HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western women's basketball team lost at No. 11 Fort Hays State Monday, 58-49, as the Griffons fall to 3-11 this season.  FHSU has now won nine straight as they improve to 14-2.
 
It was a low scoring first half as MWSU trailed 20-16 at halftime and had one of their best defensive halves of the season.  They held the top scoring and top shooting team in the MIAA to just 20 points on 7-of-27 shooting.  Missouri Western forced Fort Hays State into 11 first half turnovers and outrebounded FHSU 25-20 at the break.  The Griffs did struggle offensively though as they made just 6-of-30 field goals.
 
Fort Hays State came out hot in the third quarter as they made their first three three-point field goals and outscored MWSU 18-7 over a five-minute stretch to increase their lead to 14 points, 42-28.  The Griffons were outscored in the third, 26-18, as they trailed 46-34 at the end of three quarters.
 
Missouri Western rallied behind Kyra Hogan off the bench, as the senior made her first two three-pointers of the season to pull the Griffons within seven points, 46-39, but Fort Hays would put the game away with an 8-2 run and MWSU never got the deficit below nine.
 
The Griffons had a season-high 22 offensive rebounds Monday night as they outrebounded FHSU 49-38, and 24 of Western points came off second chances.  MWSU also forced Fort Hays State into 17 turnovers, six above their average.
 
Missouri Western finished the game just 26.9% (18-67) from the field and they were 4-of-21 from the three-point line.  The Tigers shot 32.7% (18-55) and 23.1% (6-26) from three.
 
Asia McCoy led the Griffons with nine points and a career-high 12 rebounds, while Hogan added a season-high eight points and five rebounds.  Camille Evans scored six points and pulled down six rebounds, while Brionna Budgetts added six points.
 
UP NEXT
Missouri Western returns home for their next three games and it'll start on Thursday against Missouri Southern at 5:30 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.  The game will air on the Griffon Sports Network (680 AM/95.3 FM) and the MIAA Network.