Joplin, Mo. – The ninth ranked Missouri Southern women's basketball program ran away with a 93-47 win over Illinois Springfield tonight inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center to close out the calendar year.
 
The Lions (12-1, 4-1 MIAA) were led by Lacy Stokes with a game-high 14 points to go with a career-high tying seven steals in 18 minutes. Off the bench Amaya Johns led with 12 points and six rebounds with Hailey Grant chipping in with 11 points as well. Madi Stokes finished with a team-high eight rebounds and nine points to go with two blocks in 14 minutes.
 
Illinois Springfield (0-12, 0-4 GLVC) was led by Luz Uhl and Ava Bardic with both coming away with 11 points and making one three. Ivey Schmidt was the leading rebounder coming away with nine while adding seven points in 30 minutes today while Ashley Wachter led the bench with six points off two made threes.
 
In the first quarter the Lions got out to a commanding 12-2 lead following a pair of free throws by Lacy with 6:40 left and would ultimately grow the lead up to 17 with 1:54 left following a Johns layup to make it 24-7.
 
The Prairie Stars began the second quarter on a 6-3 run in the first two minutes of the quarter but a 22-4 run to close the first half by the Lions had it 52-21 at the intermission.
 
For the third quarter it was much the same as a 13-2 run by Southern made it 65-23 with 4:23 left following a Lacy driving layup for her final points of the night. To close the quarter Illinois Springfield cut the lead down to 43 heading into the fourth with it being 73-30 in favor of the Lions.
 
In the fourth the Prairie Stars began the quarter on a 10-2 run to make it a 35 point deficit with 6:53 left at 75-40. The next two scoring plays by the Lions ensured for the third time this season that all 12 players that played had scored following a Peyton Mosley three and an Anjelina Humphreys layup with Mosley picking up the assist.
 
At the final buzzer it was a 93-47 win for the Lions to mark an end to the calendar year and was the last non-conference regular season game of the season.
 
As a team the Lions held the advantage in field goal percentage (.480-.238), three point percentage (.280-.147), threes made (7-5), free throws made (14-12), rebounds (52-38), offensive rebounds (16-13), defensive rebounds (36-25), assists (19-7), steals (12-4), blocks (8-0), bench points (44-6), fast break points (23-9), points off turnovers (18-9), points in the paint (58-4), second chance points (16-7) and forced 16 turnovers.
 
Up next for the Lions will be rival Pittsburg State on Jan. 2, 2023 inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center to resume MIAA play, tip off is set for 5:30pm.
 
Career Updates:
Lacy Stokes - Moved into sole possession of ninth in assists with 251 dished out in 44 games the second fastest all-time to eclipse 250 assists behind Diane Hoch (88-92) who did it in 41 games. Moved into 11th in steals with 140 passing Nicole Hartzog (12-15) and Diane Hoch (88-92) and is now 29th for scoring with 827 passing Tommie Horton (91-95) and Deb Holcomb (15-17).
 
Layne Skiles – Passed Lydnsey Kenealy (96-00) for 24th in scoring with 873 and is now in sole possession of 10th in blocks with 58.
 
Amaya Johns – Passed Mary Carter (77-81) and Lisa Gardner (78-80) for 51st in scoring with 622.
 
Single-Season Update:
Madi Stokes – Became the first player in program history to have four seasons of 30 or more blocks in a season with 31 in 13 games also being the second fastest in program history behind Zoe Campbell who in 18-19 accomplished the feat in eight games and finished with a school record 62 for the season.
 

The Missouri Southern women's basketball season is presented by People's Bank of Seneca, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.