Joplin, Mo. -  The Missouri Southern women's basketball team lost to Fort Hays State 70-49 inside Leggett & Platt Athletic Center as Kaitlin Hunnicutt led the team with 12 points. 
 
Southern (4-7, 4-7 MIAA) was led offensively by Hunnicutt's 12 points shooting 5-of-10 from the field. Amaya Johns chipped in with 10 points off the bench in 13 minutes. Madi Stokes had a team-high sevenrebounds. Layne Skiles and Hunnicutt had three assists each. 
 
Fort Hays (8-2, 8-2 MIAA) was led offensively by Jaden Hobbs with a game-high 16 points and grabbed six rebounds while dishing out a game-high seven assists and getting three steals. Jessie Sallach chipped in with nine points off the bench going 3-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Katie Wagner had a game-high nine rebounds and chipped in with seven points.  
 
Hunnicutt connected on a deep three with 4:05 left in the first quarter to cut the Hays' lead to two (7-5). Zoe Campbell tied the game up with 2:06 remaining in the first quarter (12-12) capping off a 10-5 run by the Lions. 
 
A Hunnicutt three with 6:26 remaining in the second quarter put Southern ahead (22-21). Stokes would push the lead to three after a connecting on a jumper from a Hunnicutt feed with 5:35 left (24-21). Fort Hays State responded by going on an 11-2 run to close the half, taking a 32-26 lead into the locker room. 
 
Carley Turnbull got the scoring started in the third quarter draining two free throws at the 9:08 mark to cut the Tigers' lead to four (32-28). Fort Hays answered with a 6-0 run following and wouldn't relinquish the lead. 
 
The Lions' bench outscored the Tigers 34-26, while Southern had more points in the paint 22-18. 
 
The Lions will be back in action on Saturday against fourth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney. Tip off from inside Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is scheduled for 1:30 pm.