Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team was led by Lacy Stokes' 25 points as a late comeback attempt fell short in an 81-74 loss to Henderson State to wrap up day one of the GAC/MIAA Challenge inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
The Lions (0-1) had a stat sheet stuffing performance by true freshman guard Lacy Stokes who finished with a game-high 25 points, six assists and four steals to go with seven rebounds. Junior forward Amaya Johns had 13 points and a career-high nine rebounds, while junior guard/forward Layne Skiles went over 500 career points to become the 52nd Lion to achieve the mark finishing with 12 points. Redshirt freshman forward Anna Hall collected a career and game-high 10 rebounds as well.
The Reddies (1-0) were led by Ashley Farrar with 20 points while Jadah Pikens sparked the bench scoring with 11 points while coming away with four steals. Tamia Templeton was the other Reddie player to score in double figures finishing with 10 points and five rebounds.
Redshirt freshman guard/forward Hailey Grant got the first points of the Lions 2021-22 season on a layup with 7:59 left in the first quarter to stop a 4-0 early run by Henderson State. Stokes tied the game at seven with 6:38 left in the quarter from a three that was assisted by graduate guard Brooke Stauffer. The Lions would get their first lead of the game with 4:21 left in the first quarter from a Skiles layup and a Stokes' assist before she capped off the 6-0 run with a made free throw with under four minutes to go. Sophomore guard Cameron Call put Missouri Southern ahead 17-16 with 3:35 left before the Reddies went on a 8-5 run to close out the first quarter with a 24-22 lead.
Johns tied it at 29 all with 5:40 left in the first half before a Redshirt freshman guard Kaitlin Hunnicutt layup from a Stauffer feed pushed the Lions ahead 31-29 with 4:45 left. Henderson State and the Lions kept it within four until the Lions tied it at 37 all with 58 seconds left following a pair of Stokes made free throws. Farrar would send the Reddies into the intermission ahead 39-37 on a layup from a Sonni Martin feed.
Following two Stokes' baskets, Henderson State went on a 7-0 run to open up a 48-41 lead with 6:28 remaining in the third quarter. Skiles responded with a 5-0 run that was capped off by an and-one with 5:44 that was followed by a 7-3 Henderson State run to stretch the lead to 55-49 with 3:56 remaining in the quarter. Missouri Southern responded with a 9-0 run to close the quarter leading 58-55 after Stokes connected on a turnaround jumper and a three, while Hunnicutt and Grant made layups.
Henderson State cut the Southern lead to one in its opening possession before a Farrar three took the lead back in favor of the Reddies 60-58 with 8:18 left in regulation. Stokes and Hunnicutt responded with layups to take a 62-60 lead with 6:49 left.
The Reddies went on a 9-0 run following that layup by Hunnicutt and didn't relinquish their led with the Lions getting to within four with 2:14 remaining following a Stokes layup before falling short 81-74.
As a team the Lions had more assists (13-12), rebounds (48-42) and made more free throws (14-12) while the game featured 10 ties and lead changes.
Up next for the Lions will be Harding to close out the GAC/MIAA Challenge tomorrow with tip-off from the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center set for 5:30 pm.
