Joplin, Mo. – The 10
th ranked Missouri Southern women's basketball program ended the week with a 100-32 blowout win today inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center against Central Christian College (Kan.).
Southern (7-0) was led by
Mia Topping with a career-high 16 points going 6-of-13 from the field while adding eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.
Hailey Grant finished with a team-high 14 rebounds paired with 13 points for her second career double-double to go with three steals.
Cameron Call scored 12 points going 4-of-8 from three,
Amaya Johns notched her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go with three steals while
Peyton Mosley scored 10 points as well and provided six assists in 19 minutes.
Madi Stokes came away with 12 rebounds in 10 minutes and along with
Kaitlin Hunnicutt scored six points to lead the starters.
For the first time in program history five bench players finished with double-digit scoring, and overall it was the fourth time in program history five players scored in double-digits with Topping (16), Grant (13), Call (12), Johns (10) and Mosley (10) today. The first instance was on Jan. 15, 1992 at Lincoln with Nancy Somers (19), Renee Weih (19), Christina Ortega (18), Rolanda Gladen (15) and Tommie Horton (14) finishing with double-figures.
Inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Nov. 29, 2006 against Oklahoma Panhandle State the Lions had Dana-Mae Robbs (23), Tynesha Pierce (18), Danielle DeVader (17), Ashley Birch (17) and Robin Kantin (13) finish in double figures. The last time the feat was achieved was on Jan. 31, 2009 in Joplin against Southwest Baptist with Nichole Helfrich (23), Danielle DeVader (23), Lindsey Davis (17), Myosha Barnes (16) and Michelle Hedgecock (10) in double figures.
Three players ended with double digit rebounds as well in the game today as Grant (14),
Madi Stokes (12) and Johns (10) accomplished the feat, the last time the Lions had two players with double digit rebounds was on Jan. 20, 2022 at #2 Fort Hays State with Madi grabbing 11 and Johns coming away with 10 as well.
The Tigers (0-6, 0-2 SAC) were led by Olivia Bell with seven points with Rachel Perkins, Halle Winsea and Mattie Rich each scored six points. Briasia Garza led the team with 10 rebounds and three assists.
The game started like most this season with the Lions getting on the board first and building a quick lead this time a 10-0 deficit with
Kryslyn Jones knocking down a three from a
Lacy Stokes assist with 7:43 left in the first quarter. Southern would stretch the lead out to 19 with 1:29 left following a pair of Johns free throws made it 23-4 following a 13-1 run.
In the second quarter the Lions scored the first 19 points of the quarter capped off by a Topping three with Call picking up the assist to make it 47-9 with 3:04 left in the first half. Central Christian would score in the quarter at 2:33 but a 5-0 run by the Lions to close out the half made it 52-11 heading into the intermission.
Mira Khan got the scoring started in the second half with a three from Call to jump start a 7-2 scoring run by the team capped off by a pair of Grant layups to make it 59-13 at 6:39. Following a Tiger basket at 4:42 the Lions shut them out of the score board and went on a 20-0 run (83-19) to end the quarter with the last four makes being assisted by Mosley.
Call would get the Lions past 90 points with a three from Topping at 6:07 to make it 91-26 and with 2:58 left
Mia Topping sank a three from Mosley for the final score of 100-32.
As a team the Lions won the battle in field goal percentage (42.7-17.2), three point percentage (25.7-17.2), three pointers made (9-5), free throws made (9-7), rebounds (69-35), offensive rebounds (29-9), defensive rebounds (40-26), assists (24-8), steals (18-5), blocks (6-1), bench points (74-2), fast break points (36-6), points off turnovers (36-7), points in the paint (56-10), second chance points (27-0), forced 28 turnovers and led for 39:49 of the game with no ties.
For the third time under
Ronnie Ressel the Lions eclipsed 100 points after doing so against Graceland 100-44 on Dec. 30, 2017 and against Lincoln 103-58 on Dec. 18, 2021. This was the largest margin of victory under Ressel and the second biggest margin overall 68, with a 76 point margin of victory against Ozark Christian on Dec. 6, 2005 (104-28) still the program record. Set a program record for threes attempted with 35 to beat the previous record of 34 set against Lincoln (Dec. 18, 2021) and at Truman State (Jan. 25, 2003).
With the win the Lions have now started the year 7-0 for the eighth time in program history and the first since the 2014-15 season.
Layne Skiles made her 119
th career appearance and is set to break the career record for appearances in the Lions history that was set by Pam Brisby (1978-82) with her next appearance.
Up next for the Lions will be the MIAA opener against Northwest Missouri on Dec. 1 with tip-off from the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center set for 5:30pm.
The Missouri Southern women's basketball season is presented by People's Bank of Seneca, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.
