By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

Last year, Naomi Bancroft was the Tigers' main threat from beyond the arc.

If Wednesday night's game is any indication, Bancroft won't be the only member of the Fort Hays State University women's basketball team hoisting up treys this season.

The Tigers set a school record for successful 3-pointers in a game, making 16 of them in Wednesday night's 89-33 blowout victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State University at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

In just over the first six minutes Bancroft sank four treys, as the senior guard helped the Tigers take a 17-7 lead.

From that 17-7 start, the Tigers then went on a 25-4 run.

"I was happy with the way we started the game," Fort Hays coach Tony Hobson said. "We executed well."

Bancroft finished with five 3-pointers and led the Tigers with 15 points.

Senior starters Kayla Klug and Audra Binford each made a pair of 3-pointers, as did sophomore Kimber Weiser and junior Shelby Hillman off the bench. Sophomore Talia Miller also hit a trey, as did a pair of freshmen from Ellis, Whitney Taylor and Haley Wolf.

The Tigers finished 16-of-36 from 3-point range. The old record was 13 3-pointers in a game, set during the 2006-07 season against Southwest Baptist (Mo.) University. Binford's 3-pointer from the right wing with 7:18 left in the game broke the record.

Fort Hays coach Tony Hobson said Bancroft -- who set a school record for 3-pointers in a season last year -- won't be as easy to guard this season because of the team's other long-distance shooters. Now when Bancroft uses screens, her teammate setting the pick can pop out and hit from outside.

"They aren't going to be able to double-team her with screens," Hobson said. "A couple of the girls can hit threes.

"It does take a lot of pressure off Naomi," he added. Fort Hays (2-0), which led 44-15 at halftime, went on a 17-2 run to start the second half. The Tigers led by as many as 60 points in the second half.

"Overall, I thought the kids did a good job," Hobson said.

After Bancroft's 15 points, Taylor scored 11 off the bench and Binford and senior forward Erica Biel added 10 points each. Biel added a game-high eight rebounds.

Freshman Audrey Richmond scored 11 points off the bench to lead the Rangers.

Game notes

While Fort Hays set a school record for 3-pointers, Northwestern Oklahoma State was 1-of-13 from beyond the arc. ... The Rangers committed 29 turnovers. ... The Tigers scored 33 points off turnovers. ... Fort Hays finished with 23 assists, five by Bancroft. ... The game counted as an exhibition for Northwestern Oklahoma State, which remained at 4-2. ... The attendance figure was not announced.