Emporia, Kan. - The Missouri Southern Women's Basketball team opens their 2016-17 season at the MIAA/GAC Challenge hosted by Emporia State University November 12-13.

The Lions will face Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and Southwestern Oklahoma State at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Last season the Lions defeated OBU 72-63 and Southwestern Oklahoma 71-68 at this challenge in Weatherford, Oklahoma. 

The Series vs. Oklahoma Baptist

The Lions lead the series at 2-1 with each team winning in their home arena and Southern taking the first neutral site meeting last season.
The Bison won 90-87 in overtime in Shawnee, Okla. on Nov. 26, 1996; while the Lions won 64-61 in Robert Ellis Young Gym on Dec. 2, 1996. Southern defeated OBU 72-63 in Weatherford, Oklahoma in the GAC/MIAA Challenge hosted by Southwestern Oklahoma State.
In the past 15 years the Lions are 8-7 in season openers, and 1-1 in neutral site season openers. The only other neutral site game as a season opener was in 2002, a 62-56 loss to Central Oklahoma in the Northeastern State Lady Reds Classic.

The Series vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State

The Lions lead the series over Southwestern Oklahoma State 4-2.
The first meeting between the two schools was in the 1982 NAIA National Championship game in Kansas City, Missouri which the Bulldogs won 80-45
21 years would pass before Southern and Southwestern Oklahoma would meet again as the Lions won 86-80 in Joplin.
Two years later the two teams squared off twice in the 05-06 season as Southwestern Oklahoma State won in Joplin 58-52 before the Lions would get revenge in the Pittsburg State Pizza Hut/Comfort Inn Classic just eight days later, 69-61.
The next meeting between the two schools came in 2013 as Southern started an eight game winning streak by defeating SWOSU 99-83 inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Last season Missouri Southern defeated SWOSU 71-68 in Weatherford, Okla. in the first year of the MIAA/GAC Challenge.

Projected Starters
Missouri Southern
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG Assists Steals Hometown
4 Sydney Offield G 5-5 Fr. na na na na Liberty, Mo.
5 Kayla Kivinski G 5-9 Jr. 3.9 1.9 20 4 Port Richey, Fla.
21 Desirea Buerge F 6-0 So. 4.7 2.8 9 21 Webb City, Mo.
24 Deb Holcomb G 5-7 Jr. 15.4 4.0 62 40 Dallas, Texas
31 Jenson Maydew F 5-11 Jr. 5.6 3.6 18 9 Pratt, Kan.

Oklahoma Baptist
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG Assists Steals Hometown
10 Cameerah Graves G 5-7 Sr. 9.2 4.6 140 65 Edmond, Okla.
20 McKenzie Cooper G 5-9 Jr. 13.5 3.0 46 26 Shawnee, Okla.
21 Tasha Edge F 6-0 Jr. 10.2 7.3 31 20 Aurora, Colo.
22 Katy Custer F 5-11 Jr. 8.6 3.0 43 41 Dickson, Okla.
33 Aliyah White F 5-11 Fr. na na na na Anadarko, Okla.

Southwestern Oklahoma State
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG Assists Steals Hometown
14 Hayden Priddy G 5-9 So. 9.4 3.3 91 20 Piedmont, Okla.
21 Tyra Aska G 5-8 Fr. na na na na Meridian, Okla.
12 Hailey Tucker G 6-2 So. 15.4 5.7 45 22 Bartlesville, Okla.
3 Shalie McAlister F 5-11 Jr. 6.1 4.8 56 42 Carlsbad, N.M. (NEO)
32 Whitey Dunn F 6-0 Sr. 2.4 2.5 7 4 Mustang, Okla.