Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team (11-10, 3-8 MIAA) looks to rebound against Northwest Missouri State (7-12, 3-7 MIAA) tomorrow at 1:30 pm for the only meeting between the two teams this season.
Game Information
Date: Saturday February 2, 2019
Tip-Off: 1:30 pm
Location: Maryville, Mo.
Site: Bearcat Arena
Series Record: MSSU, leads 31-25
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3 FM, 107.9 FM, AM 1560, 1340 AM; 88.7 FM KXMS
Audio: http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/WMBH
Webcast: http://themiaanetwork.com/mssulions/
Live Stats: https://bearcatsports.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Picking Up the Scent: Five Components on Opponents
Northwest Missouri State
- Picked 13th in the MIAA preseason poll
- National Rankings (301 schools - Top-50):
- 1st in free-throw percentage (81.9)
- 19th in fewest turnovers (237)
- 21st in turnovers per game (13.2)
- 49th in fewest fouls (296)
- Return eight total players, including one of two All-MIAA recipients in co-Freshman of the Year Jaelyn Haggard (HM) who leads the team with 231 points and 24 steals thus far
- Have lost five of its last six games with the lone win coming on the road versus Nebraska-Kearney
- Head coach Austin Meyer is in his first season after acting as an Associate Head Coach for the Bearcats from 2008 to 2018
Quick Notes
Stop the Polls
The Lions were picked to finish 10th in the MIAA after going 11-17 overall and 8-11 in MIAA play during the 2017-18 campaign. Defending NCAA Champions Central Missouri was picked to win the MIAA with 13 first-place votes while Fort Hays received the remaining first place vote and was picked second. Emporia State (3), Washburn (4), and Central Oklahoma (5) rounded out the top-5. FHSU (6) and UCM (23) both moved up two spots while Lindenwood continues to receive votes to round out the MIAA representation surrounding the National Coaches' poll.
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. After sitting out the first three games of the season, the Neosho native is now tied for first in the MIAA averaging 16.9 points per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field for fourth in the conference.
Welcome to the Club
Henry soared over the 1,000 career-point barrier against Illinois-Springfield and now stands in 12th on the MSSU All-Time scoring list with 1,174 after scoring 20 points against Missouri Western on Thursday trailing Erin Rice (1,220) by 46 points for a spot in the top ten.
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).
To be the BEST, you have to BEAT the BEST!
As the Lions enter the second half of the 2018-19 season, they will have to prepare for the second toughest schedule going forward according to NCAA statistics. The Lions' future opponents currently have a combined record of 114-43, calculating highest winning percentage of .726. Fellow MIAA members Northeastern State (3), Pittsburg State (6), and Lincoln (10) also fall into the top-ten as well.
Among the 17% (Top-50 out of 301 teams)
27th in blocks (84)
43rd in block shots per game (4.2)
45th in rebounds (809)
49th in free throws made (280)
Up Next
Lions return home for pair of matchups versus Nebraska-Kearney (2/7) next Thursday at 5:30 pm and nationally ranked Fort Hays State on Saturday (2/9) afternoon at 1:30 pm.
