Springfield, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Women's basketball team (7-4, 4-2 MIAA) is set to compete in their final game of 2023 in a non-conference matchup against the #18 Lady Panthers of Drury (8-2, 3-2 GLVC) in Springfield, Missouri on Sunday, December 31, at 1:30 PM. The Lions are currently hold a four-game win streak with recent road victories over Lincoln, 76-57, and an upset over #3 Central Missouri, 78-66.

Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern vs Drury
Date: December 31
Tip-Off: 1:30 PM
Location: Springfield, Mo.
Site: O'Reilly Family Event Center
Series Record: Lions lead 7-1 | Last Meeting: 11/8/2013, MSSU lost 75-54

Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel | 8th season at MSSU | 116-100 record
DU: Kaci Bailey | 1st season at DU | 8-2 record

Media Coverage
Live Audio/Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook:  Facebook.com/mssuwbb
Lions on Twitter: @mssuwbb; @mososports
Lions on Instagram: @mssuwbb

Scouting the Lions
The Lions will compete in their final game of the 2023 year in a non-conference matchup against the #20 Lady Panthers of Drury. The Lions currently hold a four-game win streak with wins over #3 Central Missouri, 78-66, and Lincoln, 76-57, on the road, and Newman, 97-56, and Central Oklahoma, 86-65, in the Lions first home games of the season.

Maggie Sockey led the Lions with 15 points (6-11 FG, 2-3 3P), five rebounds and three assists in the 19-point victory over Lincoln. Kaitlin Hunnicutt finished with 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-6 3P) and three rebounds. 

Kaitlin Hunnicutt leads the Lions in points per game with 12.5 ppg. Four other Lions average double-digit points per game as well, Kryslyn Jones (12.3), Brandi Hudson (11.2), Ryan Franklin (10.5) and Maggie Sockey (10.2). Ryan Franklin leads the rebounding category with 6.7 rpg.

Scouting the Lady Panthers
The Lady Panthers of Drury University had a perfect 6-0 start to their season, one of which was against fellow MIAA competition Lincoln University in a 86-49 blowout victory. Since the 6-0 start to the season, the Lady Panthers have gone 2-2 with wins over Indianapolis, 78-70, and William Jewell, 72-55, and losses to Lewis, 72-69, and most recently Southwest Baptist, 66-65. This will be the final non-conference matchup for the Lady Panthers.

Leading the scoring for Drury is Beth Matas Martin, a 5-6 graduate guard. Through ten games, Martin is averaging 15.6 points per game on 45.5% shooting from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arch. 

Two other Lady Panthers average double-digit scoring, Reese Schaaf (14.4) and Caitlynn Daniels (10.4). The leading rebounder for Drury is Caitlynn Daniels, who averages 7.7 rebounds per game.

The Missouri Southern women's basketball season is presented by People's Bank of Seneca, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.