Joplin, Mo. - Missouri Southern Women's Basketball hosts the 10th ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Saturday with a 1 p.m. tip off inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Game Information
Date: Saturday January 28, 2017
Tip-Off: 1:00 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center/Corn Court
Series Record: MSSU leads, 15-9

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: ESPN Joplin/Lions Sports Network
Internet Audio: mssulions.com
Webcast: portal.stretchinternet.com/mssu/
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/mssu/wbball

The Series
This will be the 24th meeting between Southern and Central Oklahoma with Southern holding a 14-9 advantage in the series. In Joplin, the Lions are 7-3 after the 81-79 overtime loss last season. Inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center the Lions hold a 4-2 advantage over UCO. The longest winning streak in the series is eight games (Nov. 29, 1991 thru Nov. 16, 2001) held by the Lions. During that streak Southern was 3-0 in Joplin, 3-0 in Edmond, Oklahoma, and 2-0 on neutral sites. The longest winning streak for UCO came at the beginning of the series. Three games from Jan. 7, 1983 thru Dec. 8, 1989. Since UCO joined the MIAA, UCO leads the series at  3-2 and the Bronchos are 2-1 in Joplin.

Coaches
Missouri Southern
Ronnie Ressel is in his 15th year on the staff at Missouri Southern and his first year at the helm of the women's program. During his three years as an assistant for the women, Ressel had helped the team to a 58-30 record and a 38-22 mark in the MIAA. In 2015-16 the team saw two players earn All-MIAA status as Sharese Jones was a first-team selection, while Deb Holcomb was a third-team pick.

Central Oklahoma
In his 11th year as Central Oklahoma's head coach is Guy Hardaker, who has turned the Bronchos into a perennial NCAA Division II national tournament contender. A member of the UCO Athletic Hall of Fame, Hardaker took over the helm in 2006 after a highly-successful stint as boys high school basketball coach and is 183-112 with the Bronchos. He's led UCO to its only four Division II national tournament appearances and the Bronchos won 20-plus games a school-record four consecutive seasons from 2007-11.  Guy guided Central to a top-two finish in the Lone Star Conference North Division the last five years (two firsts, three seconds) in the league.

Possible Starters
Missouri Southern (11-9, 6-5 MIAA)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG Assists Steals Hometown
11 Jasmine Green G 5-6 Jr. 7.4 2.4 34 13 Katy, Texas
15 Chelsey Henry G 5-10 So. 9.9 3.9 24 15 Neosho, Mo.
21 Desirea Buerge F 6-0 So. 11.9 6.0 12 21 Webb City, Mo.
24 Deb Holcomb G 5-7 Sr. 16.9 3.1 38 26 Dallas, Texas
31 Jenson Maydew F 5-11 Jr. 8.2 5.8 24 8 Pratt, Kan.

(10) Central Oklahoma (18-1, 9-1 MIAA)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG Assists Steals Hometown
11 Marley Anderson G 5-5 Sr. 8.3 3.6 59 20 Snyder, Okla.
13 Blake Blessington G 5-9 So. 8.5 4.7 33 13 Harrah, Okla.
22 Melinda Murillo G 5-5 Jr. 15.6 2.5 55 26 Guthrie, Okla.
25 Olivia Mason F 6-0 Sr. 11.4 7.8 40 32 Fairview, Okla.
42 Jesheon Cooper F 6-5 Jr. 10.8 9.6 7 12 Belleville, Ill.

Quick Notes
Dialing Long Distance

The Lions have made a three pointer in 486 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 466 straight games without allowing 100+ points.

Leading At The Half
The Lions led the game at the half in 11 of 20 games this season and are 9-2 in those games.

Sharp Shooting
Southern is 9-0 when out shooting their opponents this season.

Glass Cleaners
The Lions, as a team has out rebounded 10 of their 20 opponents this season and are 8-2 in those contests.

Friendly Confines of LPAC
Southern is 159-61 inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center since the 2001-02 season. 

Picking Pockets
When the Lions have more steals than their opponents they are 6-4 this season.
 

Supporting cast
Southern's bench  has outscored their opponents 12 times this season and the Lions are 9-3 in those contests.

NCAA D2/MIAA Stat Rankings
The Lions are ranked 12th in all of NCAA D2 and first in the MIAA in free throw attempts (446) and 7th in D2 and lead the MIAA in free throws made (332). Southern is ranked 38th nationally and 4th in the MIAA in scoring offense with 74.5 ppg. The Lions are 45th in D2 and 5th in the MIAA in 3-point percentage (.362) Senior Deb Holcomb leads the MIAA and is 32nd in D2 in field goals made (123)