Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern State University Women's Basketball will remain on the road on Saturday as they travel to St. Joesph, Mo. to take on the Griffons of Missouri Western. The Lions look for just one win to secure a spot in the MIAA tournament for the eighth straight year.
Game Information
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020
Tip-Off: 5:30 p.m.
Location: St. Joseph, Mo.
Site: MWSU Fieldhouse at Looney Complex (3,270)
Series Record: MWSU leads series, 55-33
Coaches
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 107.9 and AM 1560
Audio: https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/index.cfm?stationCallSign=WMBH
Webcast: https://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: http://www.mssulions.com
Lions on the Prowl
MSSU enters Saturday's contest with a 9-15 overall record and an 6-10 MIAA record.
Chasidee Owens (14.7) and
Destiny Cozart (14.0) are the leading scorers for the Lions while Campbell leads the team in rebounds per game (7.4) and blocks (57).
About the Opposition
Missouri Western enters the weekend with an 18-7 overall record and a 10-6 MIAA record. They are fresh off a 61-59 loss to Pittsburg State on Wednesday night.
Grounding the Griffons
Missouri Western averages 45 percent from the field per game, ranking them second in the MIAA in that category. The Griffs also average 34 percent from three-point range. MWSU also ranks fourth in the conference in steals averaging 9.75 takeaways per game. The Griffons average 15.08 assists per game placing themselves in the top-five of the league in that stat category.
Individually Speaking for the Griffons
Chris Wilson ranks fourth in the MIAA in rebounding averaging 8.4 boards per game. Wilson also ranks fourth in the conference in field goal percentage averaging 53 percent shooting per game. Corbyn Cunningham ranks in the top-10 of the league in scoring averaging 14.8 points per contest. Cunningham also averages 57 percent from the field ranking herself in the top-five of the conference. Katrina Roenfeldt ranks third in the MIAA in steals averaging 2.5 takeaways per game. KT also averages 2.4 made three-pointers per contest which ranks her sixth in the conference in that stat category. Roenfeldt also ranks in the top-five of the league in assists averaging 3.7 per game. Anastacia Johnson ranks fifth in the MIAA in steals averaging 2.1 takeaways per contest. ylee Williams also ranks in the top-10 of the league in made three-point field goals per game averaging two per game.
Stop the Polls
The Lions were picked to finish 9th in the MIAA after going 14-16 overall and 6-13 in MIAA play during the 2018-19 campaign. Defending Conference Campions Fort Hays State was picked to win the MIAA with 10 first-place votes while Central Missouri received the other four first-place vote and was picked second. Washburn (3), Pittsburg State (4), and Emporia State (5) rounded out the top-5.
On the Cusp of the Postseason
Southern was just seconds away from clincing a spot into the MIAA tournament on Thursday night, however, Newman stunned Emporia State at the last second. Southern needs just one win in the final three games to clinch a spot. In addition, one loss by Newman in their final two games would help the Lions.
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 118 combined blocks and a 5.1 average per contest for 12th and seventh in the nation, respectively. Both marks also place them first among MIAA programs with Central Missouri trailing by seven (111) in second.
Front and Center... and Sending it Back
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 12th nationally in total blocks (57) and 14th in blocks per game (2.48) while leading the MIAA in both categories. Earlier this season, she moved into second in all-time in career blocks (108), just one away from tying the all-time record of 109 by Caryn Schumaker (87-91). She now has the top single-season mark in MSSU history by passing Brianna Volmer (2005-06) who had 42. She set the school record for blocks in one game (7) at Harding. She is also eighth in the MIAA in rebounds per game (7.6) with 127 defensive to push her to a tie for sixth in the league.
