Second-ranked Tigers set for another Top 10 matchup; travel to Pitt State on Saturday

No. 2 Fort Hays State heads for its second consecutive Top 10 matchup this Saturday (Feb. 14), taking on No. 10 Pittsburg State on the road.  The 1:30 p.m., game in Pittsburg, Kan., is a rematch of an earlier contest this season that saw the Tigers (then No. 17) defeat then-No. 6 PSU, 62-43, in Hays.

FHSU is 5-1 against ranked opponents this season and has set a school record for consecutive wins in a single-season, winning its last 21 straight contests.  The previous record was 20 (set in 1990-91), and the longest ever win streak closed out that season and lasted into the 1991-92 campaign, stretching 23 games.

Headed into Saturday’s game, FHSU holds a two-game lead over Pittsburg State in the MIAA standings and a four-game lead on Emporia State with five games remaining.  The Tigers are in the hunt for their first MIAA Championship and have already locked up a first round bye in the MIAA Tournament.  Additionally, FHSU is the only team in the Central Region with just one loss on the year.  Next week (Feb. 18), the first of four official NCAA Regional Rankings are released as part of the run-up to the NCAA Central Regional, held March 13-15 at the top school in the region.

Individually, seven-time MIAA Athlete of the Week Kate Lehman leads the team with a double-double average of 20.2 points (first in the conference) and 10.8 rebounds (second in the conference) per game, adding 4.4 blocks per game as well.  Chelsea Mason‘s 12.3 scoring average is second on the team, whileBeth Bohuslavsky leads the MIAA and is fifth in the nation with a 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Pitt State (22-3, 12-2 MIAA) has won five straight, including an 87-68 win over Nebraska-Kearney its last time out (Thursday, Feb. 12).  On the season, PSU is scoring 74.9 points per game while limiting opponents to just 57.6 on average.  Individually, Lizzy Jeronimus has found her way to the top of the Gorillas’ scoring list, averaging 19.3 points per game with 6.8 rebounds per game (also a team-high).  As the second leading scorer, Kylie Gafford is putting up 11.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest.

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