Joplin, Mo. --  The Missouri Southern women's basketball team hits the road to take on rival Pittsburg State tomorrow for the first action of the new year. Tip-off from John Lance Arena on Whetzel Court is scheduled for 1:30 pm.
 

Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (4-3, 4-3 MIAA) at Pittsburg State (5-3, 5-3 MIAA)
Date: Jan. 9, 2021
Tip-Off: 1:30 pm
Location: Pittsburg, Kan.
Site: John Lance Arena

Series Record:  Gorillas, Leads the series 53-42

Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 51-71 (5th Season)
PSU: Amanda Davied, 43-23 (3rd Season)

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - Fox Sports Joplin - 101.3, 107.9 FM, AM 1560 & 1340; KXMS 88.7 FM
Live Audio/Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook:  Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @MssuWbb

MIAA Preseason Poll
The Lions were picked to finish 10th in the MIAA after going 10-18 overall and 7-12 in MIAA play during the 2019-20 campaign. Emporia State was picked to win the MIAA with 4 first-place votes with Nebraska-Kearney picking up 6 first-place votes in second and defending Conference Champions Central Missouri rounding out the top three with 3 first-place votes. Pittsburg State was projected to finish fourth while Fort Hays State picked up the other first-place vote and rounded out the top-five.

Block Party From Down Under
Senior center Zoe Campbell erupted for a school record 62 blocks to lead the MIAA and finish the year 21st in Division II. The Caloundra, Australia native set new single-game, single-season and career block records during the 2019-20 season. Campbell has increased her block total each season at southern, going from 11 as a freshman to 40 as a sophomore and 62 this past season. Currently Campbell is at 117 career blocks and counting.

Stoked To Block You
Sophomore center Madi Stokes had a freshman campaign to remember as a defensive force down low. The Cassville, Missouri native had 33 blocks during the 2019-20 season finishing fifth in the MIAA overall and eighth in Division II for freshman. This season she is already at 21 after playing in seven games, and is second in Division II in the category.

Anchors Down
The Lions are limiting opponents to 36.8 percent from the floor  and 30.6 percent from the three-point line this season. Led individually by Madi Stokes 21 blocks and Carley Turnbull having nine steals already the Lions are primmed to shut down teams down low and on the perimeter. While ranking atop the MIAA in team blocks and turnovers forced.

Bench Sparks
Freshman guard Kaitlin Hunnicutt  and junior guard/forward Amaya Johns are bringing it off the bench this season. Johns is second on the team in scoring averaging 9.7 per game in 15.7 minuets per game, while Hunnicutt is tied for a team-high with 11 made threes in the early going and has a scoring average of 8.9 per game in 21.3 minuets per game. Johns scored 21 points against Rogers State going 7-of-9 from the field, 1-of-2 from behind the three point line and 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Hunnicutt announced herself to the Pride in the season opener against Central Oklahoma as she connected on four three pointers and finished the game with 14 points.

1,000-Point Scorer Joins the Pride
Carley Turnbull comes to Southern having already scored over 1,000 points in her career, at Monmouth College a Division III institution in Illinois. She averaged 14.5 points per game and pulled down 5.9 rebounds per game over her three years for the Fighting Scots, finishing with 1,131 points. Turnbull is already off to a hot start for the Lions finishing the season opener against Central Oklahoma with a team-high 15 points and snatched away two steals. Turnbull turned a dominate performance against Northeastern State in the home opener posting 27 points, while collecting five rebounds, dishing out four assists, blocking a shot and getting two steals.

Athlete of the Week
Senior guard/forward Carley Turnbull became the latest Lion to be named MIAA Athlete of the Week (Week 3) after averaging 25 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal per game leading the Lions to wins over Northeastern State and Rogers State on home court in week three of the season. Turnbull was efficient from the field shooting 51.3 percent and was 82 percent from the charity stripe. The last Lion to win this award was Chelsey Henry in Jan. 2018.

Well Rested Lions
To kick-off the 2021 portion of the season the Lions have been resting since their game against Missouri Western on December 19th. With the hiatus set to end when the Lions take on rivals Pittsburg State in the 96th edition of the series.

Gorilla Returners
Picked to finish fourth in the MIAA, the starting guard spots will be headlined by first-team selection Kaylee DaMitz who led the conference in assists (5.5) and third-team selection Tristan Gegg who led the conference in scoring (17.9) last season. Maya Williams is back for another trip as the Carthage high school product finished the season with averages of 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. Sydnee Crain, Erin Davis, Ashton McCorry, and Julia Johnson are back as well for the Gorillas.

1-2-3 Punch
Kaylee DaMitz, Tristan Gegg, and Maya Williams are all adept at scoring in the paint, mid-range, or from behind the three point line. The three pronged attack that has been together for year three now, and have steadily been forces to recon with the best in the MIAA. Gegg led the conference in scoring last season and was a third-team selection. DaMitz was Freshman of the Year two seasons ago and was a first-team selection this past season after leading the conference in assists for the second consecutive season. Williams has been a steady scoring presence for the gorillas since her sophomore season and is having her best season shooting from behind the three point line.

Last Time Out For Pittsburg State
Playing Northwest Missouri the Gorillas never trailed and rolled onto a 80-50 win at home. Tristan Gegg had a game-high 15 points while dishing out six assists. Kaylee DaMitz had 12 points and seven assists. Julia Johnson had 13 points going 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free throw line. Maya Williams hit her season average as she posted 11 points. Sydnee Crain had a game-high four steals off the bench.