Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern women's basketball team travels to Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western this week in key games for early positioning atop the MIAA standings. Coming into the week all three teams are tied at 4-1 in MIAA and are off hot starts, the Bearcats and Griffons have held their own on home court going a combined 14-1 this season while the Lions are 2-0 on the road. Tip-off from Bearcat Arena on January 1st is set for 1:30pm in Maryville and from the MWSU Fieldhouse on January 3rd at 5:30 in St. Joseph.
Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (7-3, 4-1 MIAA) vs. Northwest Missouri (9-2, 4-1 MIAA) & (RV) Missouri Western (10-1, 4-1 MIAA)
Dates: Jan. 1/3, 2021
Tip-Off: 1:30/5:30 PM
Location: Maryville, Mo./St. Joseph, Mo.
Site: Bearcat Arena/MWSU Fieldhouse
Series Record: Against Northwest, Lions lead 34-27, Bearcats lead 15-14 in Maryville. Against Western, Griffons lead 60-36, 38-9 in St. Joseph.
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 63-85 (6th Season Overall / at MSSU)
NWMS: Austin Meyer, 36-55 (4th Season Overall / at NWMS)
MWSU: Candi Whitaker, 37-25 (3rs Season Overall / at MWSU)
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
Bearcats Scout
Northwest Missouri was picked to finish ninth in the MIAA preseason polls after going 7-15 last year to finish ninth in MIAA standings. This season the Bearcats are off to a 9-2 start and 4-1 in MIAA action going 6-1 inside Bearcat Arena. Molly Hartnett was the MIAA Freshman of the Year last season and is averaging 10.7 points and 2.3 rebounds a game while dishing out a team-high 31 assists. Mallory McConkey was an All-MIAA honorable mention last season and is averaging 11.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting .538 from the field. Peyton Kelderman is the deep threat going 23-70 from three while averaging 9.2 points and 3.4 rebounds a game. Against Missouri Western the Bearcats defended Bearcat Arena with a 49-46 win behind a collective effort as they have had back-to-back game with no Bearcat scoring in double figures.
Griffions Soaring
Missouri Western was picked to finish eighth in the MIAA preseason polls after going 6-16 last year to finish 11th in the MIAA standings. This season the Griffons are off to a 10-1 start and are 4-1 in MIAA action behind a perfect 8-0 record inside the MWSU Fieldhouse. Corbyn Cunningham leads the charge averaging 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds a game, Connie Clarke leads the team with 9.5 rebounds a game while scoring 11.3 points. Graduate transfer from Northwest Missouri Jaelyn Haggard is the threat from deep and leads all bench scorers going 24-60 from three and averages 9.9 points per game. The only setback of the season came against Northwest Missouri before bouncing back with a school record 120-49 win over Saint Mary (kan.) on December 29th at home.
Well Rested And Ready To Play
Coming into the match up with the Bearcats the Lions have been waiting two weeks for game day following three games in a week to close out December action.
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 616 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.
To The 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 transferred 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.
Madi 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 led 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.
Freshman Scoring Record Had L&P Stoked
Lacy Stokes set a new school record for freshman scoring with 33 last time out against Central Oklahoma (Dec. 2nd) that powered the Lions to a 81-74 win. Lacy is the first freshman since the 1984-85 season to have 30+ points and one of only four freshman or sophomores to score 30+ points in a game for the Lions since the 84-85 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 Had 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 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds a game while connecting on a team-high 20 threes so far and is shooting 40.8 percent from three. This season Johns is averaging 10.3 points and pulling down 4.7 rebounds a game.
A Trio Of Thieves
In the early going of the season Lacy Stokes, Kaitlin Hunnicutt and Layne Skiles have established themselves as top talents in stealing the ball from the opposition. Stokes leads the MIAA with 3.10 steals a game and 31 total steals while Hunnicutt (12) and Skiles (14) rank in the top-25 in the MIAA. Hunnicutt became the first Lion since Krista Clark (Dec. 30, 2017) to have a game with 5 or more steals in the Lions 84-65 win at Rogers State and Stokes repeated the feat against McKendree (Dec.13).
Who Wants To Get Blocked
This season the lions feature two of the premier shot blockers in the MIAA in redshirt guard/forward Hailey Grant and sophomore center Madi Stokes. Grant and Stokes each have 11 blocks on the season and are tied for ninth in the MIAA. The pairing pace the Lions who rank sixth and average 3.6 blocks per game and are ninth in the MIAA with 36 total blocked shots through nine games.
Bench Scoring Coming Alive
This season the Lions have averaged 28.3 points per game as a bench unit and are led by sophomore center Madi Stokes who averages 9.9 points and 5.3 rebounds a game while blocking 11 shots ans is shooting .615 from the field (32-52). Sophomore guard Cameron Call is second averaging 7.0 points per game and is shooting .385 from three (15-39) and has dished out 13 assists while averaging 21.1 minutes a game. 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 Cameron Call added 11 points, both career-highs. The Lions against McKendree (Dec. 13) scored 55 of their 92 points from the bench with Stokes leading all scorers with 19 points and Call adding 13 of her own. Maleigha Landers connected on three from deep for nine points, Anna Hall scored eight, Mia Topping connected on two three's and Hailey Grant came away with career-highs in rebounds (10) and assists (7).
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 600 points, 102 assists, 112 made free throws and 96 made three-pointers in her career. 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.
Madi Nears 500 Career Point, Rebounds Club
Currently Madi Stokes has 480 career points and has pulled down 449 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.
NCAA Stats (As of Dec. 20)
TEAM: The Lions rank 16th in scoring offense (79.2), 26th in three pointers per game (8.3), 29th in scoring margin (+15.1), 31st in three point percentage (34.9), 35th in three pointers made (83), 36th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.07) and 40th in assists per game (16.0).
Lacy Stokes: In division II ranks third in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.65), fifth in assists per game (6.2), eighth in free throws attempted (74), ninth in assists (62), 14th in steals per game (3.10), 15th in steals (31) and 20th in free throws made (51).
MIAA Stats (As of Dec. 30)
TEAM: Rank in the MIAA second in scoring offense (79.2) , third in three's made (83), three's per game (8.3), rebounds per game (41.0) and turnovers forced per game (18.3). Fourth in scoring margin (+15.1), field goal percentage defense (.375), offensive rebounds per game (12.8) and turnover margin (+3.4). Fifth in three point percentage (.349), three's attempted (238), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.07), free throws made (151) and assists per game (16.0) .Sixth in field goal percentage (.429), three point percentage defense (.292), defensive rebounds per game (28.2), free throws attempted (204) and blocked shots per game (3.6)
Lacy Stokes: Leads the MIAA in assists (62), assists per game (6.2), assist-to-turnover ratio (3.6), steals (31) and steals per game (3.1). Ranks second in free throws attempted (74), third in free throws made (51), sixth in points per game (16.9), seventh in field goals attempted (141) and ninth in defensive rebounds per game (4.8)
Hailey Grant: Ranks ninth in the MIAA in blocks (11) and blocks per game (1.1).
Madi Stokes: Ranks ninth in the MIAA in blocks (11).
Kaitlin Hunnicutt: Ranks second in the MIAA in three point percentage (40.8), seventh in three's per game (2.0) and 10th in three's made (20).
