Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's basketball program picked up its 12^thconsecutive win of the season beating Pittsburg State 80-65 tonight inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
 
The Lions (19-5, 16-3 MIAA) were led by Madi Stokes with season-high 25 points and 13 rebounds shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 9-of-10 from free throws. Lacy Stokes had 22 points going 5-of-6 from free throws while providing seven assists and five rebounds. Hailey Grant finished with 13 points going 4-of-5 from the field and 5-of-6 from free throws to lead all bench scorers while adding six rebounds. Brooke Stauffer and Kaitlin Hunnicutt came away with three steals to lead the game and Cameron Call provided three assists tonight a new career-high.
 
With tonight's result the Lions have now won the most games in a single-season in the MIAA passing the 2010-11 team who had 15 wins. The win stretches the MIAA consecutive games won streak record by the team to 12 overall. The 12 game winning streak is now tied for second in school history. The 19 wins on the season are tied for the eighth most in a single-season and the most games won since the 2014-15 season that finished with 20 wins.
 
Pittsburg State (15-10, 10-9 MIAA) was led by Tristan Gegg with 25 points while coming away with a team-high six rebounds. Sydnee Crain had 10 points and five assists to lead the Gorillas. Karenna Gerber led the scoring for the Pitt State bench coming away with 10 points in 18 minutes.
 
Southern got on the board first to begin the game as Hunnicutt drove the lane making a driving layup with 9:29 left in the quarter, Lacy Stokes made it 4-0 with a pull up jumper before the Gorillas got on the board. Pitt State cut the deficit to one twice in the first quarter before taking a two point lead (10-8) with 3:39 left in the quarter to cap off a 10-4 run.
 
The Lions responded with a 10-3 run to close the first quarter ahead 18-13 with Grant, Amaya Johns, Layne Skiles, and both Stokes getting two points during the run. To open the second quarter Southern went on a 10-3 run capped off by a Skiles jumper assisted by Lacy Stokes with 5:55 left in the first half and was part of a 20-6 run by the Lions over the last 7:44 of game time.
 
A pair of Gegg baskets for the Gorillas cut the deficit down to seven (28-21) and a 7-2 run by Pitt State cut the Lion lead to two (30-28) with 1:55 left in the half. The Lions cooled the Gorillas by going on a 6-0 run to close the half up 36-28 with Madi Stokes having 11 points and eight rebounds at the half while Lacy Stokes had nine points, five rebounds and four assists.
 
As a team the in the first half the Lions held the advantage in points in the paint 22-4 and scored 8 points off turnovers while only committing two and allowing no points off turnovers.
 
To begin the third quarter Southern went on a 6-0 run making it 42-28 to force a Pitt State timeout. A 9-4 run by the Gorillas followed in the next 3:20 of game time to make it a nine-point game (46-37). Both teams would trade scored and go on mini runs before the third quarter ended 56-49 with the Lions ahead following a Skiles layup assisted by Lacy Stokes her seventh of the game with six seconds left in the quarter.
 
Southern jumped out to a 13-2 run capped off by a Lacy Stokes three that was assisted by Layne Skiles to keep the streak alive of consecutive games with a made three with 630 games since failing to make a three against Southern Arkansas on November 20^th, 1999. The run by the Lions made it 69-51 and put the game out of reach for the Gorillas in their comeback attempt. 
 
This was the first win in the series since the Lions won 77-63 on Senior Night during the 2018-19 season with Chelsey Henry leading all scorers with 20 points that game in her last game inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Tonight's attendance of 2,211 was also the most since the 2015-16 season where the Lions drew a crowd of 2,372 people against Pittsburg State on Senior Night with the Gorillas coming away with a 62-61 win following a pair of free throws made with a minute left.
 
Tonight the Lions had the advantage over Pitt State in shooting percentage (45.3-41.1), free throw percentage (87.5-73.3), free throws made (21-11), rebounds (41-31), tied in assists (14-14), steals (8-1), offensive rebounds (14-8), bench points (21-16), fast break points (9-0), points off turnovers (14-7), points in the paint (44-18), second chance points (14-7) and won the turnover battle forcing 10 Gorilla turnovers while only committing five.
 
Up next for the Lions is Pittsburg State on Saturday with tip off from the John Lance Arena at 1:30 pm as the Gorillas will be having Senior Day and will serve as the alumni game as well.