Mankato, Minn. - The Missouri Southern Women's Basketball team hits the road for a 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon tilt against Minnesota State - Mankato at the Taylor Center.

The Series
This is just the second ever meeting between the women's programs of Missouri Southern and Minnesota State Mankato. Southern won last season's match up 70-58 behind a 20 point effort from Deb Holcomb and 17 points from Sharese Jones. Jenson Maydew led the Lions in rebounding with 10 boards.

The Coaches
Missouri Southern
Ronnie Ressel was named the interim head women's basketball coach on March 22, 2016 after serving three years as an assistant with the women's program. Ressel is entering his 15th season as part of the athletic department at Missouri Southern, serving as an assistant with both the men's and women's programs. A 1992 graduate of Missouri Southern, he returned to his alma mater for the 2002-03 campaign after spending ten years at Rend Lake College in Ina, Ill.

Minnesota State - Mankato
The eighth coach in program history, Emilee Thiesse (Spearfish, S.D.) made an immediate impact for the Minnesota State women's basketball team in 2012-13, posting the second-most wins in program history in her inaugural campaign with a record of 26-6, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Central Region Tournament. Through her four seasons at MSU, Thiesse has compiled a 79-40 (.664) record including a 45-10 (.818) record at home in Taylor Center.

Projected Starters
Missouri Southern
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG Assists Steals Hometown
5 Kayla Kivinski G 5-9 Jr. 6.0 5.0 7 0 Port Richey, Fla.
21 Desirea Buerge F 6-0 So. 6.0 5.3 1 3 Webb City, Mo.
23 Amelia Bramer G 5-10 R-Sr. 13.7 2.0 5 3 Mt. Vernon, Mo.
24 Deb Holcomb G 5-7 Jr. 13.3 2.7 8 3 Dallas, Texas
31 Jenson Maydew F 5-11 Jr. 6.7 4.0 4 2 Pratt, Kan.

Minnesota State - Mankato
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG Assists Steals Hometown
1 Britney Scherber G 5-7 Sr. 10.0 2.0 4 0 Bloomington, Minn.
3 Monica Muth G 5-9 So. 3.0 1.0 2 1 Cambridge, Wisc.
10 Sammie Delzotto G 5-10 Sr. 6.0 9.0 3 2 Eagan, Minn.
35 Karina Schroeder F 6-0 Sr. 12.0 9.0 0 1 Lake Crystal, Minn.
44 Claire Ziegler F 6-0 Jr. 14.0 11.0 2 0 Mankato, Minn.

Quick Notes
Dialing Long Distance
The Lions have made a three pointer in 469 consecutive games. The last time Southern did not make a shot from downtown was in a 68-53 loss to Southern Arkansas on Nov. 20, 1999.

Defensive Effort
The Lions have not allowed 100 points to an opponent since Emporia State defeated Southern 102-60 on Feb. 12, 2000. That is 449 straight games without allowing 100+ points.

Leading At The Half
The Lions led the game at the half in 17 of 29 games last season and are 15-2 in those games.

Sharp Shooting
Southern was 10-4 when out shooting their opponents last season.

Glass Cleaners
The Lions, as a team has out rebounded 18 of their 29 opponents last season.

Friendly Confines of LPAC
Southern is 154-60 inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center since the 2001-02 season. 

Picking Pockets
When the Lions have more steals than their opponents they were 13-3 last season.

Oops we did it again!
When forcing opponents into more turnovers the Lions were 11-2 last season.

Giving Thanks
Southern was 6-0 last season in the month of November.

The Last Time Lions vs. Minnesota State - Mankato
Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women used a 16-4 run to close out the second quarter and take the lead for good as the Lions defeated Minnesota State Mankato 70-58 Wednesday night on Robert Corn Court inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Southern (3-0) opened the game with a layup from junior Deb Holcomb as the Lions and Minnesota State (0-1) traded buckets for the first six minutes before the Mavericks went on a 7-0 run to build a 19-12 advantage with just under three minutes to play in the first quarter. The Lions answered with a 9-2 run to close the quarter and take a one point lead, 21-20, into the break.

Minnesota State used a 4-0 run to take a three point lead, 24-21, to open the second quarter of play before sophomore Jenson Maydew drilled a three pointer from the top of the key to give the game its seventh and final tie at 24-24 with just under six and a half minutes to play in the half. From that point Southern rallied off the 16-4 run for the 37-28 lead headed into the locker room.  During that run Maydew contributed five points, sophomores Jordan Dinyer and Kayla Kivinski each had four, freshman Chelsey Henry sank a pair of free throws, and Holcomb added one point.

For the half, the Lions shot 50 percent (15-for-30) from the field and went 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Southern out rebounded Minnesota State 18-16 and forced the Mavericks into six turnovers. MSU shot 41.9 percent (13-for-31) from the field and they Mavericks were shut out from beyond the arc going 0-for-4.

Minnesota State opened the third quarter with a 5-0 run, all from Madison Lee, to cut the Lions' lead down to four at 37-33. Sophomore Bri Shavers ended that run with a layup from senior Tami Morice to put Southern back up six. Three free throws from the Mavericks cut the lead down to three, the closest that MSU would get for the rest of the game, at 39-36, with just over seven minutes to play in the third. A 6-0 run, buckets from Holcomb and seniors Kenya Wilson-Brown and Sharese Jones pushed the lead back up to nine, 45-36, at the five minute media timeout. After cutting the lead down to four Kivinski would sink three free throws to give the Lions a seven point lead, 50-43, headed into the final quarter.

Holcomb started the fourth quarter with a driving bucket to put the Lions up nine at 52-43. Following a 6-0 run by Minnesota State to cut the lead down to three, Holcomb answered with a three pointer off the dime from Wilson-Brown pushed the lead back up to nine with just over five minutes to play. A layup from Jones with 1:31 to play gave the Lions a 10 point lead at 63-53 and from there Southern went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe to close out the 70-58 win.

For the game Southern shot 42.9 percent (24-for-56) from the field and went 20-for-25 from the free throw line while Minnesota State shot 35.6 percent (21-for-59) from the field and the Lions' defense held MSU to just 1-for-10 shooting from three point range. Southern out rebounded the Mavericks 40-36 and forced Minnesota State into 15 turnovers while blocking six shots and swiping five steals. Holcomb led the Lions with 20 points, Jones added 17, and Maydew pulled down a career high ten rebounds on the night.

Minnesota State was led by Lee and Claire Ziegler both with 12 points and McKenzie Hoelmenn pulled down ten rebounds for the Mavericks.