Women's Basketball | 2/10/2026 4:26:00 PM

GAME 24
Emporia State (12-11, 6-8 MIAA) at #7 Fort Hays State (21-2, 12-2 MIAA)
Thursday, February 12, 2026 • 5:30 p.m. • Hays, Kan. • Gross Coliseum
Series Record: ESU leads 52-42 Last Meeting: #6 FHSU 82, at ESU 64 (1/8/26)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM
Internet Audio: kvoe.com | Television: None | Internet Video: The MIAA Network
Live Stats | Ticket Info | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Neb.-Kearney • February 14 • 2:00 p.m. • Kearney, Neb. • Health & Sports Center

WESTERN KANSAS TRIP   
The Lady Hornets travel west to take on #7 Fort Hays State in Gross Coliseum.

ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 12-11, 6-8 in the MIAA.  They are fourth in the MIAA in assists. Gracie Gilpin leads the MIAA in three-pointers made and averages 12.6 points per game. Kaitlyn Sanders is fourth in the MIAA at 15.8 points per game.  

ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State is 21-2, 12-2 in the MIAA and ranked #7 in the WBCA National Poll. They lead the nation in assists and are fourth in field goal percentage. Talexa Weeter is the leading scorer in the nation at 27.5 points per game while Brooke Loewe leads the nation with 10.3 assists per game.

ABOUT THE COACHES
MJ Baker is 12-11 in her first season with the Lady Hornets and is 63-57 in her fourth year as a head coach at a four year institution. She has won 346 games as a collegiate coach and comes to Emporia State after an eight year run at Eastern Florida State College.  She went 183-58 with three conference championships and three trips to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament during her time at EFSC.  She is 0-1 against Fort Hays State.
Talia Kahrs is 75-15 in her third season at Fort Hays State. She is 4-0 against Emporia State.

SERIES HISTORY
The Lady Hornets lead the series 52-42. The Tigers have won seven straight in the series since Emporia State took a 62-61 win in Gross Coliseum in 2021.

LAST TIME VS FORT HAYS STATE
The Lady Hornets were with two points with nine minutes left before #6 Fort Hays State pulled away for an 82-64 win in White Auditorium. Emporia State led 14-10 after the first quarter.  The Tigers used a 10-0 run to go up 28-21 with 6:07 left in the half and took a 35-28 lead into the break. Gracie Gilpin hit a three to cap a 9-2 run and pull ESU within 50-49 with 28 seconds left in the third. Elizabeth Tjaden hit a three with 9:12 left to get the Lady Hornets within 54-52 but the Tigers scored the next eight points to take a 62-52 lead and steadily pulled away. Gilpin had 18 points while Micah Hannah grabbed six rebounds for Emporia State.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Hornets got off to a fast start but were unable to hold off the visiting Lions as Emporia State fell to Missouri Southern 74-69 on Saturday afternoon in White Auditorium.
The Lady Hornets got off to a blistering start as they scored the first 12 points of the game before the Lions got on the board with a pair of free throws at the 4:26 mark. Emporia State led 16-2 before Southern finally hit a field goal with 2:51 left and the Lady Hornets held a 23-8 lead after one period. The Lions roared back with a 25-12 advantage in the second period to pull within 35-32 at the break.  Emporia State almost took a five point lead into the half as Lexsey DeWitt hit a half court shot at the buzzer that was initially called good, but was overturned after replay. The Lady Hornets extended their lead in the third, outscoring the Lions by four to take a 53-47 lead into the fourth quarter. ESU led 61-60 at the final media timeout with 4:23 remaining but MSSU would take their first lead on a pair of free throws from Grace Frazier at the 4:02 mark. That would be part of a 10-0 run by the Lions who went up 68-61 with 2:09 left. Kaitlyn Sanders knocked down back to back three-pointers to get ESU within 68-67 with 1:29 remaining  but Southern hit four of eight free throws to get the win.
Sanders had 17 points and was joined in double figures by Katiya Casey with 16 points, Gracie Gilpin with 14 and Vanessa Coleman with 12 points. Coleman added ten rebounds and seven assists.  For the game Emporia State went four eight from the free throw line while Missouri Southern hit 20 of 26 from the charity stripe.

UP NEXT
The Lady Hornets go to Kearney, Neb. on Saturday to take on the Lopers. Tip-off from the Health & Sports Center is set for 2:00 p.m.

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