Joplin, Mo. - The 4th ranked Missouri Southern women's basketball program will travel to Central Oklahoma and Newman this week for the first road trip of the MIAA season for the program. The Lions are set to play the Bronchos tomorrow at 5:30pm from the Hamilton Field House and then conclude the week against the Jets with tip-off on Saturday set for 1:30pm from Fugate Gymnasium.
Game Information
Teams: #4/2 Missouri Southern (9-0, 2-0 MIAA) vs Central Oklahoma (4-2, 1-1 MIAA) & Newman (4-3, 1-1 MIAA)
Dates: Dec. 8th & 10th, 2022
Tip-Off: 5:30 PM (Thursday), 1:30 PM (Saturday)
Location: Edmond, Okla. (Thursday), Wichita, Kan. (Saturday)
Site: Hamilton Field House (Thursday), Fugate Gymnasium (Saturday)
Series Record: MSSU leads 17-16 against UCO, 7-2 against NU
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 89-89 (7th Season Overall / at MSSU)
UCO: Emma Andrews, 77-89 (7th Season Overall), 4-2 (1st Season at UCO)
NU: Drew Johnson, 71-79 (6th Season Overall), 7-26 (2nd Season at NU)
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
New Rankings Highs
With the latest edition of the WBCA poll the Lions have set a new program record moving up to number four in this weeks poll after being named fifth last week. This is the second week in a row to be in the top-five and the tenth week overall to be a top-ten program. In the WBCA polls the Lions have featured in 24 weeks making an appearance in all four of the polls this season going from 19-to-10-to-5-to-4 in the rankings.
Bronchos Running Free
Last season Central Oklahoma went 17-13, 12-8 MIAA losing to Fort Hays State in the MIAA Quarterfinals in Guy Hardaker's last game coaching the Bronchos. Kelsey Johnson graduated as one of the top players in program history an the scoring burden has been shared by four players this season. Alayzha Knapp is the leading scorer at 17.5 points a game followed by Karly Wadsworth (14.5), Brooke Rayner (13.5) and Aliyah Llanusa (11.8). the four of Knapp, Wadsworth, Rayner and Llanusa accounts for 72.9 percent of the made threes, 72.6 percent of the scoring, 72.4 percent of the assists, 71.0 percent of the steals and just 47.6 percent of the teams rebounds.
New Big In Town
Replacing a program great is not always a hard thing to do but for Emma Andrews in her first season at Central Oklahoma Alayzha Knapp was ready to step into that role after averaging 10.1 points and 4.7 rebounds a game last season. In the early going she is averaging 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds a game while shooting 50.0 percent from three going 8-of-16, 45.6 percent from the field going 41-of-90 and 57.7 percent from free throws going 15-of-26. Last season in two games against the Lions Knapp averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds a game while shooting 38.1 percent from the field and 75.0 percent from free throws.
When The Jets Come Rolling In
Last season Newman went 3-25, 1-21 MIAA and did not make it to the MIAA tournament in year one for coach Drew Johnson, this season the Jets are off to a roaring start with a 4-3, 1-1 MIAA record. Britney Ho is the leader this season with team high averages of 19.1 points and 6.1 rebounds a game, Carissa Beck (10.9) and Lauryn Dubbert (10.0) are the other members of the team to average double figure scoring. Newman is able to score in bunches as they came away 115-24 winners against Manhattan Christian earlier this season and are averaging 73.7 points per game as a team with 43.5 percent shooting from the field and 38.7 percent from three while making 7.9 from deep per game.
The Four Keys
This season for the Jets is already off to a quick start already surpassing last seasons win total along with having four key members of the team average around 27 minutes per game. Britney Ho is the leader in the paint with 19.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game to lead the team while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Carissa Beck, Lauryn Dubbert and Maddie Spagnola have proven that they can be threats from the perimeter with all shooting above 47 percent from deep. Beck averaged 10.9 points per game while shooting 51.3 percent from three, 87.5 percent from free throws and 47.7 percent from the field. Dubbert averages 10.0 points and 3.9 rebounds a game while coming away with 13 steals and is shooting 47.6 percent from three. Spagnola is averaging 7.1 points, 4.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds a game while also coming away with 13 steals and is shooting 57.1 percent from three.
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 745 career points and grabbed over 200 rebounds in their careers but Madi holds the advantage in career blocks (150-3) and field goals made (328-253) with Lacy holding the advantage in career steals (125-32), free throws made (194-122) and assists (230-59).
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 is averaging 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals a game while shooting 39.5 percent from three going 15-of-38 from deep.
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 12th in Division-II for blocks per game (4.8), 17th for field goal percentage defense (34.0), 21st for scoring defense (54.9) and 47th in three point percentage defense (25.9). In MIAA ranks the team is the leaders in blocks per game, second in field goal percentage defense, fifth for scoring defense and three point percentage defense.
3's Are Timeless
647 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 88 games has 150 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 ten 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 currently the career leading in average at 1.70. Joyce Falls (1986-88) was 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.
The 700 Club
Madi Stokes has had a distinguished career that added yet another achievement to the growing list, against Missouri Western (Dec. 3, 2022) Madi became the fifth member of the 700 career scoring and rebounding club. Stokes is the first member to join this exclusive club since Anita Rank (84-88) with other members being Suzanne Sutton (83-86), Pam Brisby (78-82) and Cherie Kuklentz (77-80).
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 837 points, 142 three's, 151 free throws and 138 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 837 points and 413 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 (584) 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 (837), Madi Stokes (778) and Lacy Stokes (749) 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 142-379 (37.5) from three, ranking T-6th in makes, 9th in percentage with at least 1 make per game and for attempts overall 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 Christian College (Kan.) 100-32 on Nov. 26, 2022. The previous times the Lions went over 100 points during Ressel's tenure was against Lincoln (Dec. 18, 2021) 103-58 and Graceland (Dec. 30, 2017) 100-44 with every game occurring inside 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 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).
The Thieves of 22-23
This season the Lions are averaging 8.6 steals a game with Lacy Stokes leading the way with 24 steals (2.67), Layne Skiles has 10, Kryslyn Jones has nine, Kaitlin Hunnicutt has eight with Amaya Johns coming away with seven steals in the early going. Lacy ranks 12th nationally, second in the MIAA for steals and for steals per game she is 56th in Division-II and sixth 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. 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).
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.
November Recap
This season the Lions began the season off by playing three teams either receiving votes or were ranked in the WBCA poll and have beaten the preseason ranked first and third teams in the GAC, second team in the NSIC, along with the second and fourth teams in the LSC. Week 1 the Lions got wins over Lubbock Christian and Minnesota - Duluth, the first in series history against the schools. Week 2 saw a trip to Searcy, Ark. where the Lions avenenged losses from last season against Henderson State and Harding in the MIAA/GAC Challenge with the Stokes' averaging 7.5 points, 17.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. Week 3 had just Angelo State on the schedule and the Lions made a statement 83-66 win with four reaching double figures in Kryslyn Jones (18), Lacy Stokes (17), Amaya Johns (16) and Layne Skiles (12). Week 4 had Missouri S&T and Central Christian College coming to Joplin and the Lions set down the Miners and Tigers in convincing fashion. Against CCC, Southern would set two new program records, tie one program record, set 27 individual career-highs and tie 14 individual career-highs. The team three pointers attempted record was set originally at Truman State (Jan. 25, 2004) and tied last season against Lincoln (Dec. 18, 2021) and is now at 35. The bench scoring effort by Mia Topping (16), Hailey Grant (13), Cameron Call (12), Amaya johns (10) and Peyton Mosley (10) is the first time ever in program history to have five off the bench reach double figure scoring. For the first time since Feb. 25, 1986 against William Jewell in the NAIA District 16 Tournament the Lions had three players achieve double digit rebounds, against the Cardinals all three were starters in Gayle Klenke (12 points, 12 rebounds), Anita Rank (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Margaret Womack (26 points, 12 rebounds) while against the Tigers Madi Stokes (12 rebounds, 6 points) was the lone starter as Hailey Grant (14 rebounds, 13 points) and Amya Johns (10 rebounds, 10 points) came off the bench and achieved a double-doubles.
December Recap So Far
The last month of 2022 started off with a defensive battle against Northwest Missouri with the Lions prevailing 52-37 to begin MIAA play and saw Layne Skiles set a new program record for career games played making her 120th appearance. Game two of December had the Griffons come to town with the Lions able to complete a comeback and roar out 75-69 winners in the first MIAA weekend as Lacy Stokes (18), Kryslyn Jones (15) and Hailey Grant (13) fueled the win and provided key moments in the Lions 30 point fourth quarter.
The Missouri Southern women's basketball season is presented by People's Bank of Seneca, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.
