JOPLIN, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team plays host to the Missouri Western State Griffons on Saturday at 1:30 pm to wrap up a six-game stretch inside Leggett and Platt.
 
Game Information
Date: Saturday January 6, 2018
Tip-Off: 1:30 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.  
Site: Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: MWSU leads: 53-32
                           
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. Missouri Western
This is the 89th meeting between the sister schools, with Missouri Western holding a 53-32 advantage in the series.   Three MWSU wins in the 05-06 and 06-07 seasons were vacated by the NCAA. Southern holds a 23-18 advantage over their sister school in Joplin and have won seven of the last eight inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. The Lions started this decade 8-0 against MWSU, the best start for Southern in any decade of the series. Since then the Griffons have gone 5-1, winning the last three meetings. In last season's two meetings, junior forward Desirea Buerge averaged 16.5 points and ten rebounds, including a 18 points and 12 rebound performance in the second game. Senior guard Jasmine Green added 9.5 points per game against the Griffons with a 12-point outburst off the bench in the first matchup between the two teams during 2016-17.
 
Possible Starters
Missouri Southern (6-7, 3-2 MIAA)
No.             Name                                     Pos.            Ht.             Yr.            PPG          RPG        Assists      Steals        Hometown
1                Dru Clark                                  G               5-7            R-Jr            9.4            4.4             33              10           Collinsville, Okla. 
3                Julianna Wadsworth                 G               5-8             Sr.              3.7            2.4             17              12             Oswego, Ill.
15              Chelsey Henry                          G              5-10            Jr.            17.4            3.6             24                6              Neosho, Mo. 
21              Desirea Buerge                         F               6-0             Jr.             21.0           9.1               8                9              Webb City, Mo.
31              Jenson Maydew                        F              5-11            Sr.             10.6           8.2             14                4                Pratt, Kan
 
Northwest Missouri State (10-4, 3-2 MIAA)
No.             Name                                    Pos.            Ht.             Yr.            PPG           RPG         Assists       Steals        Hometown
00              Erin Anderson                          G              5-7             Sr.              8.0             3.0             22              28              St. Louis, Mo. 
1                Brittany Atkins                          G              5-9             Jr.            13.6              2.1             22              12              Kansas City, Mo.
10              Melia Richardson                     G              5-4             Jr.              9.7              2.0             46              23              Cameron, Mo.
22              KeShara Scott                          F              5-10           Jr.              6.0              6.8             15              30              Riverside, Calif.
32              Dossou Ndiaye                         F              6-2             Jr.              8.4              5.1             22              10              Thies, Senegal

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 226 of 295 attempts from the free throw line for third in the conference in free throws made and remained in fourth in the MIAA in FT percentage (.766).
They are shooting 11 percentage points higher than their opponents (78-67%) 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 13 games as one of four teams to hold opponents under 68 percent for fourth, even though they have allowed teams 263 opportunities (fifth 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 17.4 ppg clip (45-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 field-goal percentage, eighth in free-throw percentage (86-percent), and tied for ninth in minutes per contest (31.2)
 
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 (53-percent) in nine games after recording her fifth 20-plus point game of the season with 21 points in a victory over Northwest Missouri St. Buerge stands second in the MIAA in scoring, fifth field-goal percentage, tied for fifth in free-throw percentage (87.5), sixth in rebounds (9.1), and seventh in minutes played (31.7)
 
She Works Hard for the Rebound
Senior forward Jenson Maydew moved up one spots on the MIAA rebounding leaderboard and remains ninth (8.2) after registering eight rebounds against Northwest Missouri St., while enduring 33.2 minutes per game of action for third 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 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 hit the road for their second meeting of the season with the Lindenwood Lions on Thursday, Jan. 11 at 5:30 pm.