ST. JOSEPH, MO -  For three quarters, the Missouri Western women's basketball team looked like an equal to the 2nd ranked team in the NCAA Division II nation.  But a rough third quarter stretch gave Fort Hays the opening it needed to pull away and hold off the Griffons in a 74-61 win at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday.

Despite early foul trouble, the #22 Griffons (12-3, 6-3 MIAA) went blow-for-blow with the #2 Tigers (15-1, 9-1 MIAA) in the first half.  Hays took a 29-28 lead to halftime but then took control in the opening minutes of the third quarter.  FHSU opened the half on a 16-2 run to take a 45-30 lead at the 5:41 mark of the 3rd.   

"The third quarter was just brutal," Head Coach Candi Whitaker said.  "There was zero communication defensively and we were giving them wide open attempts." 

"Some of that was just effort."

The Griffons trailed by as many as 20 points in the 4th quarter, but answered with a 14-2 run to get to within 9 in the game's final minute. It was too little too late. 

The Griffons forced 15 Tiger turnovers, but shot 33.8% (22-65 FG) from the field and were just 12-21 from the free throw line. Hays shot 48.3% from the floor and had four players in double figures, led by Katie Wagner with 19 points (8-12 FG) and 11 rebounds. 

Josie Weishaar led the Griffons with 16 points (7-13 FG), 5 rebounds and 2 steals, playing a season-high 31 minutes off the bench.  She was the only MWSU player in double figures. Center Kameron Freemyer also played a season-high 20 minutes and was +8. Brionna Budgetts and Connie Clarke had 9 points a piece, with Clarke playing just 18 minutes due to first-half foul trouble.  MWSU's leading scorer, Corbyn Cunningham, was held to season low 2 points in 7 minutes.  

Western has now lost two straight games for the first time this season.  The Griffons were defeated by #16 Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday.  

Hays and Kearney remain tied atop the MIAA at 9-1.  The Griffons sit in a 5th place tie with Northwest Missouri at 6-3.  

"This league's obviously good," Whitaker said.  "But you've gotta take care of yourself.  You have to show up, you have to make lay-ups, you have to make free throws.  There's so many things involved in winning."

"You have to do those against everybody in this league." 

The Griffons return to action on January 20th when they face Newman in Wichita, Kansas.  The road trip continues at Central Oklahoma on January 22nd.