Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern women's basketball team is set to begin MIAA play hosting Central Oklahoma on Thursday before facing off with Newman on Saturday. Tip-off from Robert Corn Courth inside the Leggett & Platt Athetlic Center is set for 5:30 PM against Central Oklahoma and at 1:30 PM against Newman.
Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (2-2, 0-0 MIAA) vs. Central Oklahoma (4-2, 0-0 MIAA) & Newman (2-4, 0-0 MIAA)
Dates: Dec. 2/4, 2021
Tip-Off: 5:30/1:30 PM
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: Against UCO, Bronchos lead 16-15, Lions lead 8-6 in Joplin. Aginst NU, Lions lead 6-2, 6-1 in Joplin.
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 58-84 (6th Season Overall / at MSSU)
UCO: Guy Hardaker, 285-160 (16th season Overall / at UCO)
NU: Drew Johnson, 2-4 (1st season Overall/ at NU)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - Fox Sports Joplin - 101.3, AM 1560 & KXMS 88.7 FM
Audio/Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @MssuWbb
2021-22 Preseason MIAA Polls
The Lions were picked to finish 9th in the MIAA Coaches Poll and 10th in the Media Poll after going 9-14 overall and 9-13 in MIAA play during the 2020-21 campaign. The defending MIAA regular season champions Fort Hays State was picked to win the conference in both the media and coaches poll this season. Central Missouri who made it to the Final Four this past season was picked second in the coaches and tied with Fort Hays for first in the media poll. Picked third and fourth in both polls were Nebraska-Kearney and Emporia State. Each of the top-four teams made it to the Central Regional Tournament this past season. Rounding out the top eight teams were Central Oklahoma, Washburn, Pittsburg State and Missouri Western in both polls.
That's A Lot Of Games
The Lions' are on a streak of 611 games of having made at least one made three. The last game where they were shutout was Nov. 20, 1999 in Tahlequah, Okla playing Southern Arkansas losing 68-53.
All-MIAA
Madi Stokes was an All-MIAA honorable and All-Defensive Team selection last season after being the only player to average a double-double and ended the regular season leading the conference in blocks.
Extreme Stokes
This season the Lions will have two student-athletes with the last name Stokes (no relation) and they are the shortest and tallest player on the roster in Madi Stokes (6' 3") and Lacy Stokes (5'4").
Running It Back Again
Mount Vernon high school product Lacy Stokes has a familiar face to play with again as Cameron Call transfered to MSSU from Division I Illinois State. The pair were part of three consecutive district championships at Mount Vernon high school, before Lacy led the Mountaineers to a Class 4 Runners-up finish this past season. Call holds the three-point record with 210 made in her high school career and in her junior season connected on 91 threes a school record. Stokes as a senior averaged 25.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 6.1 steals per game, had over 100 wins in her high school career and have over 2,000 points at point guard.
She Is 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. Last season she had 50 blocks the second most in a single-season at MSSU. She ranked 10th in Division II for blocks (1st among Sophomores) and finished second in the MIAA after the postseason concluded while leading the MIAA in blocks for a majority of the season. Tied the school record of seven at Rogers State (Jan 28, 2021). At the beginning of the 2021-22 season Stokes is tied with Jenson Maydew (2014-18) for third in career blocks at 83.
Climbing The Chart Fast
Madi Stokes has quickly rose up the career blocking list at MSSU where she is currently third passing Jenson Maydew's (2014-18) total of 83 and is second in blocks per game at 1.65 behind Joyce Falls (1986-88) who had a 1.69 blocks per game average.
Madi Has It
Last season Madi Stokes lead the MIAA in blocks per game (2.17) and rebounds per game (10.5), second in blocked shots (50), defensive rebounds per game (8.2) and total rebounds (242). Fifth in double-doubles (7) and was eighth in offensive rebounds per game (2.3) last season. Ranked 10th in Division II for blocked shots, 15th in defensive rebounds per game, 19th in blocked shots per game, 21st in rebounds per game and 34th in double-doubles.
20-20's New Member
Madi Stokes against Emporia State (Jan. 16, 2021) finishing with 21 points and 22 rebounds (10 offensive) becoming the third member of the 20-20 club at Southern. The most recent since Marie Scott had a 24 point 22 rebound game (Nov. 24, 1995) in a 81-71 win over Missouri Valley. The last time anyone in the MIAA had a 20-20 game was Vivian Essuon who had 20 points and 23 rebounds against Missouri Western Jan. 7, 2012. Stokes was the second player to achieve the feat in Division II as Lilly Ritz did it the same day putting up 22 points and 25 rebounds (10 offensive). For the 2020-21 season only Stokes, Ritz (Wheeling) and Zyaire Ewing (Delta St.) Achieved a 20 points - 20 rebound game.
30-20 History
Madi Stokes became the first player to achieve a 30 point - 20 rebound game in Southern's history at Rogers State (Jan. 28, 2021). Putting up a career-high 31 points shooting 13-of-19 from the field and pulling down 21 rebounds and blocking a single-game tying seven blocks in the overtime win. It is the first 30-20 game of the 2020-21 season in Division II, Ritz (Wheeling) and Danielle Norquest (West Florida) also accomplished the feat later on in the season.
Lacy Floods The Box Score To Open Season
Freshman point guard Lacy Stokes opened her collegiate career with 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Lacy repeated the trick with a 21 point, eight assist, seven rebound, three steal and a block game while playing 42 minutes of an overtime loss to Harding (Nov. 13th).
Freshman Off To A Historic Start
Lacy Stokes became the first freshman since Joyce Falls (1986-87) to begin a season with back-to-back 20+ point games. Stokes' 25 points against Henderson State (Nov. 12th) rank seventh among all Missouri Southern players in a season opening game since the 1984-85 season and the first to score 25+ points since Jasmine Lovejoy scored the second most points in a season opener finishing with a double-double of 36 points and 15 rebounds against Arkansas-Fort Smith (Nov. 16, 2010)
Bench Sparks Turned Starters
Redshirt freshman guard Kaitlin Hunnicutt and junior guard/forward Amaya Johns brought it off the bench this past season and are now in the starting lineup regularly. Hunnicutt was fourth on the team in scoring averaging 6.7 points a game, and connected on 26 threes. Her season-high of 15 was on the road against Pittsburg State (Jan. 9, 2021) . Johns led all bench scoring with 7.7 per game in 14 minutes a game. Her season-high of 21 points happened at home against Rogers State (Dec. 5, 2020) shooting 7-of-9 from the field, 1-of-2 from the three point line and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. This season Hunnicutt is averaging 11.8 points and 3.8 rebounds a game while connecting on a team-high nine threes so far and is shooting 45.0 percent from three. This season Johns is averaging 9.3 points and pulling down 4.8 rebounds a game.
Bench Scoring Coming Alive
This season the Lions have averaged 24.3 points per game as a bench unit and are led by redshirt freshman forward Anna Hall with 8.3 points and 6.0 rebounds a game. Hall set career-highs in points against Missouri S&T (Nov. 20) with 17 and rebounds against Henderson State (Nov. 12) with 10. As a unit the Lions scored 41 of their 74 points in the win against Missouri S&T (Nov. 20) as freshman guard Mia Topping finished with 12 points and sophomore guard Cameron Call added 11 points, both career-highs.
Hall Setting Career Highs Early
In the season opening game Nov. 12th against Henderson State for the Lions redshirt freshman forward Anna Hall set a new career-high in rebounds finishing with 10 (four offensive, six defensive) off the bench. Against the Miners of Missouri S&T Nov. 20th in Rolla, Mo. Hall finished with a career-high 17 points to lead all scorers going 6-of-7 from the field and 5-of-5 from free throws and pulled in six rebounds off the bench.
Let It Fly
This season the Lions are returning their top three-point shooters from 2020-21 in Layne Skiles and Kaitlin Hunnicutt while having Brooke Stauffer, Kaiulani Jones, Amaya Johns and Hailey Grant as capable shooters along with Division I Transfer Cameron Call to stretch the floor this season.
Skiles To Create 500 Career Points, 100 Assists, Made Free Throws, Three's Club
Currently Layne Skiles has 541 points, 89 assists, 98 made free throws and 85 made three-pointers in her car. When Skiles accomplishes the quadfecta of having 500+ career points, 100+ assists, made free-throws and made three-pointers she will become the first in MSSU history with such totals. She would also become the 13th Lion to have 100+ career three-pointers, the 52nd Lion to have 500+ career points and made free throws since the 1984-85 season and the 53rd Lions to have 100+ career assists since the 1984-85 season. Currently Skiles is on a 27 made free throw streak stretching back to last season.
Stokes Nears 500 Career Point, Rebounds Club
Currently Madi Stokes has 421 career points and has pulled down 416 rebounds so far in her career. She would be the 13th Lion to have 500+ career points and rebounds and only Caryn Schumaker (1987-91) has more blocks presently at 109 the second best amount in MSSU history.
Scouting The Central Oklahoma Bronchos
Picked to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason coaches and media polls after going 14-9 overall, 14-8 in MIAA play. Return their three All-MIAA honoree's in first teamer Kelsey Johnson, with Jaci Littell and Brooke Rayner were named honorable mentions and Rayner was named onto the All-Defensive team. This season the Bronchos are off to a 4-2 start with Johnson leading the team with 19.3 points and 11.0 rebounds a game while shooting 57.5 percent from the field and has a team-high seven blocks. Rayner is averaging 6.2 points and 3.3 rebounds a game while dishing out 17 assists. Alayzha Knapp is the leading bench scorer with 10.0 per game with Karly Wadsworth connecting on a team-high 10 three pointers this season. Last season the teams split the regular season series with both teams winning at home. The Lions beat the Bronchos last time out 67-57 in Joplin at the end of the regular season that snapped a ten game losing streak.
Scouting The Newman Jets
Picked to finish 13th in the MIAA preseason coaches and media polls after going 4-18 overall and in MIAA action. The Jets lost leading scorer Brooke Haney (10.6 pp) to graduate but return Faith Mason-Vestal who average 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Mason-Vestal is second again this season in points per game with 11.8 and has pulled down 5.2 rebounds a game as well. Tiffany Dortland leads the team with 12.8 points per game and 4.8 rebounds while connecting on 13 made threes and 18 assists to pace the offense. Last season the Jets picked up their second win in the series against the Lions 55-51 and it was the first ever meeting in Wichita between the schools.
NCAA Stat Leaders
TEAM: The Lions rank 34th in fewest fouls committed (68), 35th in scoring offense (77.2), 37th in fewest turnovers committed (66), 40th in rebounds per game (43.00) and 42nd in free throw percentage (76.5).
Lacy Stokes: In division II ranks second in assists per game (7.2), sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.22), 16th in steals per game (3.25) and 30th in assists (29).
Hailey Grant: Ranks 30th in Division II in blocks per game (2.00).
MIAA Stat Leaders
TEAM: The Lions are second in the MIAA in rebounds per game (43.00), third in fewest fouls committed (68), fewest turnovers (66) and free throw percentage (76.5). Rank fourth in blocked shots per game (4.0), offensive rebounds per game (15.0) and turnovers forced (19.50). Fifth in scoring offense (77.2) and are sixth in turnover margin (+3.00).
Lacy Stokes: Leads the MIAA in assists per game (7.2) and steals per game (3.25), second in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.22), third in assists (29), and fourth in steals (13). Lacy ranks seventh in the conference in defensive rebounds per game (6.0), free throws made and attempted (23-29), minutes played per game (33.32), points per game (18.5) and rebounds per game (8.0) while being ninth in free throw percentage (79.3).
Kaitlin Hunnicutt: Ranks third in the MIAA in three point percentage (45.0) and is sixth in three point field goals made per game (2.25).
Hailey Grant: Ranks fifth in the MIAA in blocks (8) and second in blocks per game (2.00)
Anna Hall: Ranks seventh in the MIAA in offensive rebounds per game (2.8)
