 128 or by e-mail at
nmcqueen@dailynews.net.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
| SB | 5/01 | Emporia State | L 11-0 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 14-1 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 12-2 |
