JOPLIN, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team enters Saturday to take on the No. 4 Central Missouri Jennies inside Leggett & Platt Saturday afternoon.
 
Game Information
Date:  February 10, 2018
Tip-Off: 1:30 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.  
Site: LPAC (Robert Corn Court)  
Series Record: 
 
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. Central Missouri    
This is the 63rd meeting between the Lions and the Jennies and UCM leads the series 39-23. Southern has won three of the last 13 meetings, including a season sweep in the 2015-16 season. Southern's longest winning streak of five wins started on Feb. 26, 1992 and went through Jan. 18, 1995. UCM's longest winning streak in the series was six from Jan. 26, 2011 through Feb. 8, 2014. The Jennies have won eight out of the last 10 against the Lions. When in Joplin the two teams are knotted up at 15-15, and the Jennies have a 3-1 advantage at the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City. UCM holds a 21-8 advantage in Warrensburg heading into the next meeting in the final weeks of the season.

Possible Starters

Missouri Southern (10-12, 7-7 MIAA)
No.             Name                                       Pos.            Ht.              Yr.              PPG          RPG       Assists       Steals        Hometown
1                Dru Clark                                   G                5-7             R-Jr              9.9            4.2             58              22           Collinsville, Okla. 
15              Chelsey Henry                          G                5-10             Jr.              18.5            3.5             29               8              Neosho, Mo. 
21              Desirea Buerge                         F                 6-0              Jr.              19.2            8.6             12              16            Webb City, Mo.
31              Jenson Maydew                        F                5-11             Sr.               9.8             7.9             24                6               Pratt, Kan.
34              Krista Clark                               G                5-10             Fr.               4.1            1.4                7              10              Bentonville, Ark. 
 
 
Central Missouri (19-2, 13-1 MIAA)
No.             Name                                      Pos.            Ht.             Yr.              PPG           RPG       Assists       Steals          Hometown
00              Paige Redmond                        G               5-8             Jr.               15.9            2.4             75              24             Springdale, Ark.
3                Kayonna Lee                             F               6-0             Sr.                8.4             8.4             35              34             Eau Claire, Wisc.
13              Kelsey Williams                        G               5-6            R-Sr.              7.0             3.7             75              27             Eminence, Mo.
20              Megan Skaggs                        G/F             6-0             So.              11.0             4.4             28              23             Park Hills, Mo.              
22              Morgan Fleming                      G/F             6-0             So.              12.9             3.8             43              23              Liberty, 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.
 
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 396 of 510 attempts from the free throw line for second in the conference in free throws made and remained third in the MIAA in FT percentage (.776). They continue to shoot eight percentage points higher than their opponents (79-71%) 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 71 percent in 22 games for fifth in the conference. 
 
Henry the 15th I am I am
Junior guard Chelsey Henry has scored rapidly throughout the season, currently second on the squad in scoring at an 18.5 ppg clip (45.6-percent), including a career-high 29 points versus Northeastern State and eight other 20-point games. Henry is coming off the 2016-17 season as the third leading scorer for the Lions as a sophomore (10.3) and is currently fourth in the MIAA in scoring, fifth in field-goal percentage, and sixth in free-throw percentage (86.7).
 
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 19.2 (47.7-percent) in 18 games after recording nine 20-plus point games and eight double-doubles during the season. Buerge is second the MIAA leader in scoring, fourth in field-goal percentage, sixth in rebounds (8.6), and ninth in free-throw percentage (84.1).
 
She Works Hard for the Rebound
Senior forward Jenson Maydew is currently tenth on the MIAA rebounding leader board (7.9).
She had a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds against Missouri Western for her third double-double of the season a month ago, while adding her fourth double-double in the loss to Southwest Baptist (14 pts & 10 rebs) to extend a career-high for double-doubles in a season. Maydew has registered 34.1 minutes of playing time for one of the five players to average over 34 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 25 games combined and started in four games each. Campbell is third on team with ten blocks, while Catalan has scored 48 total points and registered 15 assists in 170 minutes. 

Up Next
On Wednesday, Feb. 14, the Lions take to the streets for a two-game road trip beginning with the teams second meeting against Missouri Western at 5:30 pm.