Kansas City, Mo. – The Missouri Southern Lions begin the season with two statement wins after taking out a Minnesota – Duluth team that is receiving votes today, 54-51 inside Municipal Auditorium to end the D2CCA Tip-Off Classic for the two programs.
The #19/6 Lions (2-0) were led by the Stokes' duo with both finishing with 13 points, as Madi came away with a team-high eight rebounds and Lacy scored all her points in the second half coming away with three steals and three assists.
Layne Skiles had 11 points going 4-of-8 from the field and 3-of-6 from three to climb into ninth in career threes made and attempted in program history.
Amaya Johns led the bench scoring with eight points and
Hailey Grant came away with five rebounds.
Minnesota – Duluth (1-1) was led by Brooke Olson with 15 points and she committed a team-high seven turnovers. Ella Gilbertson led all bench scorers with 14 points keyed by going 8-of-8 from free throws. Maelyn Granica led the team with seven rebounds.
After winning the tip the Lions got off to a quick start highlighted by Skiles knocking down back-to-back three for a quick 6-0 lead with 8:08 left in the quarter. The second of Skiles threes moved her into ninth in career threes made and attempted in program history passing Destiny Cozart (18-20) for makes and Jayme Callahan (98-02) for attempts.
The end of the quarter saw the Lions get out to a 13-6 lead before the Bulldogs closed the quarter on a quick 4-0 run for the 13-10 score line. In the second quarter both teams found it very difficult to score with the first basket of the quarter happening at 7:03 by
Madi Stokes to make it a five point lead (15-10).
Once the lid was finally lifted on both baskets it was put back on the Southern side as Minnesota – Duluth went on a 9-0 run to the media timeout (4:22) for their first lead and big run of the game. The Lions went ahead thanks to a Grant turnaround jumper and-one with 2:31 remaining before growing the lead up to four (25-21) before heading into the half up 25-23.
For the first half the Lions held the edge in bench points 13-8, points off turnovers 10-4, and shooting percentage from the field 34.5-31.8 and from three 34.5-31.8.
Stokes started getting hot early in the third quarter with Lacy knocking down a floater on the first Lion possession and then later nailing a pull up jumper with 6:49 left in the third making it 32-27. Skiles would convert her third three of the game and then follow it up with a step in pull up jumper at 4:11 making it 37-29 the largest lead of the game.
The fourth quarter saw the Lions get out early and saw a Stokes-to-Stokes and-one connection this time Madi assisting Lacy making it 44-38 with 8:55 left in regulation. Minnesota – Duluth would not go away with the Bulldogs going on a 7-0 run to make it 48-48 with 3:14 left before Madi stopped the run with a layup.
Kaitlin Hunnicutt would seal the game away with a pull up jumper at 1:09 and the Lions defended the last minute for a 54-51 win.
With the win it is the first time since last year that the Lions knocked off back-to-back teams that were receiving votes in the WBCA poll as the Lions took out #2 Fort Hays State and #14 Nebraska – Kearney on the road. This is also the first 2-0 start for the Lions since the 2015-16 season and the first win against Minnesota – Duluth with this being the first game in the series against the two programs.
Up next for the Lions is Henderson State (Nov. 11) and Harding (Nov. 12) that is receiving votes in the WBCA and D2SIDA polls. Both games are part of the MIAA/GAC Challenge and will be played in Searcy, Ark. on the campus of Harding. Tip is set for 3:00pm against the Reddies and 6:00pm against the Bison at Rhodes-Reaves Field House.
The Missouri Southern women's basketball season is presented by People's Bank of Seneca, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.
