JOPLIN, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team returns home to Leggett & Platt for its MIAA home opener against the Lincoln Blue Tigers Thursday evening.
 
Game Information
Date: Thursday December 7, 2017
Tip-Off: 5:30 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.  
Site: Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: MSSU: leads 31-5
                           
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS
Audio:  http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/WMBH
Webcast: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions/
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/mssu/wbball

The Series vs. Lincoln (Mo.)
This is the 37th meeting between Southern and the Blue Tigers. The Lions holds a 31-5 overall advantage over Lincoln. Senior forward Jenson Maydew scored a combined 22 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in two meetings last season, including a double-double. Chelsey Henry added 22 points and junior forward Desirea Buerge recorded a double-double with 16 points and ten rebounds in the first game. Senior guard Julianna Wadsworth added 16 points off the bench in the second game. The Lions are 16-1 in Joplin against Lincoln and 6-1 inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Since Lincoln rejoined the MIAA in 2010, Southern holds an 9-2 advantage over the Blue Tigers. The longest winning streak for the Lions is 14 games and started with an 86-60 win on Jan. 13, 1990 in Joplin and lasted through a 74-64 win in Joplin on Dec. 20, 1997. After departing the MIAA for the Heartland Conference in 1999-2000 the two schools only met twice until the return of Lincoln to the MIAA. Those two meetings were both won by Southern, 63-58 in Joplin on Nov. 27, 1999 and an 81-44 win in Joplin on Nov. 29, 2002.
 
 
Possible Starters

Missouri Southern (1-7, 0-2 MIAA)
No.             Name                                      Pos.            Ht.             Yr.              PPG            RPG           Assists       Steals           Hometown
3                Julianna Wadsworth                  G                5-8              Sr.              4.0                2.0               12                 8                Oswego, Ill.
11              Jasmine Green                          G                5-6              Sr.              9.8                3.5                 7                 2                Katy, Texas 
15              Chelsey Henry                          G                5-10            Jr.              14.9               3.5                17                5                Neosho, Mo. 
21              Desirea Buerge                         F                6-0              Jr.              17.8               8.0                 1                 2                Webb City, Mo.
31              Jenson Maydew                        F                5-11            Sr.              12.0               8.9                  7                2                Pratt, Kan.

Lincoln (3-4)
No.             Name                                      Pos.            Ht.             Yr.            PPG            RPG           Assists       Steals            Hometown
3                Lajanea Kimbrough                  G/F            5-10            Jr.              7.6               4.9                 16              5                Kansas City, Mo. 
11              Naomi Bryant                             G               5-8             Jr.              5.6               2.7                   6              6                St. Louis, Mo. 
12              Bre Colman                                F                6-2             Jr.              6.7               6.9                   1               3                Cypress, Texas
15              Kailey Foster                             G               5-8             Sr.              1.0               2.1                   7               5                Orland Park, Ill.
23              Citali Lopez                               G               5-7             Sr.              11.0             5.4                 17                8                Whiting, Ind.
 
 
Quick Notes
Veteran Leadership
MSSU returns seven players from last year's squad (three seniors and four juniors) to provide leadership for one sophomore and five freshmen entering their first season with the Lions.

MIAA Pre-Season Poll
The Lions were selected to finish 11th in the conference entering the 2017-18 season. No. 13 ranked Central Missouri received the most first-place votes, followed by the 2016-17 regular season champion Pittsburg State who was picked second. No. 11 ranked and winner of the last five MIAA tournaments Emporia State was picked third by the coaches and media back in mid-October.

Henry the 15th I am I am
Junior guard Chelsey Henry has scored rapidly out of the gate, currently second on the squad in scoring through eight games at 14.9 ppg (42-for-99), including a career-high 26 points at Harding. Henry is coming off the 2016-17 season as the third leading scorer for the Lions (10.3) and is currently 14th in the MIAA in scoring, while registering 30.4 minutes per contest for seventh in the MIAA. 
 
Let the Buerge Hit The Floor
Since returning to game action, junior forward Desirea Buerge has played out of her mind for the Lions thus far by leading the team in points 17.8 in four games. capping off with a season-high 21 points at Fort Hays State. She followed up with her second double-double in four games with 18 points and ten rebounds at Nebraska-Kearney. In her second game, back, she registered her fifth career double-double with 12 points and ten rebounds, helping MSSU to its first win over Ottawa University. Buerge finished last season averaging 12.8 ppg for second on the team and 16th in the conference.

She Works Hard for the Rebound
Senior forward Jenson Maydew recorded her second double-double of the season posting a career-high 22 points to go along with 11 rebounds at UNK. Jenson has led the Lions in rebounds six of eight contests and has moved up one spot to 8th in the MIAA (8.9), while accumulating 33.1 minutes per game for 5th. She already has two double-doubles which matches her total during the 2016-17 campaign in back-to-back contests and could achieve the season-high mark at any time down the road. 
Welcome Back Fritz  
Missouri Southern Women's Basketball head coach Ronnie Ressel announced the addition of former Lion Kelby Fritz to the coaching staff for 2017-18. Fritz began her playing career at Missouri Southern State University (09'-12') where she averaged 10 points per game. She continued her collegiate carrier in 2012 at Rogers State University. After college, Fritz helped Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO) to a National Junior College (NJCAA) Division 1 Region 2 and District B title this past season. The 29-3 Lady Norse entered the national tournament as the 11 seed and defeated 22nd seeded Iowa Western 73-47 in the opening round at the Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas. While at NEO, Fritz was responsible for game preparation, scouting, game day duties, recruiting, strength and conditioning, and all aspects of team travel for the Lady Norse.

International Love 
Coach Ressel and his staff went outside the country on the recruiting trail as they signed two freshmen from overseas. 6'3 center Zoe Campbell comes way of Australia, while 5'7 guard Ines Catalan Mateos is from Spain. Both have seen in every game so far for the Lions and started in four games each. Campbell leads the team with seven blocks for 15th in the MIAA and tied for second with five steals, while Catalan has scored 34 total points in 135 minutes good for sixth on the squad and shares the second spot in steals with Campbell.

Up Next
MSSU follows Thursday evening contest with a match up against the undefeated Lindenwood Lions (7-0) inside the Leggett & Platt Center on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 1:30 pm.