Kearney, Neb. - Coming off a home victory over Central Oklahoma, the Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team looks to make it two in a row when it faces rival Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon in Kansas.

Tip time is 2:00 p.m. FHSU (15-5, 7-5), coming off a Wednesday night home victory against NW Missouri State, has won three straight over the Lopers (6-13, 3-9) to lead the all-time series, 42-35.

Former Hastings College coach Tony Hobson saw his team get off to a 10-0 start, propelling them to a No. 10 ranking in the December 18th WBCA Top 25 poll.

However, the Tigers are 5-5 since then, averaging just over 61 points per game in that stretch. Hays is a solid 10-1 in Gross Memorial Coliseum after that 65-53 victory against Northwest.

Coming into the week making more free throws (321/16.8 pg) than the opposition has attempted (300/15.7 pg), Hays ranks third in the MIAA in scoring (70.7) despite being 15th in three point percentage (26.8%).

Having a plus 4.3 rebounding margin and a league-best 7.2 turnover margin, the Tigers recently lost a top player when 5-9 senior guard Melissa Nelson (8.3 points & 1.9 steals pg) suffered a knee injury.

Six-four sophomore post Kate Lehman leads in scoring (15.4), rebounds (8.4) and blocks (4.2) while shooting 51% from the floor. Crete native and South Dakota transfer Katelyn Edwards (13.2 points & 7.9 rebounds pg) is the other Tiger in double digits.

UNK, 1-5 in Gross since 2004, is fifth in the MIAA in offensive rebounds per game (13.8) and sixth in steals (8.7). Trenton freshman Laramey Lewis is the Lopers steal leader (35) with posts Melissa Norman (43) and Queen Ohamara (36) ranking 1-2 in o-boards.

Of late, senior Nadia Williams (San Jose, Calif.) has been an offensive weapon, scoring 16 on Jan. 26th at SW Baptist and then going for 18 in last Saturday's win over UCO.

Off the bench, freshman guard Sydney Seberger (Lexington) is beginning to find her stride as well, tallying 25 points over the last three contests. That includes back-to-back nine point efforts.

After Saturday, UNK doesn't play against until Feb. 16th when these same Tigers visit the Health & Sports Center.