JOPLIN, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team travels to take on the Lindenwood Lions for the second meeting of the season this Thursday at 5:30 pm.

Game Information
Date: Thursday January 11, 2018
Tip-Off: 5:30 pm
Location: St. Charles, Mo.  
Site: Robert F. Hyland Arena 
Series Record: MSSU: leads 10-2

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 103.5 FM, 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/lindenwood/wbball

The Series vs. Lindenwood
This is the 13th meeting in the battle between the Lions as Southern holds a 10-2 advantage over Lindenwood. Southern got the best of LWU back on Dec. 9 when junior guard Chelsey Henry sunk the game-winning 3-pointer with .04 seconds left in regulation to close out a 23-11 fourth quarter inside Leggett Platt. The Lions were down for the most of the game, but erased a nine-point deficit heading into the final period. Junior forward Desirea Buerge finished with a career-high 36 points, to go along with 11 rebounds for a double-double. Henry scored 19 points, while junior guard Dru Clark added 17 to push MSSU to 5-1 at home against LWU. Southern now heads to LWU's arena where the Lions are currently 5-1 with their only loss coming last season by six (86-80). Since joining the MIAA, Lindenwood is 2-7 against Missouri Southern entering Thursdays contest.

Possible Starters

Missouri Southern (7-7, 4-2 MIAA)
No.             Name                                             Pos.            Ht.              Yr.            PPG          RPG      Assists        Steals          Hometown
1                Dru Clark                                         G               5-7             R-Jr             9.6            4.3             35               11             Collinsville, Okla. 
3                Julianna Wadsworth                        G               5-8              Sr.               3.8            2.2             18               13              Oswego, Ill.
15              Chelsey Henry                                 G               5-10            Jr.              17.0           3.4              26                 6              Neosho, Mo. 
21              Desirea Buerge                                F                6-0             Jr.               20.9           8.6               9               10              Webb City, Mo.
31              Jenson Maydew                               F                5-11           Sr.               11.5           8.4             16                 4                Pratt, Kan.
 
Lindenwood (10-5, 2-4 MIAA)
No.             Name                                            Pos.            Ht.              Yr.            PPG            RPG       Assists       Steals          Hometown
2                Charisse Williams                           G                5-8             Jr.               7.1             2.6             25              14              Orlando, Fla.
14              Jerricah Butler                                G                5-8             Sr.               7.1             3.5             15              24              Florissant, Mo. 
25              Kallie Bildner                                   F                 6-3             So.           19.7           12.5               6              16             Waynesville, Mo. 
30              Lindsay Medlen                              G                5-8             So.              9.2             2.3              61              25              Crocker, Mo. 
33              Lexie Moe                                       F                 5-11           Jr.               5.8             3.0              15              19           Dardenne Prairie, Mo. 

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.
 
The Streak Is On
Since losing to Nebraska-Kearney back on Dec. 2, the Lions have rattled off six-straight wins and stand tied for fifth in the MIAA (4-2). The last time they won six in a row was in 2015-16 where the Lions went 6-0 prior to falling to Central Oklahoma, 81-79, in overtime. Before that, Southern achieved the feat of eight in back-to-back seasons (2013-14/2014-15). All three streaks began with the first game of the season compared to this squad hitting its stride at the halfway point of the schedule. After LWU, the Lions take on Lincoln before returning home new week for a pair of games against Washburn and Emporia State.
 
MOSO Makes Them All, OPPO Hits the Wall
Down the stretch, MSSU has converted on one of the most important situations in sports: free throw shooting. Lions have made 247 of 322 attempts from the free throw line for first in the conference in free throws made and third in the MIAA in FT percentage (.767). They continue to hold a double-digit advantage by shooting 10 percentage points higher than their opponents (78-68%) inside Leggett Platt, including a season best 27-for-28 (.964) from the line versus Graceland. Their opponents for some reason are not faring well with the pressure, being limited to 68 percent in 14 games as one of five teams to hold opponents under 69 percent for fourth, even though they have allowed teams 286 opportunities (fourth most in the MIAA).
 
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 at a 17.0 ppg clip (46-percent), including a career-high 27 points versus Northwest Missouri St. and three other 20-point games. Henry is coming off the 2016-17 season as the third leading scorer for the Lions (10.3) and is currently fourth in the MIAA in scoring, seventh in free-throw percentage (87.1), and ninth in field-goal percentage.
 
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 20.9 (52.5-percent) in ten games after recording her sixth 20-plus point game of the season with 20 points in a victory over the 10-5 Missouri Western State. Buerge is at the top of the MIAA leader board in scoring, second in free-throw percentage (.881), sixth in rebounds (8.6), seventh in field-goal percentage, and tenth in minutes played (30.8)
 
She Works Hard for the Rebound
Senior forward Jenson Maydew moved up one spot on the MIAA rebounding leaderboard in eighth after tying a career-high 12 rebounds against Missouri Western St. She also added a career-high 23 points against the Griffons for her third double-double of the season, which was a career-high for double-doubles in a season. Maydew remains third in the MIAA in minutes played per game (33.4) as one of three players to average over 33 minutes.
 
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 21 games combined and started in four games each. Campbell is tied for second on team with eight blocks, while Catalan has scored 46 total points and registered 15 assists in 161 minutes. Both players have five steals on the season.

Up Next
The Lions continue onto Jefferson City, MO for the second meeting with Lincoln on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 1:30 pm.