FHSU Athletics
BETHANY, Okla. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team was unable to break through relentless pressure from 13th-ranked Minnesota State, falling to the Mavericks 78-66 in the 2024 NCAA Division II Central Region semifinals on Saturday at the Sawyer Center. The Tigers end the season with a record of 25-8, tied for the sixth-most wins in program history.
Minnesota State (28-5), the No. 7 seed in the tournament won the opening tip and took the lead just two seconds into the game before scoring nine points in the first minute of the game. Emma Ruddle hit two free throws 68 seconds into the contest for FHSU's first points of the night, but the Tigers, the No. 3 seed in the region, were unable to knock down a field goal until four minutes in when Sydney Golladay buried a 3-pointer.
Kate Dilsaver kept the Tigers in the game over the first 10 minutes by scoring 10 of FHSU's 19 points in the opening quarter, including her second 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in the frame to help the Tigers cut an 11-point deficit to five, 24-19.
The Tigers closed within four midway through the second quarter on a steal and layup from Dilsaver, 30-26, but each time FHSU made a run the Mavericks were able to answer with a bigger run of their own.
Despite trailing by as many as 18 Fort Hays State was unwilling to fold, closing within six at three different points throughout the remainder of the game. The Tigers used a 7-0 run spanning halftime to close within 41-35 and went on another 7-0 run midway through the third to close within 50-44, but runs of 9-2 and 14-3 by Minnesota State took back any momentum gained by FHSU.
Fort Hays State was led in scoring by Katie Wagner, who totaled 20 points, including 14 after halftime. Dilsaver finished the night with a career-high 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting while adding a season-high five steals on the defensive end. Brooke Loewe led the team with five assists, Jessie Sallach scored 10 points and Emma Ruddle contributed four points, two steals and one block.
Wagner grabbed six rebounds, helping her move to second all-time at Fort Hays State, now with 965 in her career. She finishes the season with 569 points, fifth-most in a single season in program history, while ranking ninth in single season rebounds (287) and ninth in single season steals (72).
The Tigers were foiled by 35 turnovers, their most in a game since 1999. Minnesota State scored 35 points off the FHSU miscues, with the Tigers totaling 25 points off 24 Maverick turnovers. The Tigers finished the game shooting 40.7 percent from the floor (22-of-54) while hitting 18-of-23 from the free-throw line (78.3 percent). Minnesota State hit 44.6 percent of its shots in the win (29-of-65).