FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 26, 2008

Lions drop road contest at Fort Hays, 70-59

Box Score

Hays, Kan. -- Naomi Bancroft made six three-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Fort Hays State Lady Tigers to a 70-59 win over the Missouri Southern Lions in MIAA action Saturday afternoon (Jan. 26) in Hays, Kan.

The loss snaps the Lions' four-game winning streak and puts them at 4-4 in the MIAA and 13-4 overall. FHSU improves to 8-9 and 2-6 in conference play.

Even though the Lions never led in the first half, they managed to stay close and took their first lead of the game on an Ela Zawadka three to go up 39-37 with 16:08 remaining in the game.

The Lions' biggest lead of the day was three after Tynesha Pierce snapped a 39-39 tie with a layup and then converted a free throw to put the Lions ahead 42-39.

Sheena Kuntzsch then tied the score with a trey, but Danielle DeVader immediately answered with a jumper that made it 44-42 Lions with 12:01 left.

But the Lady Tigers gained the lead for good with a 12-2 run that was sparked by eight points from Bancroft that put FHSU up 54-46 with 8:13 remaining.

The Lions hung around though as DeVader knocked in a pair of threes as part of an 11-5 spurt that pulled Southern to within two at 59-57 with exactly two minutes left in the contest.

However, FHSU put the game away with a game-ending 13-2 run to pull away for the victory.

Pierce led the Lions with 18 points and eight rebounds and DeVader added 13. India Wood scored 11 and dished out four assists.

Brianna Willhite also reached double-figures for the Lady Tigers with 13, while Kayla Klug scored 12. Meshia Mason pulled down a game-high 11 boards for FHSU.

FHSU shot 41 percent (25-of-61) for the game but was held to only 36.7 percent (11-of-30) in the second half. But the Lions could not take advantage as they could only muster a 28 percent (7-of-25) shooting clip in the second and 35 percent (21-of-60) for the game.

The Lady Tigers also held a 44-32 edge in rebounds, including a 15-9 advantage on the offensive glass.

MSSU will stay on the road and play at current No. 8-ranked Washburn on Wednesday night (Jan. 30) in Topeka, Kan.