Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's basketball program picked up its 11^th-straight win of the season as the Lions honored Brooke Stauffer and Kaiulani Jones' careers following a 56-49 win inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center this afternoon against the Northwest Missouri Bearcats.
 
The Lions (18-5, 15-3 MIAA) were led by Lacy Stokes with 26 points going 9-11 from free throws while grabbing six rebounds and having three steals and assists. Amaya Johns led all bench scorers with 14 points going 2-of-5 from three and 2-of-2 from free throws adding six rebounds as well. Madi Stokes had six points, 10 rebounds and three blocks tonight as well.
 
Northwest Missouri (15-9, 10-8 MIAA) were led by Mallory McConkey with 17 points while adding seven rebounds and a team-high three assists. Peyton Kelderman had eight points and three rebounds off the bench. Katie Fields finished with seven points and 11 rebounds to go with two blocks. Coming into the game averaging 11.5 points to lead the team Molly Hartnett finished with just two points and while being guarded by Lacy Stokes was held scoreless tonight.
 
The Bearcats got the first two scores of the game before a Kaitlin Hunnicutt layup and Layne Skiles three assisted by Lacy Stokes gave the Lions their first lead of the night (5-4) with 5:25 left in the first quarter. A Johns three assisted by Skiles gave the Lions a three point lead (10-7) before a 5-0 run by Northwest gave them a 12-10 lead with 1:59 left. The Lions would get another basket from Johns in the quarter before the Bearcats went on a 4-0 run to close the first quarter up 16-12.
 
Northwest stretched its lead up to seven (25-18) with 5:46 remaining in the first half, the Lions responded with a 8-0 run with Lacy Stokes scoring six points and assisting Hailey Grant for a layup to take a 26-25 lead with 1:18 left in the half. The Bearcats responded with a basket on their next possession before a Lacy Stokes driving layup with 50 seconds left sent the Lions ahead 28-27 at half.
 
McConkey got the Bearcats ahead to begin the third quarter before a 5-0 Lacy Stokes run made it 33-29 Lions with 7:41 left. Northwest tied it up before a 6-0 run by the Lions made it 39-33 with 4:51 remaining in the quarter. Both teams clamped down with the next points being scored with 1:46 left in the quarter by Northwest before cutting the lead down to one (41-40) following a McConkey layup beating the quarter buzzer. 
 
To begin the fourth quarter, Lacy Stokes made a pair of free throws to begin a 6-2 run by the Lions making it 47-42 with 6:26 left in regulation following a step back jumper by Stokes. The Bearcats got to within two (49-47) following a Jillian Fleming three assisted by McConkey with 4:47 left but could never get close to tying or retaking the lead. Lacy Stokes went on a 7-2 run to close the game for the Lions making four free throws with under a minute left to seal the 56-49 win.
 
With the win tonight the Lions now have an 11-game winning streak in the MIAA breaking the school record for consecutive wins in any conference as the Lions had won 10-straight in the CSIC during the 1983-84 season. The 11 game winning streak overall is also the longest such streak since the school record 16 game winning streak that the 1992-93 team went on and ties the streak the 1985-86 season was able to go on. The 15 MIAA wins ties a school record set during the 2010-11 season and the 18 wins overall is tied for the ninth most in school history. 
 
As a team the Lions had more free throws made than the Bearcats (14-9), steals (7-1), blocks (6-3), points off turnovers (15-0), points in the paint (26-22), second chance points (11-9) and forced Northwest into 14 turnovers while the Lions committed a season-low five turnovers.
 
Up next for the Lions is a Pittsburg State week as the two teams will first play at Joplin on Wednesday in a rescheduled game from earlier before traveling to Pittsburg, Kan. to play the Gorillas on Saturday. Tip-off from Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is set for 5:30pm on Wednesday and from the John Lance Arena at 1:30pm as the Gorillas will be having Senior Day on Saturday.