Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern State University Women's Basketball team, who clinched a spot in the MIAA Tournament, is set to play the final home game of the 2019-20 season when they host the Lincoln Blue Tigers on Saturday for Senior Day.
Game Information
Date: Saturday, February 29, 2020
Tip-Off: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Robert Cord Court (LPAC)
Series Record: MSSU leads series 35-5
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 46-67 (4th Season)
LU: Ayana McWilliams, 22-86 (4th Season)
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 Wednesday's contest with a 9-16 overall record and a 6-11 MIAA record. Chasidee Owens (14.7) and Destiny Cozart (14.2) are the leading scorers for the Lions while Campbell leads the team in rebounds per game (7.1) and blocks (58).
Blue Tigers Aim For the Win
The Lincoln Blue Tigers are entering Satuday's contest with a 3-24 record and an 0-17 record in the conference. They fell to Piit State on Wednesday to push their losing streak to 16 games.
The Blue Leader
With 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per night, Vivian Chigbu is averaging close to a double-double and leads LU on the glass. Kaloni Pryear is scoring a team-high 15.4 points per game, and Kyessence Collins leads Lincoln with 2.9 assists per contest and averages 6.9 points. Alecia Gulledge, meanwhile, has been an all-around asset to the Blue Tigers with 6.3 ppg., 4.6 rpg., 38 steals and 10 blocks.
Blue Tigers Lead on the Boards
No team in the MIAA is better at recovering from a missed shot than the Blue Tigers, as Lincoln leads the league with 14.2 offensive rebounds per night. Two LU players are among the top-five in the conference on the offensive glass, as Vivian Chigbu is third in the conference (3.3 orpg.) while Kaloni Pryear (2.8) is tied for fifth.
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.
Kansas City, Here We Come
With Northwest Missouri's loss on Thursday night, the Bearcats are now at 6-13 in the MIAA and the Lions have clinched a spot in the 2020 MIAA Basketball Tournament. The worst the Lions can do is finish 6-13 and they would own the tiebreaker with both Newman (6-12) and Northwest Missouri.
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 128 combined blocks and a 4.9 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 (121) in second.
Front and Center... and Sending it Back
Junior center Zoe Campbell from Caloundra, Australia has become a force in the front court. Campbell ranks 16th nationally in total blocks (59) and 17th in blocks per game (2.32) while leading the MIAA in both categories. On Wednesday, Campbell broke the all-time career blocks record and has 111, passing up Caryn Schumaker (87-91). She now has the top single-season mark in MSSU history after 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 (7.1) with 135 defensive to push her to a tie for sixth in the league.
