Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern women's basketball team will begin a busy three game week tomorrow traveling to Jefferson City to take on the Blue Tigers of Lincoln. Tip-off from Jason Gym is set for 5:30pm.
Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (15-5, 12-3 MIAA) vs. Lincoln (5-16, 1-14 MIAA)
Dates: Feb. 7, 2021
Tip-Off: 5:30 PM
Location: Jefferson City, Mo.
Site: Jason Gym
Series Record: Lions lead 39-5, 17-4 in Jefferson City, Lions are on a 16 game winning streak in the series the longest in series history
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 71-87 (6th Season Overall / at MSSU)
LU: Andrea Mize, 7-35 (2nd Season Overall / at LU)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - SOMO Sports Joplin - 101.3, AM 1560 & KXMS 88.7 FM
Audio/Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @MssuWbb
Streaks A Plenty
Coming into the game on an eight game winning streak in conference play the Lions are one win away from tying the school record in MIAA play for consecutive conference wins. The eight game winning streak overall is tied for the sixth longest streak in school history and is tied for the longest in
Ronnie Ressel's tenure.
Wins Keep On Stacking Up
The Lions 12 MIAA wins so far are tied for the fourth most in school history and the most since the 2014-15 season where they posted a 14-5 record to finish fourth in the MIAA. This season's 15 wins is tied for 12th in school history for a season and the most since the 2015-16 season, finishing 18-12 that season.
Blue Tigers On The Prowl
Lincoln was picked to finish last in the MIAA preseason polls after going 2-19 last year and finishing at the bottom of the MIAA. This season the Blue Tigers are 5-16 and 1-14 in MIAA play. Niyah Johnson is back after being an All-MIAA honorable mention selection a season ago and this season is averaging 8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds a game while dishing out 48 assists and having 16 steals. Le'Yanna McGinnis leads the team in scoring averaging 9.3 points a game and pulls down 4.4 rebounds a game. Kelsey Mitchell is the best three point shooter going 31-of-97 (.320) this season and averages 7.6 points a game. AJ Bradley is the best on the team at getting steals having 24 thefts this season. Eight players on the roster average at least five points a game and six Blue Tigers have at least 15 steals on the season so far.
Catching People's Attention
Following their first appearance in the D2SIDA Regional Poll in the 2021-22 season after a 3-0 week that saw Lacy Stokes named MIAA WBB Athlete of the Week, the Lions went on the road and took down #2 Fort Hays State and #14 Nebraska-Kearney. The Lions were receiving votes in the WBCA poll last week and beat ranked opponents back-to-back for the first time since taking out #4 Emporia State and #9 Washburn at home during the 2003-04 season. Riding a seven game winning streak the Lions are looking to be ranked in the top-25 for the first time since Dec. 16, 2014 where the Lions were ranked #22.
2021-22 Preseason MIAA Polls
The Lions were picked to finish 9th in the MIAA Coaches Poll and 10th in the Media Poll after going 9-14 overall and 9-13 in MIAA play during the 2020-21 campaign. The defending MIAA regular season champions Fort Hays State was picked to win the conference in both the media and coaches poll this season. Central Missouri who made it to the Final Four this past season was picked second in the coaches and tied with Fort Hays for first in the media poll. Picked third and fourth in both polls were Nebraska-Kearney and Emporia State. Each of the top-four teams made it to the Central Regional Tournament this past season. Rounding out the top eight teams were Central Oklahoma, Washburn, Pittsburg State and Missouri Western in both polls.
That's A Lot Of Games
The Lions' are on a streak of 626 games of having made at least one made three. The last game where they were shutout was Nov. 20, 1999 in Tahlequah, Okla playing Southern Arkansas losing 68-53.
All-MIAA
Madi Stokes was an All-MIAA honorable and All-Defensive Team selection last season after being the only player to average a double-double and ended the regular season leading the conference in blocks.
To The Extreme Stokes
This season the Lions will have two student-athletes with the last name Stokes (no relation) and they are the shortest and tallest player on the roster in Madi Stokes (6' 3") and Lacy Stokes (5'4").
Running It Back Again
Mount Vernon high school product Lacy Stokes has a familiar face to play with again as Cameron Call transferred to MSSU from Division I Illinois State. The pair were part of three consecutive district championships at Mount Vernon high school, before Lacy led the Mountaineers to a Class 4 Runners-up finish this past season. Call holds the three-point record with 210 made in her high school career and in her junior season connected on 91 threes a school record. Stokes as a senior averaged 25.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 6.1 steals per game, had over 100 wins in her high school career and have over 2,000 points at point guard.
Madi Is So Stoked To Block You
Sophomore center Madi Stokes had a freshman campaign to remember as a defensive force down low. The Cassville, Missouri native had 33 blocks during the 2019-20 season finishing fifth in the MIAA overall and eighth in Division II for freshman. Last season she had 50 blocks the second most in a single-season at MSSU. She ranked 10th in Division II for blocks (1st among Sophomores) and finished second in the MIAA after the postseason concluded while leading the MIAA in blocks for a majority of the season. Tied the school record of seven at Rogers State (Jan 28, 2021). Has now passed Jenson Maydew (14-18) and Caryn Schumaker (87-91) to be second in career blocks just three blocks away from passing Zoe Campbell (17-21) for the school record.
Swatting At A Historic Rate
Madi Stokes has quickly rose up the career blocking list at MSSU having the best blocks per game total at 1.72 per game ahead of Joyce Falls (1986-88) who had a 1.69 blocks per game average.
Madi Has It
Last season Madi Stokes led the MIAA in blocks per game (2.17) and rebounds per game (10.5), second in blocks (50), defensive rebounds per game (8.2) and total rebounds (242). Fifth in double-doubles (7) and was eighth in offensive rebounds per game (2.3) last season. Ranked 10th in Division II for blocks, 15th in defensive rebounds per game, 19th in blocks per game, 21st in rebounds per game and 34th in double-doubles.
20-20 Clubbing
Madi Stokes against Emporia State (Jan. 16, 2021) finishing with 21 points and 22 rebounds (10 offensive) becoming the third member of the 20-20 club at Southern. The most recent since Marie Scott had a 24 point 22 rebound game (Nov. 24, 1995) in a 81-71 win over Missouri Valley. The last time anyone in the MIAA had a 20-20 game was Vivian Essuon who had 20 points and 23 rebounds against Missouri Western Jan. 7, 2012. Stokes was the second player to achieve the feat in Division II as Lilly Ritz did it the same day putting up 22 points and 25 rebounds (10 offensive). For the 2020-21 season only Stokes, Ritz (Wheeling) and Zyaire Ewing (Delta St.) Achieved a 20 points - 20 rebound game.
Crossing The Century Mark
The Lions secured a 103-58 home victory over Lincoln on December 18th in the last game of 2021 for the program. Reaching the 100 point total for the second time during Ronnie Ressel's tenure with the other coming on December 30, 2017 at home against Graceland in a 100-44 win. This was the most points scored by the Lions inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center since a 104-28 win over Ozark Christian on December 6, 2005.
A 30-20 What A Feat
Madi Stokes became the first player to achieve a 30 point - 20 rebound game in Southern's history at Rogers State (Jan. 28, 2021). Putting up a career-high 31 points shooting 13-of-19 from the field and pulling down 21 rebounds and blocking a single-game tying seven blocks in the overtime win. It is the first 30-20 game of the 2020-21 season in Division II, Ritz (Wheeling) and Danielle Norquest (West Florida) also accomplished the feat later on in the season.
Freshman Scoring Record Had L&P Stoked
Lacy Stokes set a new school record for freshman scoring with 33 last time out against Central Oklahoma (Dec. 2nd) that powered the Lions to a 81-74 win. Lacy is the first freshman since the 1984-85 season to have 30+ points and one of only four freshman or sophomores to score 30+ points in a game for the Lions since the 84-85 season.
Lacy Floods The Box Score To Open Season
Freshman 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).
Freshman 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)
Athlete Of The Week (Week Nine)
Freshman guard Lacy Stokes won the MIAA Athlete of the Week for Week Nine after leading the Lions to a 3-0 week and averaged 20.3 points, 6.6 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 steals a game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 77.3 percent from free throws, picking up wins over Northeastern State, Washburn and Emporia State.
Athlete Of The Week (Week Eleven)
Lacy Stokes won the MIAA Athlete of the Week for Week Eleven after leading the Lions to a 2-0 week at home averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals a game that included adding her name into history along some rare company. Against the Hillcats she finished with a double-double of 13 points and 10 assists and had six rebounds. It was the first time since the 2014-15 season a Lion had 10 or more assists in a game and the first points-assists double-double by a freshman since Diane Hoch in the 1988-89 season.
Bench Sparks Turned Starters
Redshirt freshman guard Kaitlin Hunnicutt and junior guard/forward Amaya Johns brought it off the bench this past season and are now in the starting lineup regularly. Hunnicutt was fourth on the team in scoring averaging 6.7 points a game, and connected on 26 threes. Her season-high of 15 was on the road against Pittsburg State (Jan. 9, 2021). Johns led all bench scoring with 7.7 per game in 14 minutes a game. Her season-high of 21 points happened at home against Rogers State (Dec. 5, 2020) shooting 7-of-9 from the field, 1-of-2 from the three point line and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. This season Hunnicutt is averaging 7.6 points and 2.9 rebounds a game while connecting on a team-high 31 threes so far and is shooting 37.3 percent from three. This season Johns is averaging 11.1 points and pulling down 4.8 rebounds a game.
Den Of Thieves
This season Lacy Stokes, Kaitlin Hunnicutt, Layne Skiles and Brooke Stauffer have established themselves as top talents in stealing the ball from the opposition. Stokes leads the MIAA with 3.40 steals a game and 68 total steals while Stauffer (21), Skiles (20) and Hunnicutt has (18) steals to rank in the top-30 in the MIAA. 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 and Stokes repeated the feat against McKendree (Dec.13).
Historic Thievery
Lacy Stokes is her first season in the Green and Gold is having a season to remember already posting 6 steals against Lincoln (Dec.18) and Missouri Western (Jan. 3) while having a 5 steal game against McKendree (Dec. 13) and Washburn (Jan. 13). Stokes is the first Lion since Alexis Fitzpatrick (2013-14) to have two 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. No freshman has ever had three games of 6 or more steals in school history. Is the only freshman in school history to have six games of five or more steals in a season.
Giving And Taking Of The Ball
True freshman Lacy Stokes is adept at passing and stealing the ball highlighted by the fact that she leads the MIAA in steals (68),steals per game (3.40), assists (118) and assist per game (5.9) and is second in assist-turnover ratio (3.37).Across Division II she leads freshman in steals, steals per game, assist-to-turnover ratio, assists per game and assists.
Who Wants To Get Blocked
This season the lions feature two of the premier shot blockers in the MIAA in redshirt guard/forward Hailey Grant and sophomore center Madi Stokes. Stokes leads the team with 34 and Grant has 18 blocks on the season. The pairing pace the Lions who average 4.0 blocks per game with 80 blocks to lead the MIAA in blocks per game and blocks.
Bench Mob Scores
This season the Lions have averaged 23.6 points per game as a bench unit and are led by junior guard/forward Amaya Johns who averages 11.1 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. Sophomore guard Cameron Call is second averaging 5.9 points per game and is shooting .354 from three (23-65) and has dished out 17 assists while averaging 19.3 minutes a game. As a unit the Lions scored 41 of their 74 points in the win against Missouri S&T (Nov. 20) as freshman guard Mia Topping finished with 12 points and Cameron Call added 11 points, both career-highs. The Lions against McKendree (Dec. 13) scored 55 of their 92 points from the bench with Stokes leading all scorers with 19 points and Call adding 13 of her own. Maleigha Landers connected on three from deep for nine points, Anna Hall scored eight, Mia Topping connected on two three's and Hailey Grant came away with career-highs in rebounds (10) and assists (7).
Let It Fly
This season the Lions are returning their top three-point shooters from 2020-21 in Layne Skiles and Kaitlin Hunnicutt while having Brooke Stauffer, Kaiulani Jones, Amaya Johns and Hailey Grant as capable shooters along with Division I Transfer Cameron Call to stretch the floor this season.
Three's A Raining
In the 103-58 home win over Lincoln 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. Jacquie Rzeszut went 7-16 and Katie Deen was 4-11 in that game against Truman.
Skiles Creates A Historic 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 675 points, 111 three's, 120 free throws and 111 assists in her career becoming the first Lion to have 500+ points, 100+ three's, free throws and assists 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. Looking to become the 26th Lion to have 700+ points and 300+ rebounds in a career, currently with 675 points and 316 rebounds.
Climb The Three Point Ladder
Layne Skiles in her career is 111-297 (37.4) from three, ranking 11th in percentage with at least 1 make per game, 12th in makes and14th in attempts in MSSU history.
Madi Joins 500 Career Point, Rebounds Club Against #2 Tigers
Currently Madi Stokes has 592 career points and has pulled down 531 rebounds so far in her career, becoming the 13th Lion to have 500+ career points and rebounds and passed Caryn Schumaker (1987-91) in career blocks against #14 Nebraska-Kearney to have the most blocks to go with 500 points and rebounds in a career.
