Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's basketball team began MIAA play with a 81-74 win over the visiting Central Oklahoma Bronchos with Lacy Stokes scoring a MSSU freshman record 33 points inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center this evening.

The Lions (3-2, 1-0 MIAA) were paced by Lacy's historic 33 points shooting 10-of-21 from the field, 11-of-17 from free throws while having team-highs with eight rebounds and five assists. Junior guard/forward Layne Skiles added 15 points going 3-of-5 from three and 4-of-4 from free throws and added a team-high two steals. Junior forward Amaya Johns had 13 points going 5-of-8 from the field and redshirt freshman guard Kaitlin Hunnicutt added 10 points, four rebounds and a career-high five assists.
 
The Bronchos (4-3, 0-1 MIAA) were led by Brooke Rayner with 20 points adding five rebounds and assists, Kelsey Johnson came away with a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Alayzha Knapp finished with 14 points and Karly Wadsworth added 10 points as well for UCO.
 
Lacy got the scoring started with a three from a Skiles assist with 9:03 before Johns made a three with Lacy picking up her first assist of the night as the Lions jumped out to a 6-0 lead with 8:36 remaining in the first quarter. Heading into the under five minute media timeout the Lions were ahead 16-4 and were on a 7-0 run that was capped off by Lacy converting an and-one. UCO responded with a 7-3 run to close the quarter as the Lions led 19-11.
 
Following a 9-0 run by the Bronchos to cut the Lions lead to two, redshirt freshman forward Anna Hall made a layup from a sophomore guard Cameron Call assist with 5:42 remaining making it 24-20. Central Oklahoma had a 32-31 lead after a Rayner three from a Jaci Littell assist before the Lions closed the quarter on a 4-0 run. Hunnicutt beat the shot clock as the teams went into the halftime period with a 35-32 Lion lead.
 
Coming out of the half the Bronchos grabbed an early lead, but the Lions responded with a 10-0 run to go ahead 49-39 with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter following a pair of Lacy Stokes made free throws. Call beat the third quarter buzzer with a pull up jumper from a Lacy Stokes assist putting the Lions ahead 58-45 headed to the fourth quarter.
 
Sophomore center Madi Stokes put the Lions ahead 62-48 with 7:46 left in regulation for the biggest lead of the game with Hunnicutt picking up an assist on the layup. The Bronchos got to within four (74-70) with 1:14 left before the Lions went on a 7-4 run to end the game with the final score of 81-74.
 
As a team the Lions finished with more made three's (10-7), free throws (19-15), rebounds (37-34), offensive rebounds (13-11), assists (18-12), steals (6-4) and blocks (3-1).

Up next for the Lions is Newman on Saturday with tip-off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center set for 1:30 PM.