Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's basketball team will open up MIAA play tomorrow night as the Lions play host to Pittsburg State. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 5:30 pm.
 
Game Information
Date:  Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Tip-Off: 5:30 pm
 Location: Joplin, Mo. 
Site: Robert Corn Court - Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series: PSU leads 51-42

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 107.9 and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS
Audio: https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/index.cfm?stationCallSign=WMBH
Webcast:  https://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: http://www.mssulions.com
                       
Bring on the Polls
The Lions tip off the 2019-20 season and were picked ninth in the MIAA after capping off a 14-16 overall record and 6-13 in the MIAA along with a berth into the MIAA tournament where they eventually fell to Central Oklahoma in the first round. Defending Conference champions Fort Hays State was picked to win the conference again with ten first-place votes as well as earn a ranking of fifth by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Central Missouri followed in second of the MIAA coaches' poll and is currently receiving  votes. Washburn (3), Pittsburg State (4), and Emporia State (5) rounded out the top five. ESU is also receiving votes (37) in the national poll shown below:
 

Rank	School	Total Points	1st-Place  Votes	Previous Rank
1	Drury (4-0)	562	13	1
2	Lubbock Christian (4-0)	555	10	2
3	Grand Valley State (3-0)	497	0	3
4	Azusa Pacific (4-0)	489	0	4
5	Fort Hays State (4-0)	461	0	7
6	UC San Diego (3-0)	443	0	6
7	Ashland (3-0)	433	0	8
8	Saint Anselm (3-0)	397	0	10
9	Anderson (SC) (4-0)	350	0	13
10	Lee (TN) (4-0)	336	0	14
11	Alaska Anchorage (3-0)	304	0	16
12	Minnesota State Moorhead (4-0)	286	0	18
13	California (PA) (4-0)	258	0	NR
14	Virginia Union (2-1)	255	0	5
15	North Georgia (4-0)	248	0	23
16	Indiana (PA) (2-1)	223	0	9
17	Southwestern Oklahoma State (3-1)	176	0	20
18	Harding (3-0)	171	0	NR
18	University of the Sciences (4-1)	171	0	17
20	Carson-Newman (4-0)	120	0	NR
21	West Texas A&M (4-2)	88	0	12
22	Glenville State (2-1)	68	0	22
23	Westminster (UT) (4-0)	58	0	NR
24	Union (TN) (3-2)	56	0	NR
25	Benedict (3-1)	54	0	25

 
Others receiving votes: Lander (2-1) 46; Emporia State (3-1) 37; Sioux Falls (2-0) 36; Bentley (2-1) 34; Central Missouri (2-2) 34; Stonehill (3-1) 30; Tarleton State (3-0) 29; Angelo State (2-1) 28; Texas A&M-Commerce (3-0) 20; Delta State (4-0) 19; Nova Southeastern (1-2) 18; Southeastern Oklahoma State (2-0) 17; Hawaii Pacific (4-0) 14; Florida Southern (2-2) 13; Walsh (4-1) 8.

2019-20 and MIAA opponents in BOLD and regional teams italicized

Send It Back
One goal that coach Ressel set for the Lions heading into the season was to improve on defense. Thus far as opponents try to shoot from the paint, the Lions have been preventing many shots from even reaching the rim with 49 combined blocks and 7.00 average per contest for first and fourth in the nation, respectively. Both marks also place them first among MIAA programs with Northwest Missouri State trailing by 20 (24) in second.
 
Front and Center
After observing as a freshman and figuring things out on the court as a sophomore, junior center Zoe Campbell from Caloundra, Australia has become a force in the front court. Campbell ranks second and third in total blocks (28) and blocks per game (4.0) while leading the MIAA in both categories. The Australia native currently stands fourth all-time in career blocks (75) and set the school record for blocks in one game (7) at Harding. She is also fourth in the MIAA in field-goal percentage (37-for-66 = .561) and sixth in rebounds per game (9.0).
 
Take the Long Way Home
Another dimension on the defense that MSSU wanted to sure up was around the perimeter and the team has certainly done its job by limiting opponents to 30.2-clip on 126 attempts from three-point range, which ranks sixth in the MIAA  at three-point field-goal defense. The Lions defense is also ranked fifth in total field-goal defense by holding opponents to 36.3  percent shooting from the field on 394 attempts.
 
Last Time the Lions …
Scored 100 points                               12/30/17 (vs. Graceland, W 100-44)
Allowed 100 points                            2/12/00 (vs. Emporia State, L 102-60)
Scored 100 points & lost                    11/23/91 (vs. Arkansas-Monticello, L 104-100)
Lost at home                                       2/9/19 (vs. Fort Hays State, L 72-57)
Played an overtime game                   111/16/19 (at. Illinois-Springfield, L 80-75)
Played multiple overtimes                  12/7/17 (2 OT vs. Lincoln, W 94-90)
Had a player with 30 points                1/5/19 (at Lincoln, Chelsey Henry, 35 pts.)
Had a player with 15 rebounds           11/8/19 (vs. Henderson State, Zoe Campbell, 16)
Had a double-double                          11/26/19 (Campbell, 10 points & 11 rebounds, at Henderson State)
Did not make a three-pointer              11/20/99 (vs. So. Arkansas, L 73-62)
 
Up Next
The Lions stay home to play host to Washburn this Saturday at 1:30 pm.