Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team returns to the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center for the home opener against Oklahoma Panhandle State tomorrow at 5:30 pm.

Game Information
Date:  Tuesday November 13, 2018
Tip-Off: 5:30
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Leggett and Platt Athletic Center   
Series Record: MSSU leads OPSU, 7-1
 
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 101.7 FM, AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS
Audio:  http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/WMBH
Webcast: TBD
Live Stats: https://mssulions.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
 
Picking Up the Scent: Five Components on Opponents 
Oklahoma Panhandle State

• Picked ninth in the Sooner Athletic Conference preseason poll
• Conference Rankings:
  • 4th in field-goal pct. defense (.374)
  • 5th in scoring defense (65.46)
• Return one of two All-Conference players from last season in junior guard Addison Munsch (HM)
• Head coach Victor Esparza was an assistant coach for Lions women's basketball team during the 2013-14 season when the team went 19-8 and 13-6 in the MIAA
• The Aggies haven't won since the first meeting back in 1999 and 0-4 in Joplin

Quick Notes
Stop the Polls
The Lions enter this year chosen to finish to 10th in the conference after going 11-17 and 8-11 in MIAA play during the 2017-18 campaign. Defending NCAA Champions Central Missouri was chosen to win the MIAA with 13 first-place votes while Fort Hays received the remaining vote in second as Emporia State (3), Washburn (4), and Central Oklahoma (5) rounded out the top-5. Both UCM and FHSU are ranked in the WBAC National Poll at No. 1 and 12 respectively. 

#          Team                                                Record            Points              Final Ranking
1          Central Missouri                              30-3                 595                              1
2          Ashland                                             34-1                 579                              2
3          Carson-Newman                               32-3                 494                              5
4          Union (TN)                                        32-4                 493                              4
5          Indiana (PA)                                      30-4                 479                              3
6          Alaska Anchorage                            27-5                 456                              11
7          West Texas A&M                              29-5                 445                              17
8          Bentley                                             28-4                 415                              12
9          Drury                                                31-3                 410                                7
10        Lubbock Christian                            31-2                 356                                6
11        Edinboro                                           27-4                 351                              13
12        Fort Hays State                              26-7                 310                              NR
13        Grand Valley State                          26-7                 267                               24
14        North Georgia                                 29-5                 241                                23
15        University of the Sciences              30-4                 239                                15
16        Azusa Pacific                                 27-5                  226                                22
17        Florida Southern                            25-5                  225                               NR
18        Virginia Union                                28-3                  218                                16
19        Stonehill                                         29-4                 165                                   8
20        Southwestern Oklahoma State     26-5                 155                                 20
21        Wingate                                         26-6                 106                                19
22        Black Hills State                            24-8                 101                                NR
23        Valdosta State                              23-9                    84                                NR
24        Northwest Nazarene                    22-5                    53                                NR
25        Lewis                                           24-8                    52                                NR
 

Others receiving votes: Sioux Falls 47; Angelo State 35; UC San Diego 31, Augustana (SD) 17; Embry Riddle 15; Johnson C. Smith 14; LIU Post 14; Southeastern Oklahoma State 14; Southern Indiana 14; Emporia State 11; Hawaii Pacific 10, California (PA) 4; 7 teams mentioned on only one ballot for total of 58 combined points
 
Bold for MIAA members and Italicized for Central Region (Great American/Northern Sun)
 
Leader of the Pride
Guard Chelsey Henry returns as the only senior from last year's squad and will be looked upon to make sure that all nine newcomers understand what it means to compete in what is the MIAA. She closed out last year's schedule fifth in the MIAA in scoring (17.5 ppg), fourth in free-throw percentage (86.6%), and seventh in field-goal percentage (43.0%) to earn All-MIAA honorable mention while being just 130 points shy of breaking the 1,000 career-point barrier in the green and gold.
 
How many Transfers are we going to take before passing? FOUR!!!
With eight players departing, the coaching staff mapped out the entire college basketball landscape in order to find four transfers and they did in the shape of 6'1 forward Laure Assena (Lipscomb University), 5'10 guard Chasidee Owens (Ouachita Baptist), 5'8 guard Destiny Cozart (John A. Logan), and 6'2 center Jordan Schoenberger (Independence CC).
 
Up Next
The Lions remain home for one last home against Henderson State and reigning GAC Player of the Week Pink Jones (21.5 ppg) on Friday at 12:00 pm as part of elementary day before leaving to play two games in San Juan, Puerto Rico over the Thanksgiving break.