LADY HORNETS 16 GAME MIAA TOURNAMENT WINNING STREAK COMES TO AN END

March 1, 2018-A season that began with two senior starters and a Division I transfer lost for the year with injuries, the Lady Hornets were able to advance to the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City before falling 57-54 to Fort Hays State. The loss ends a 16 game winning streak in the tournament and a five year run of winning the tourney title.
 
Emporia State, playing as a six seed for the first time since 2002, jumped out to a 10-3 lead just 3:05 into the game and led 13-7 with 4:22 left in the opening period.  The third seeded Tigers responded with a 6-0 run to tie the game and the Lady Hornets would take a 16-15 lead into the second period.
 
Fort Hays State was the hot team to start the second as they scored the first five points for a 21-16 lead with 7:43 left in the quarter.  They would maintain between a two and five point lead the remainder of the half and the Tigers led 30-26 going to the locker room.
 
The Lady Hornets opened the second half on a 7-2 run and Tyra Jones layup gave Emporia State a 33-32 lead with 6:26 left in the third.  The teams would trade scores over the next few minutes and were tied at 37 when Jacee Kramer gave Emporia State a 39-37 lead with 3:01 left.  Tyra Jones then hit one of two free throws with 1:28 left and Jessica Wayne scored with six seconds remaining to give the Lady Hornets a 42-27 lead going into the fourth quarter.
 
Neither team scored over the first two and a half minutes of the fourth until Taylor Rolfs hit a three-pointer with 7:31 left to pull the Tigers within two points. That would jump start an 8-0 run by Ft. Hays State that ended with a Carly Heim layup at the 4:04 mark. Emporia State would go on a 6:24 scoring drought.  Jones scored inside with 3:42 left to break the run and pull the Lady Hornets within 45-44. 
 
Heim's layup would be the last field goal for the Tigers as they went 12 of 14 from the free throw line in the last 2:39 of the game.  Kacey Kennett hit one of two free throws with :49.3 left to give FHSU a 52-47 lead.  Marissa Preston answered with a put back with 43 seconds left to pull Emporia State within 52-49.  Tatyana Leggette hit two free throws with :40.8 remaining to put the lead back to five points but Wayne scored off an offensive rebounds with 25 seconds left to make it 54-51.  Heim was fouled and hit two free throws with 21 seconds left to push the lead back to 56-51.  Wayne scored off another offensive rebound and converted the and one to make it 56-54 with 10.8 remaining.
 
Rolfs was fouled with nine seconds left and hit the first free throw to make it 57-54 but missed the second.  Kramer grabbed the rebound and drove to the other end but her three-point attempt bounced off the front iron.
 
Tyra Jones led four Lady Hornets in double figures with 14 points and 12 rebounds.  Jacee Kramer and Jessica Wayne each scored 11 and Marissa Preston chipped in ten points.  Wayne had a career high 12 rebounds for her first double-double and added four steals.
 
With the loss, the Lady Hornets will miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. They finish the season 17-11 which snaps an MIAA record of 15 consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins.
 
NOTES
This was just the ninth time in 352 games since 2004 that the Lady Hornets have lost a game with a lead at the five minute mark. They led 42-41 with 5:00 left.
The loss snaps a string of 16 straight wins in the MIAA Tournament by the Lady Hornets.
This will be the first time since 2008 that Emporia State has not advanced to the MIAA Semifinals.
The Lady Hornets are now 44-14 all-time in the MIAA Tournament with a 29-11 record in Municipal Auditorium, and 20-3 all-time in the MIAA Quarterfinals.
The Lady Hornets will return five players that started at leas nine games this year including four of their top five scorers.  They will also get back seniors Addie Lackey and Kyrstie Miller along with sophomore Daley Handy who missed all of this season with injuries.