Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Fort Hays State women's basketball team made seven three pointers and had a plus 21 rebounding margin to pull away from Nebraska-Kearney, 63-50, Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Tigers (9-1) have now beaten the Lopers (0-9) three straight times to grab a 42-35 all-time series lead.  This is the last time the two will meet in non-conference action as both will be members of the MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) next season.

UNK was a bit short handed as four players were out due to injury. Despite that, Kearney kept the Tigers within striking distance for the first 30 minutes.

Hays, whose only loss is to nationally-ranked Washburn, led wire-to-wire but needed a 14-4 second half run to finally feel comfortable. Shooting 44% in the first half and having a season-low 14 turnovers, UNK didn't allow the Tigers to have a lead of more than seven points for the first 28 minutes.

A layup by senior guard Debi Johnson (Elsie) made it a 45-39 game with 11:20 to play. That's when the Tigers made their move, getting seven points from South Dakota transfer Katelyn Edwards in a three-minute span to open up a double digit lead.

Six-four freshman reserve post Kate Lehman capped the 14-4 run with a bucket inside to give Hays a 59-43 lead at the 6:04 mark. During this Tiger spurt, UNK made two of nine shots and committed its only two turovers of the half.

The Lopers went only 9 of 33 (27%) from the field after halftime and finished the game 1 of 10 from beyond the arc. Hays, mean while, shot 52% (14 of 27) in the second half and also went 7 of 15 from the three point line. 

Four of the treys came in the game's first eight minutes and helped the Tigers open up a 14-9 lead.

Edwards tallied 13 of her team-high 15 points in the final 20 minutes with fellow starters Traci Keyser (14) and Crista Bechard (13) also in double figures.

Lehman, one of four Tigers to grab five or more boards, finished with nine points, five rebounds and two blocks in 13 minutes. Thanks to its height advantage, Hays won the battle on the glass, 47-26, and that led to 16 second chance points.

Changing its starting lineup, the Lopers had six different players score five or more points. Senior Vanessa Leeper Jones (Colo. Springs, Colo.) came off the bench to tally 11 of her team-high 15 points in the second half.

Also off the bench, freshman post Melissa Norman (Elk Grove, Calif.) had eight points, five blocks and four rebounds. The five blocks are four shy of the school mark.

UNK hosts Colorado Mines and Colorado Christian this Saturday and Sunday.