Joplin, Mo. - The 5th ranked Missouri Southern women's basketball program will play hosts to Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western this weekend to begin MIAA play for the programs. The Lions and Bearcats are set to play tomorrow at 5:30pm and to close out the week the Lions will play the Griffons on Saturday at 1:30pm with both games inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Game Information
Teams: #5/2 Missouri Southern (7-0) vs Northwest Missouri (4-1) & Missouri Western (5-2)
Dates: Dec. 1st & 3rd, 2022
Tip-Off: 5:30 PM (Thursday), 1:30 PM (Saturday)
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: MSSU leads 35-28 against NWMS, MWSU leads 61-37.
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 87-89 (7th Season Overall / at MSSU)
NWMS: Austin Meyer, 48-66 (5th Season Overall / at NWMS)
MWSU: Candi Whitaker, 102-134 (9th Season Overall), 56-36 (4th Season at MWSU)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - 101-7 the Vault - 101.7 FM
Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @MssuWbb
11 In A Row At Home
Stretching back to last season the Lions have won 11 straight inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center tied for the second longest streak in program history that happened in the 1992-93 season that had 11 straight wins, the program record of 23 was from Feb. 15, 1985 against Nebraska - Kearney to Jan. 10, 1987 against UMKC. The Lions did not lose a home game in the 1985-86 season and won the last five in 84-85 and first four in 86-87.
New Rankings Highs
With the latest edition of the WBCA and D2SIDA Polls the Lions have set new program highs in each poll with the team ranked in the top-five in each for the first time in program history as well. In the WBCA poll which is the offical ranking as recongnized by the NCAA has the Lions at fifth beating the previous high of seventh set in the 1992-93 season with Southern ranked seventh in five weeks including the last three of the season. In the D2SIDA poll the Lions began the year sixth before moving to fifth in week one, fourth in week two and now for week three making the jump to second just six points away from claiming first.
Bearcat Warning
Last season Northwest Missouri went 17-12, 12-10 MIAA losing to Nebraska - Kearney in the MIAA quarterfinals last season. The Bearcats return All-MIAA guards Molly Hartnett and Peyton Kelderman but lost Mallory McConkey who was a third team All-MIAA performer last season. This season the Bearcats are led by Hartnett with 13.2 poins and 4.6 assists per game, Jayna Green is the second leading scorer with 10.0 points per game to go with 5.6 rebounds and a team-high five blocks. Peyton Kelderman averages 8.6 points per game while shooting 13-of-29 from three for 44.8 percent. Kelsey Fields averages a team-high 8.6 rebounds a game while scoring 8.2 points shooting 17-of-28 from the field for 60.7 percent. Evelyn Vazquez rounds out the starting unit with 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds a game while dishing off 13 assists and 13 steals a team-high.
Sophomore Guards To Watch
The back court duo of Molly Hartnett and Peyton Kelderman helps pace the Bearcats offense with Hartnett the 2020-21 MIAA Freshman of the Year and a two time All-MIAA performer averaging 13.2 points, 4.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds a game while shooting 42.6 percent from the field (20-47) and 92.6 percent from free throws (25-27). Kelderman is the three point threat going 13-29 from three (44.8) while averaging 8.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
Griffon Sighting
Last season Missouri Western went 24-10, 14-8 MIAA losing to #6 Grand Valley State in the NCAA Elite Eight last season to conclude a year in which the Griffons were Central Region Tournament champions. Missouri Western returns All-MIAA performers Connie Clarke and Bronna Budgetts to lead a young team looking to climb the MIAA regular season standings after finishing fourth last season. Clarke leads the team with 18.1 points and 8.7 rebounds a game while dishing out 21 assists and having 21 steals, Budgetts is the best shooter on the team with 16.3 ponts per game shooting 41.7 percent from three (15-36) and 93.8 percent from free throws (15-16) coming into the weekend. Cleao Murray is the bench scorer averaging 8.3 points a game while making 14 threes, Jordan Cunningham (7.3), Camille Evans (6.3) and Mary Fultz (6.0) round out the usual starting unit for the Griffons.
Clarke & Budgetts
The duo of Connie Clarke and Brionna Budgetts helped lead the Griffons to an Elite Eight finish last season with Clarke getting to play in her hometown of Birmingham, Ala. Clarke is averaging 18.1 points shooting 57.1 percent from the field, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 steals a game while dishing out 3.0 assists a game and having 2.7 turnovers as well this season. While Budgetts is averaging 16.3 points shooting 55.3 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from three going 15-36 and 93.8 percent from free throws going 15-16 so far. The duo accounts for 40.8 percent of the teams average points this season and been the leading scorer in each game with Clarke being the leading rebounder in four of the seven games.
Polls Are Polls But We Like This Season's
Every season the MIAA comes out with preseason polls to rank each team based on votes by conference head coaches and media members, last season the Lions made a mockery of both polls going from being picked 9th/10th to finishing 1st. This season both the coaches and media polls put the Lions to finish first and repeat as regular season champions.
What A Season It Was
The 2021-22 season will be one remembered for years to come for the Missouri Southern faithful as a team picked to barely make the conference tournament stunned everyone outside the pride and won a share of the regular season title, make the conference tournament championship game and earned a spot in the regional tournament for the fourth time in program history. The accolades pilled up as Ronnie Ressel was named MIAA Coach of the Year for the first time in his tenure becoming the third coach in program history to be named MIAA Coach of the Year. Lacy Stokes was the first ever freshman in program history to be named All-American and All-Region honors along with being the first athlete ever to win the Freshman and Player of the Year in the MIAA's history. Lacy set 18 freshman records along with being the only Lion to ever end a season with 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists a game in program history. Madi Stokes and Amaya Johns were third team All-MIAA selections as forwards with Stokes breaking the career record for blocks in only her third year of action while Johns emerged as one of the premier bench scorers in the MIAA. As a team the Lions set new records in three's made and attempted, owned a 17 game winning streak in MIAA play to set a program record for conference winning streak and overall streak, the 19 MIAA wins are a program record, had the first 20 win season since 2014-15 and along with the 1984-85 season had the third most wins in program history and recorded 10 wins on the road the most since the 1993-94 season which is the current program high with 11.
Meet The Team
This season Southern will have nine returns from 21-22 and three newcomers added to the fold along with Ronnie Ressel, Kelby Fritz and Bryant Porter together for year two together as a coaching staff. Amaya Johns, Cameron Call and Layne Skiles make up the senior class with Madi Stokes and Kryslyn Jones are listed as juniors. The sophomores make up the bulk of the roster with Hailey Grant and Kaitlin Hunnicutt covid-sophomores alongside Lacy Stokes, Maleigha Landers and Mia Topping are true sophomores, Mira Khan is a junior college transfer that is a covid-sophomore athletically as well. The freshman this season will be Peyton Mosley and Ryan Franklin as true freshman with Anjelina Humphreys a redshirt freshman.
The Stokes Act. 2
The dynamic duo of Lacy and Madi Stokes may have a near telepathic relationship on the court but the two are not as similar as they may seem on paper. Both are from small towns in Missouri and own program records for their freshman years but neither is related to each other. Lacy is a lefty point guard standing at 5-4 while Madi is a right handed center standing at 6-3. Madi is entering her fifth season around the program after redshirting as a true freshman in the 2018-19 season, while Lacy is entering her second season for the Green and Gold. Both have scored over 710 career points and grabbed over 195 rebounds in their careers but Madi holds the advantage in career blocks (143-3) and field goals made (326-241) with Lacy holding the advantage in career steals (121-32), free throws made (187-119) and assists (219-57).
Kryslyn Clear
New to the team this season is Kryslyn Jones a junior guard from Edmond, Okla. who played for Texas A&M - Kingsville last season after being at Seminole State for two years. Jones was an All-LSC (Lone Star Conference) third team selection last season after averaging 10.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals a game while going 49-of-130 from three (37.7). Jones helped the Javelinas to their first winning season since the 2009-10 season and made the Lone Star Conference Tournament for the first time since 2018-19. At Seminole State she was a NJCAA Region II Player of the Year, NJCAA and WBCA All-American, Region II All-Tournament selection along with being an All-Region first teamer. For the Lions she should figure to be a big piece of the offense with her ability to stretch the floor by either shooting the three or driving the lane.
Khan!
Much like Captain James T. Kirk's nemesis in Star Trek, this season the Lions will know a lot about a certain Khan. Mira will not attempt to use the Genesis device but instead be a key contributor on the basketball court for the Lions this season. Mira Khan hails from Berlin, Germany and has spent the last two seasons at Independence CC where she was part of the Pirates team last season that won a share of the KJCCC regular season title. She started in 31 games while averaging 7.9 points and 5.2 rebounds a game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from three to lead the team.
Freshman Addition
This season the Lions will have the services of Peyton Mosley and Ryan Franklin after both wrapped up successful high school careers. Mosley a guard from Prosper, Texas prepped at Prosper High where she was a four year letter winner for the Eagles and coach Trey Rachal, as a senior she averaged 12.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.8 steals a game while shooting 46 percent from the field. Franklin is a center from Edmond, Oklahoma where she was a four year letter winner for the Huskies and coach Pete Papahronis and was a Oklahoma 6A State Champion last season while averaging 12.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game as a Husky during her career.
A Tall Pride
Seven of the 14 Lions on the roster stand at 5-10 or higher with Madi Stokes and Ryan Franklin (6-3), Mira Khan and Hailey Grant (6-1) above six foot while Layne Skiles, Amaya Johns and Anjelina Humphreys all listed at 5-10. On the flip side the two smallest Lions are Kryslyn Jones (5-6) and Lacy Stokes (5-4).
Anchors Down, Aye, Aye, Captain!
A common theme of teams coached by Ronnie Ressel is their defensive ability and this season the Lions rank 26th in Division II for field goal percentage defense (33.9) and scoring defense (55.4) and is 34th for blocks per game (4.3). In MIAA ranks this season they are second in blocks per game and field goal percentage defense while ranking fifth for scoring defense.
3's Are Timeless
645 Straight games have been played by the Lions where at least one three was made, the streak began back in the 1999-00 season after the first weekend of the season where the Lions went 0-7 from deep on Nov. 20th, 1999 in Tahlequah, Okla against Southern Arkansas losing 68-53.
The Freshman 18
Last season Lacy Stokes set the record book ablaze especially for freshman records setting 18 new marks during the season. They are: points scored in a season with 612, points per game in a season at 19.7, points scored in a season opener with 25 vs. Henderson State (Nov. 12, 2021), points scored in a game with 36 vs. Pittsburg State (Feb. 19, 2022), games with 20 or more points scored with 16, consecutive games scoring 20 or more points with eight, games with 30 or more points with three and is the only freshman in program record to score 30 points in a game, points scored in a MIAA Tournament game with 32 vs. Missouri Western (March 5, 2022), points scored in an MIAA Tournament with 69 in three games, free throws made and attempted (163-for-227), games with five or more steals with nine, games with six or more steals with five, steals in a NCAA Regional game with seven vs. #16 St. Cloud State (March 11, 2022), steals in a single-season with 101, steals per game at 3.3, assists in a NCAA Regional game with eight vs. #16 St. Cloud State (March 11, 2022) and assist-turnover ratio at 2.95.
Throw Up the MV
Last season the duo of Lacy Stokes and Cameron Call were together on the same team for the first time since both were in high school for Mount Vernon with both former Mountaineers holding numerous single-season and career top-ten marks at the school. The duo were part of three consecutive district championships at Mount Vernon before Lacy led the Mountaineers to a Class 4 Runners-up finish in 2020-21. Call began her collegiate career at Division-I Illinois State and was a Redbird for two years before joining the Green and Gold a year ago.
Small Town Missouri
This season the Lions will have four members of the team from small towns in Missouri on the roster with Layne Skiles from Purdy, Madi Stokes from Cassville along with Lacy Stokes and Cameron Call hailing from Mount Vernon. Combined the three towns have a population of 8,728 which accounts for 16.8 percent of the population of Joplin (51,846). The towns are connected by a 50 minute drive going from Cassville-to-Purdy-to-Mount Vernon and are each under an hour and a half from Joplin.
MIAA P.O.W. Was Owned By #21 in 2021-22
Lacy was the MIAA Player of the Week for five weeks the most by anyone last season which including a streak of three straight from weeks 11-13 of winning the award. From weeks nine to the end of the season in week 15 Lacy averaged 21.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 3.3 steals a game while having a 3.86 assist-turnover ratio and shot 43.8 percent from the field and made 82 made free throws.
Block Special
Madi Stokes has made a habit of picking up blocks during her career for the Lions and in only 86 games has 143 blocks to be the career leader at Southern. Madi also holds the freshman (33) and sophomore (50) records for a single season and game, swatting seven in the 2020-21 season at Rogers State (Jan. 28) for the sophomore record and six against Lincoln (Feb. 29) in the 2019-20 season.
Madi's Specialty
Madi Stokes is only the second Lion ever to have three straight seasons of 30 or more blocks with Caryn Schumaker from 1988-91 having seasons of 38, 39 and 30 blocks. Stokes holds the second and third best block totals for a single season in program history along with having the second and fourth best per game average as well. Among single game ranks she is the only Lion to ever have a 5, 6 and 7 block game and has had nine games with four or more blocks in her career.
Frequent Swatter
Not only does Madi Stokes hold the career record for blocks at Southern to go with the freshman and sophomore single season and game records but she is second in career average at 1.68. Joyce Falls (1986-88) is the career leader at 1.69 with 49 blocks in 29 games.
Two Rare Feats
In the 2020-21 season Madi Stokes had two particularly rare games finishing with a 21 point - 22 rebound game at Emporia State (Jan. 16) and a 31 point - 21 rebound game in overtime at Rogers State (Jan. 28). The 20-20 game was the third time in program history and first since Marie Scott had 24 points and 22 rebounds in a 81-77 win over Missouri Valley (Nov. 24, 1995). In the MIAA it was the first since Vivian Essuon who had 20 points and 23 rebounds against Missouri Western on Jan. 7, 2012. Madi was the second player in Division II to achieve the feat with Lilly Ritz of Wheeling going for 22 points and 25 rebounds on the same day, across the 2020-21 season only Zyaire Ewing for Delta State was able to have a 20-20 game. Madi did become the first player in program history to have a 30-20 game and was the first of the 2020-21 season with Ritz and Danielle Norquest of West Florida able to accomplish the feat later on in the season.
Career 500 Points & 500 Rebounds Welcomed A New Member
Last year Madi Stokes became the 13th Lion to have 500 career points and rebounds on the road against then #2 Fort Hays State (Jan. 20, 2022). Madi also became the eighth Lion in program history to have 600 career points and rebounds accomplishing the feat against Washburn (Mar. 3, 2022) in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals.
Not Your Normal Quadfecta
It is not every day you set a new standard but against Northeastern State (Jan. 11, 2022) Layne Skiles did that. Skiles who currently has 827 points, 140 three's, 149 free throws and 136 assists in her career becoming the first Lion to have 500+ points, 100+ made three's, made free throws and assists provided in a career. Became the 14th Lion to have 100+ three's, the 52nd to have 500+ points and 100+ free throws and the 53rd Lion to have 100+ career assists since 1984-85.
Skiles Joining Rare Company
Layne Skiles became the 26th Lion to have 700+ points and 300+ rebounds in a career against #21 Missouri Western Feb. 10, 2022 and has 827 points and 407 rebounds, becoming the 18th Lion in program history to have a career with 800+ points and 400+ rebounds on Nov. 23, 2022 against Missouri S&T.
The 500 Point Quartet
Coming into the season Amaya Johns (553) needed just eight more points to become the 66th Lion in program history to score 500 career points, she duly delivered in the season opener against #23 Lubbock Christian to join teammates: Layne Skiles (822), Madi Stokes (765) and Lacy Stokes (709) with all three crossing the threshold last season.
Wayne Cavadi Has Us On The List
Known as the D-II guy Wayne Cavadi listed his preseason power-ten rankings and the Lions were number nine. The other MIAA schools named were Fort Hays State at a tie for tenth and Missouri Western who was part of the first five out. Cavadi also has Lubbock Christian at number eight and Minnesota - Duluth under also considered with both teams set to play Southern at the D2CCA Tip-Off Classic.
Where No Freshman Had Scored Before
Lacy set two freshman school records against Pittsburg State on Feb. 19, 2022 scoring 36 points for the freshman single-game record (that Stokes set previously with 33 points against Central Oklahoma on Dec. 2, 2021) in the win and breaking the freshman single-season scoring record that was set by Patti Killian (1977-78).
Lacy Flooded The Box Score To Open Last Season
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).
Lacy 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)
Climbing The Three Point Ladder
Layne Skiles in her career is 140-374 (37.4) from three, ranking 11th in percentage with at least 1 make per game, 7th in makes and 9th for attempts in MSSU history.
Three's A Raining
In the 103-58 home win over Lincoln (Dec. 18, 2021) the Lions tied two school records for three point shooting going 14-34 from deep the Lions achieved 14 made threes for the fourth time in school history and the first since January 25, 2003 at Truman State in which they set a school record with 34 attempts from deep as well.
Triple Digits Pt. 3
The Lions put up triple digits for the third time under Ronnie Ressel this time besting Central Chrisitan College (Kan.) 100-32 on Nov. 26, 2022. The previous times the Lions went over 100 points during Ressels tenure was against Lincoln (Dec. 18, 2021) 103-58 and Graceland (Dec. 30, 2017) 100-44 with every game occuring nside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. The win over Lincoln was also the most points scored by the Lions inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center since a 104-28 win over Ozark Christian on Dec. 6, 2005.
The Den Of Thieves In 21-22
Last season Lacy Stokes, Kaitlin Hunnicutt, Layne Skiles and Brooke Stauffer have established themselves as top talents in stealing the ball from the opposition. Stokes led the MIAA with 3.3 steals a game and 101 total steals while Stauffer (38), Hunnicutt (30) and Skiles (29) last season. 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 (Dec. 11, 2021) and Stokes repeated the feat against McKendree (Dec.13, 2021).
The Thieves of 22-23
This season the Lions are averaging 8.9 steals a game with Lacy Stokes leading the way with 20 steals (2.85), Kaitlin Hunnicutt has eight with Amaya Johns and Layne Skiles coming away with six steals in the early going. Lacy ranks sixth nationally, second in the MIAA for steals and for steals per game she is 44th in Division-II and fourth in the MIAA.
The Historic Thief
Lacy Stokes in her first season in the Green and Gold had a season to remember already having a seven steal performance against Lincoln (Feb. 7, 2022), posting 6 steals against Lincoln (Dec.18, 2021), Missouri Western twice (Jan. 3, 2022 and Feb. 10, 2022) while having a 5 steal game against McKendree (Dec. 13, 2021), Washburn (Jan. 13, 2022), #14 Nebraska-Kearney (Jan. 22, 2022) and Central Missouri (Feb. 5, 2022). Stokes is the first Lion since KaTonya Samuels (1996-97) to have four 6+ steal games in a season and is also the first freshman since Jayme Callahan (1998-99) to have two 6+ steal games in a season. Is the first freshman to ever have four games of 6 or more steals in school history. Is the only freshman in school history to have eight games of five or more steals in a season. Only Jayme Callahan (1998-99) has had a game with more steals as a freshman than Lacy, finishing with eight against Ozark Christian (Nov. 14, 1998).
Take A Bow
Lacy Stokes is just different, the then freshman guard was playing at another level and leaving her opponents in the dust and leading the charge for a resurgence of the program that few predicted. In Kansas City for the MIAA Tournament she scored the seventh most points in a single-tournament with 69 to set a new freshman record for a tournament and set the school record for points scored in a tournament. Her 32 points against Missouri Western in the Semifinals was the second most points scored by a Lion in school history in the MIAA Tournament just narrowly missing out on the record held by Jasmine Lovejoy with 33 points against Pittsburg State in the 2011 edition of the MIAA Tournament. And alongside Layne Skiles became the first two Lions to be named to the All-Tournament team in program history.
Say Her Name!
Kaitlin Hunnicutt might not have been read off as a starter at Wichita State by the PA announcer but by the end of the game she was well known throughout Charles Koch Arena after leading the Lions with 15 points going 3-of-5 from three to go with providing four assists
Shockers Very Nearly Got Shocked
In the exhibition against Wichita State the Lions held the momentum and held the advantage on the score board for last two minutes of regulation and nearly came away with a statement win before the season even began. With 1.0 seconds left Wichita State had to throw it in and get off a shot to force overtime which they did, and in the first three minutes of overtime it was tied twice before the Shockers opened up a four point lead that ultimately proved the difference and led the way for a 72-70 final score.
Exhibition Craziness
Against Wichita State the Lions gave the Shockers fits and it showed with some key stats going the Lions way as a team like having more assists (16-12), blocks (6-5), points off turnovers (17-9). bench points (18-9), making more threes (11-3) to go with having a better free throw percentage (83.3-65.5) and tying for second chance points (15-15).
Week One Sweep
Southern is off to their first 2-0 start to a season since the 2015-16 campaign and for the second year in a row have won back-to-back games against teams receiving votes in the WBCA poll after taking out #2 Fort Hays State and #14 Nebraska - Kearney last season on the road. With the pair of wins it was also the first win the series against Lubbock Christian and Minnesota - Duluth in program history.
Defense Leads To Wins
At the D2CCA Tip-Off Classic the Lions held their opposition to 57.5 points per game while shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from three while forcing 16.0 turnovers per game and scoring 18.5 points per game off turnovers. In game two the Lions held Minnesota - Duluth to 35.7 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from three after the Bulldogs began the season against Missouri Western shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 51.7 percent from three and forced All-American Brooke Olson into seven turnovers.
MIAA/GAC Challenge Recap
This season Harding was the host school for the MIAA/GAC Challenge and this season's edition was different than years past for the Lions. Coming into the weekend as the top team the target ranked #19 in the WBCA poll the Lions came away with another sweep of the weekend taking out Henderson State 74-59 and RV Harding 68-66. The Stokes' had another great week with the duo averaging 37.5 points, 17.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.
Early Season MIAA P.O.W For Lacy
For the first time this season the MIAA revealed a Player of the Week with Lacy Stokes being the first winner. Lacy averaged 22.0 points, 7.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and had a 3.50 assist-turnover ratio while helping the Lions to a 4-0 start and picking up three wins over teams at least receiving votes in the WBCA preseason poll.
CCC Recap
Two new program records and 27 individual career-highs with 14 career-highs were tied against the Tigers to highlight the 100-32 demolition. The program records were number of bench scorers with double digit scoring with five in Mia Topping (16), Hailey Grant (13), Cameron Call (12), Amaya johns (10) and Peyton Mosley (10) along with three pointers attempted in a game with 35.
The Missouri Southern women's basketball season is presented by People's Bank of Seneca, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.
