JOPLIN, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team welcomes in the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats for a Thursday matchup at 5:30 pm in the fifth-straight home contest as part of the six-game home stand inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Game Information
Date: Thursday January 4, 2018
Tip-Off: 5:30 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.  
Site: Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: MSSU leads, 30-24
                           
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/mssu/wbball

The Series vs. Northwest Missouri State
This is the 55th meeting between Southern and Northwest Missouri. The Lions hold a 30-24 advantage in the series, including a 17-8 record in Joplin and specially an 12-5 record on Robert Corn Court inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Northwest holds a 14-13 advantage in Maryville, a 2-0 advantage in Kansas City, and a 3-0 overall advantage in the MIAA Post-Season Tournament. The Lions have won 12 of the last 13 (8-straight) against NWMSU, with the Bearcats lone win coming on March 5, 2013 in the first round of the MIAA Post-Season Tournament in Joplin. Junior forward Desirea Buerge averaged 20.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, while guard Chelsey Henry accumulated a mean of 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals in the Lions two victories last season over the Bearcats. 
 
Possible Starters
Missouri Southern (5-7, 2-2 MIAA)
No.             Name                                    Pos.            Ht.           Yr.           PPG         RPG       Assists      Steals        Hometown
1                Dru Clark                                 G               5-7          R-Jr          9.2            4.5             28             10          Collinsville, Okla. 
3                Julianna Wadsworth                G               5-8            Sr.           3.8            2.5            16              11              Oswego, Ill.
15              Chelsey Henry                         G              5-10           Jr.          16.6           3.4             24               6               Neosho, Mo. 
21              Desirea Buerge                        F               6-0            Jr.           21.0           9.4               7               9             Webb City, Mo.
31              Jenson Maydew                      F               5-11           Sr.           10.7           8.2             12               4                Pratt, Kan.
 

Northwest Missouri State (1-11, 0-4 MIAA)
No.             Name                                Pos.            Ht.             Yr.             PPG          RPG        Assists      Steals        Hometown
3                Jaelyn Haggard                  G                5-5             Fr.            12.0            1.4              21              4             St. Joseph, Mo. 
11              Mallory McConkey              G                5-9             Fr.              5.4            3.6              25              7               Guilford, Mo.              
12              Mallory McAndrews            G                5-7             Jr.              7.8             1.1             14              7              St. Joseph, Mo. 
15              Tanya Meyer                       F                5-10           Jr.            14.2             9.3                4            11              Sioux City, Iowa
32              Maria Dentlinger                 F                 6-0            So.            1.8              2.4                3             2                Arcadia, Iowa
 
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.
 
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 206 of 272 attempts from the free throw line for third in the conference in free throws made and moved up to fourth in the MIAA in FT percentage (.757).
They are shooting ten percentage points higher than their opponents (77-67%) inside Leggett Platt after recording a best 27-for-28 (.964) from the line versus Graceland last Saturday.
Their opponents for some reason are not faring well with the pressure, being limited to 67 percent in 12 games as one of six teams to hold opponents under 70 percent for fifth, even though they have allowed teams 253 opportunities (third 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 16.6 ppg clip (44-percent), including a career-high 26 points at Harding and two 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 (85-percent), eighth in field-goal percentage, and tied for eighth in minutes per contest (31.1)
 
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 21.0 (52.5-percent) in eight games after matching and eclipsing a career-high 28 points by six to 36 points in a three-point victory over Lindenwood. She has five double-doubles on the season and has reached the minimum games played plateau to be ranked in different statistical categories. Buerge stands second in the MIAA in scoring, tied for fourth in rebounds (9.4), and sixth in field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage (85.7-percent), and minutes played (32.4). 
 
She Works Hard for the Rebound
Senior forward Jenson Maydew moved up one spots on the MIAA rebounding leaderboard to be ranked ninth (8.2) after registering 17 rebounds combined in the teams three wins over Lindenwood, Missouri S&T, and Graceland while enduring 33.4 minutes per game of action for fourth in the MIAA and one of four to average over 33 minutes. Jenson still sits with two double-doubles on the season in search of number three to set a career-high in her favor.
 
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 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 conclude their six-game home stand by hosting the Missouri Western State Griffons this Saturday, Jan. 6 at 1:30 pm.