Hays, Kan. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball team is set to face off with #16 St. Cloud State tonight in the nightcap of the first day of the Central Regional Tournament. The Lions and Huskies have never meet before but have striking similarities this season, both were co-champions of their respective conferences, lost in their conference championship games and excel on the defensive end of the court. Tip off from Gross Memorial Coliseum is set for 7:30 pm.
Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (24-6, 19-3 MIAA) vs. #16 St. Cloud State (23-4, 19-2 NSIC)
Dates: Mar. 11, 2021
Tip-Off: 7:30 PM
Location: Hays, Kan.
Site: Gross Memorial Coliseum
Series Record: First ever meeting between the shcools
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 80-88 (6th Season Overall / at MSSU)
SCSU: Lori Fish, 288-205 (18th Season Overall), 226-152 (14th Season at SCSU)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - SOMO Sports Joplin - 101.3, AM 1560
Audio/Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @MssuWbb
Defense, Defesne, Defense
St. Cloud State is built around having a solid defense to the tune of being the tenth best team in Division II in scoring defense at 55.0 points allowed per game, the stat gets ever more intense when you look at their results this season having eight games where their opponents have scored more than 60 points and are 2-6 this season when they cross that threshold .Offensively the Huskies are led by Tori Wortz with 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds a game while shooting 65-of191 from deep to lead the team. In the post Nikki Kilboten will make for an interesting battle with Madi Stokes as Kilboten averages 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks a game while shooting 49.7 percent from the floor. Brehna Evans should play the role of facilitator and scorer at times as she averages 12.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and has provided a team-high 107 assists and 64 steals. Erin Navartil and Kelsey Peschel should round out the starting five and will provide quality minutes as a forward and guard. Katrina Theis leads the bench in scoring averaging 6.1 points a game and pulls down 4.0 rebounds a night to lead the unit as well. St. Cloud State was the co-champions of the NSIC North division with Minnesota Duluth and faced off against them in the NSIC Tournament Championship game losing 62-39. This is the first ever matchup between the programs and it come with the chance to play either Minnesota State or Fort Hays State on Saturday in the Semifinals.
They Know Who We Are Now
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 for the first time this season, the Lions went on the road and took down #2 Fort Hays State and #14 Nebraska-Kearney. The Lions received votes in the WBCA poll six weeks ago now 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. The Lions who were just riding a 17 game winning streak before falling in the MIAA Tournament Championship game are looking to make their long awaited return to the WBCA Top-25 after last being ranked 22 on Dec. 26, 2014. Southern has garnered enough votes to be listed as receiving votes in the last two weeks of the WBCA Poll.
Wayne Cavadi Said Who!
Known as the DII guy Wayne Cavadi listed five under-the-radar teams that could make a run in the DII Women's Basketball Tournament, and Missouri Southern was the first school mentioned. Well Wayne now is our time to prove you correct and the Lions are coming off losing their 17 game winning streak in the MIAA Tournament to Fort Hays State and are looking to make some noise in the Central Regional Tournament first by playing #16 St. Cloud State tomorrow.
2021-22 Preseason MIAA Polls Were Wrong, Lions Rule
After being picked to finish 9/10 in the preseason polls the Lions did what most thought impossible and won their first ever MIAA regular season championship. The Lions will be the number one seed for the first time in program history for the MIAA tournament and are on a 16 game winning streak.
Wins Have Been A Plenty
Coming into the game on a 15 game winning streak in conference play the Lions are on a run that no other team in school history has even achieved in MIAA play, passing the nine game winning streak in MIAA play during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. The 17 game winning streak overall is a new school history passing the previous one set in 1992-93. This is the first time the Lions have won more than ten games in a row since setting the school record of 16 straight wins in 1992-93 that also saw the school record for wins (27) set as well.
Stacking The Wins Up
The Lions' 19 MIAA wins this season is a school record in MIAA play moving ahead of the previous record set in the 2010-11 season that saw the Lions go 15-7 and finish tied for third that season. With 24 wins this season which is tied for the third most wins in a single season at Southern and is the most wins since the1993-94 season that saw the Lions win 25 games.
That's A Lot Of Games
The Lions' are on a streak of 636 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 How About All-MSSU
This season the Lions came away with Ronnie Ressel being named the programs first ever MIAA Coach of the Year and Lacy Stokes created even more history. Lacy is not only the first Lion to be named MIAA Freshman of the year and was the first to be named to the first team All-MIAA as a freshman but is the first ever women's basketball player in MIAA history to come away with the Player and Freshman of the year in the same year. Lacy is the second Lion to have won MIAA Player of the year as Melissa Grider in 1995-96 won the award. Madi and Lacy Stokes were selected to the All-Defensive team as they helped the Lion to be the best team in the MIAA in defending the three and shots from the floor leading both at 36.7 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three. Madi was named to the All-MIAA third team alongside Amaya Johns to round out this season's All-MIAA selections.
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 over 2,000 points as a 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), Caryn Schumaker (87-91) and now Zoe Campbell (17-21) to become the Lions career leader in blocks with 131 presently. Madi set the record against #21 Missouri Western (Feb. 10) at home.
Swatting At A Historic Rate
Madi Stokes has quickly rose up the career blocking list at MSSU having the second best blocks per game total at 1.68 per game behind Joyce Falls (1986-88) who had a 1.69 blocks per game average.
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)
Where No Freshman Has Scored Before
Lacy set two freshman school records against Pittsburg State on Feb. 19th scoring 36 points for the freshman single-game record (that Stokes set previously with 33 points against Central Oklahoma on Dec. 2nd, 2021) in the win and breaking the freshman single-season scoring record that was set by Patti Killian (1977-78).
Lacy Named MIAA Athlete of the Week Yet Again
Freshman guard Lacy Stokes has had quite the impressive last six weeks picking up four of the six given MIAA Athlete of the Weeks (Weeks 9, 11, 12, 13). Lacy has established herself as one of the best freshman in not only the MIAA but Division II with her performances of late and has help guide the Lions to an 13 game winning streak and atop the MIAA standings.
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 (94),steals per game (3.13), assists (166) and assist per game (5.5) and is second in assist-turnover ratio (3.02).Across Division II she leads freshman in steals, steals per game, assist-to-turnover ratio, assists per game and assists. Across Division II ranks overall Lacy leads is second in steals, fourth in assist-turnover ratio and steals per game, eighth in assists and 11th in assists per game.
School/Conference Freshman Records Are Getting Broken
Currently Lacy Stokes has the school freshman record for points scored in a game with 36 at Pittsburg State on Feb.19, 2022. The most games with 20 or more points scored by a freshman with 15 games currently. Has the freshman record for single-season steals with 94 currently which is good for the second most in school history for a single-season. Has four games of six or more steals the only freshman to ever have more than two such games in school history and her seven steals against Lincoln on February 7, 2022 is the second best tally for a freshman in school history. 2nd in freshman assists with 166 currently and the second best assist per game average for a freshman 5.5. Has the freshman single-season scoring with 592 points scored so far this season passing Patti Killian who set the school record for a freshman scoring 453 points in the 1977-78 season. Went on a eight game streak of scoring over 20 points in a row to set a new freshman record and was the longest since Melissa Grider went for eight straight in the 1995-96 season. Is the only freshman to ever score 30 or more points and has done so three times now for the most times in a single season overall since Jasmine Lovejoy had three such games scoring over 30 points in the 2010-11 season. Has not only the freshman record for single game scoring in a MIAA Tournament game with 32 against Missouri Western but for the entire tournament scored 69 points to set a new school record and finish with the seventh most points scored in a single tournament in MIAA history and was the highest point total for a freshman as well for a tournament. The cherry on top so far with accolades starting to roll in has been being the first ever MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year in conference history.
A 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 3.3 steals a game and 94 total steals while Stauffer (38), Hunnicutt and Skiles have 29 steals each. 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 in her first season in the Green and Gold is having a season to remember already having a seven steal performance against Lincoln (Feb. 7), posting 6 steals against Lincoln (Dec.18), Missouri Western twice (Jan. 3 and Feb. 10) while having a 5 steal game against McKendree (Dec. 13), Washburn (Jan. 13), #14 Nebraska-Kearney (Jan. 22) and Central Missouri (Feb. 5). 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).
Who Wants To Get Blocked
This season the lions feature a trio of premier shot blockers in the MIAA in redshirt guard/forward Hailey Grant sophomore center Madi Stokes and junior guard/forward Layne Skiles. Stokes leads the team with 48 swats while Grant has 21 blocks and Skiles has 19 blocks on the season. The trio pace the Lions who average 3.7 blocks per game with 111 blocks to lead the MIAA in blocks per game and blocks.
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.
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.
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.
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 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds a game while connecting on 35 threes so far and is shooting 34.7 percent from three. This season Johns is averaging 10.6 points and pulling down 4.7 rebounds a game. Against Lincoln (Feb. 7, 2021) Amaya went off for a career-high 24 points going 7-11 from the field, 3-6 from three and went 7-10 from the free throw line.
Climbing The Three Point Ladder
Layne Skiles in her career is 127-343 (37.0) from three, ranking 11th in percentage with at least 1 make per game, 10th in makes and 11th for attempts in MSSU history.
A Win Would Mean What Exactly
The first win for the Lions over a #16 team in the WBCA poll in school history going 1-3 with the lone winning being over Emporia State in the 2007-08 season winning 90-71 inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. A win would also snap a two game losing streak in the NCAA Regionals as the Lions bowed out to West Texas A&M in 1996, 71-59 in the quarterfinals in Abilene,Texas and in the Regional Championship game held by hosts Missouri Western the Lions fell 75-73 in 1994.
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 761 points, 127 three's, 142 free throws and 125 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. Became the 26th Lion to have 700+ points and 300+ rebounds in a career against #21 Missouri Western Feb. 10th and presently has 761 points and 365 rebounds.
Madi Joins 500 Career Point, Rebounds Club Against #2 Tigers
Currently Madi Stokes has 686 career points and has pulled down 608 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.
What Could Be A Historic Quartet
This season Layne Skiles, Madi Stokes and Lacy Stokes have all gone over 500 career points with Amaya Johns the next one up with 472 points so far in her career. In what would be another record set by this team if Johns were to get to 500 career points this season it would be the first time in program history to have four players cross that threshold but currently with the three that have done it being non-seniors this is the first time in program history that has happened. Overall this season is the sixth to have three go over 500 career points as it happened in the 2016-17, 10-11, 07-08, 1993-94 and 92-93 seasons.
Take A Bow
Lacy Stokes is just different, the freshman guard is playing on another level right now and is 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.
Lets Look At Where They Stand Now
After taking a deep dive into the record books this past MIAA Tournament moved a trio of Lions around in the career charts for certain categories. Lacy Stokes is now first in points per game, third in steals per game and fourth in total points scored in a career. Madi Stokes is first in career blocks and fifth in rebounds in tournament games and Layne Skiles is fifth in threes made in a career during tournament play.
MSSU Regional Records
Points Scored in a Game: Sonya Harlin v. Angelo State, 1994 & Rolanda Gladen v. Washburn, 1993 had 27 Pts
Points Scored in a Regional Tournament: Sonya Harlin, 1994 with 56 Points
Career Points Scored in Regional Games: Sonya Harlin, 1994 with 56 Points
Rebounds in a Game: Marie Scott v. West Texas A&M, 1996 & Honey Scott v. Angelo State, 1994 had 15 Rebs
Rebounds in a Regional Tournament: Honey Scott, 1994 with 32 Rebounds
Career Rebounds in Regional Game Honey Scott, 1993-94 with 45 Rebounds
Threes made in a Game: Sonya Harlin v. Angelo State, 1994 had 5 Threes
Threes made in a Regional Tournament: Sonya Harlin, 1994 with 10 Threes
Career Threes made in Regional Games: Sonya Harlin, 1994 with 10 Threes
Assists in a game: Nicole Heinz & April Bailey v. West Texas A&M, 1996 had 9 Assists
Assists in a Regional Tournament: Melissa Grider and Teresa McLaury, 1994 with 13 Assists
Career Assists in Regional Games: Melissa Grider, 1994, 1996 with 16 Assists
Steals in a game: Honey Scott v. New Mexico Highlands, 1994 had 6 Steals
Steals in a Regional Tournament: Honey Scott, 1994 with 9 Steals
Career Steals in Regional Games: Honey Scott, 1993-94 with 14 Steals
Blocks in a game: Marie Scott v. West Texas A&M, 1996 had 3 Blocks
Blocks in a Regional Tournament: Marie Scott, 1996 with 3 Blocks
Career Blocks in Regional Games: Marie Scott, 1996 with 3 Blocks
NCAA Stat Rankings (As of Mar. 11)
TEAM: As a team the Lions rank 12th in Division II for fewest turnovers per game (12.3), 29th in threes attempted (674), 31st in three point percentage defense (27.0), 33rd in win-loss percentage (80.0), 34th in turnover margin (+4.10), 35th in assist-turnover ratio (1.07) and fewest turnovers committed this season (369), 40th in threes made (212), 42nd in blocks (111) and scoring margin (+10.7), 43rd in free throws made (400) and 46th in rebounds (1,166).
Lacy Stokes: Leads Division II in free throw attempts (219), second in steals (94), third in free throws made (157), fourth in assist-turnover ratio (3.02) and steals per game (3.13), fifth in field goals attempted (497), eighth in assists (166), 11th in assists per game (5.5), 15th in points per game (19.7), 16th in minutes played (1034:00) and 27th in field goals made (198).
Madi Stokes: In Division II ranks 38th in blocks per game (1.79) and blocks (48).
MIAA Stat Rankings (As of Mar. 11)
TEAM: Leads the MIAA in blocks (111), blocks per game (3.7), field goal percentage defense (36.9). Second in defensive rebounds per game (28.0), rebounds (1,166), rebounds per game (38.87), threes made and attempted (212-674), threes made per game (7.1), turnover margin (+4.10) and win-loss percentage (80.0). Third in offensive rebounds per game (10.9), scoring margin (+10.7) and three point percentage defense (27.0). Fourth in assist-turnover ratio (1.07), free throws attempted (553), scoring defense (59.4) and fewest turnovers per game (12.3). Fifth in free throws made (400), steals (244), three point percentage (31.5) and turnovers forced per game (16.40).
Lacy Stokes: Leads the MIAA in assists (166), assists per game (5.5), field goals attempted (497), free throws attemtped (219), steals (94) and steals per game (3.13), second in assist-turnover ratio (3.02) and free throws made (157), third in points per game (19.7), fourth in field goals made (198), fifth in minutes played (1034:00) and minutes played per game (34.47), sixth in threes attempted (147) and is ninth in defensive rebounds per game (5.0) and field goal percentage among qualified shooters (39.8).
Madi Stokes: Leads the MIAA in blocks per game (1.78), second in blocks (48), eighth in defensive rebounds per game (5.5) and rebounds per game (7.3) and ninth in total rebounds (196).
