Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern women's basketball program is set for the last regular season road week with games against Washburn and Northwest Missouri to end the regular season.
Game Information
Teams: RV Missouri Southern (22-6, 14-6 MIAA) at Washburn (11-15, 7-13 MIAA) & Northwest Missouri (13-13, 8-12 MIAA)
Dates: Feb. 23rd & 25th
Tip-Off: 5:30 pm & 1:30 pm
Location: Topkea, Kan. & Maryville, Mo.
Sites: Lee Arena & Bearcat Arena
Series Record: Ichabods lead 52-33 overall, 31-12 in Topkea. Lions lead 36-28 overall, Bearcats lead 16-14 in Maryville.
Coaches
MSSU: Ronnie Ressel, 102-95 (7th Season Overall / at MSSU)
WU: Lora Westling, 126-125 (10th Season Overall), 11-15 (1st Season at WU)
NW: Austin Meyer, 57-78 (5th Season Overall / at NW)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - SOMO Sports Radio - 101.3 FM / 1560 AM
Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @MssuWbb
WBCA Update
With the latest edition of the WBCA poll the Lions are receiving votes. The Lions were ranked in the top-five for three straight weeks to go with being in the top-10 for 12th weeks overall. In the WBCA history the Lions have featured in 29 weeks and have gone from 19th-10th-5th-4th-3rd-9th-11th-RV-RV-24th-21st-RV-RV in the rankings this season.
No. 6
With the latest installment of the NCAA Regional Rankings being announced on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd the Lions are the sixth seed in the Central Region. In the first installment of the NCAA Regional Rankings the Lions were one of ten teams mentioned under consideration and are looking to make back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 1992-94.
3's Are Timeless
666 Straight games have been played by the Lions where at least one three was made, the streak began back in the 1999-00 season after the first weekend of the season where the Lions went 0-7 from deep on Nov. 20th, 1999 in Tahlequah, Okla against Southern Arkansas losing 68-53. During the streak the Lions have made one three in 25 games, two in 53 games, three in 68 games, four in 81 games, five in 90 games, six in 95 games, seven in 66 games, eight in 66 games, nine in 52 games, 10 in 36 games, 11 in 10 games, 12 in 12 games, 13 in nine games and 14 in three games.
Shockers Very Nearly Got Shocked
In the exhibition against Wichita State the Lions held the momentum and held the advantage on the score board for last two minutes of regulation and nearly came away with a statement win before the season even began. With 1.0 seconds left Wichita State had to throw it in and get off a shot to force overtime which they did, and in the first three minutes of overtime it was tied twice before the Shockers opened up a four point lead that ultimately proved the difference and led the way for a 72-70 final score. The Lions gave the Shockers fits and it showed with some key stats going the Lions way as a team like having more assists (16-12), blocks (6-5), points off turnovers (17-9). bench points (18-9), making more threes (11-3) to go with having a better free throw percentage (83.3-65.5) and tying for second chance points (15-15).
November Recap
This season the Lions began the season off by playing three teams either receiving votes or were ranked in the WBCA poll and have beaten the preseason ranked first and third teams in the GAC, second team in the NSIC, along with the second and fourth teams in the LSC. Week 1 the Lions got wins over Lubbock Christian and Minnesota - Duluth, the first in series history against the schools. Week 2 saw a trip to Searcy, Ark. where the Lions avenged losses from last season against Henderson State and Harding in the MIAA/GAC Challenge with the Stokes' averaging 7.5 points, 17.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. Week 3 had just Angelo State on the schedule and the Lions made a statement 83-66 win with four reaching double figures in Kryslyn Jones (18), Lacy Stokes (17), Amaya Johns (16) and Layne Skiles (12). Week 4 had Missouri S&T and Central Christian College coming to Joplin and the Lions set down the Miners and Tigers in convincing fashion. Against CCC, Southern would set two new program records, tie one program record, set 27 individual career-highs and tie 14 individual career-highs. The team three pointers attempted record was set originally at Truman State (Jan. 25, 2004) and tied last season against Lincoln (Dec. 18, 2021) and is now at 35. The bench scoring effort by Mia Topping (16), Hailey Grant (13), Cameron Call (12), Amaya johns (10) and Peyton Mosley (10) is the first time ever in program history to have five off the bench reach double figure scoring. For the first time since Feb. 25, 1986 against William Jewell in the NAIA District 16 Tournament the Lions had three players achieve double digit rebounds, against the Cardinals all three were starters in Gayle Klenke (12 points, 12 rebounds), Anita Rank (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Margaret Womack (26 points, 12 rebounds) while against the Tigers Madi Stokes (12 rebounds, 6 points) was the lone starter as Hailey Grant (14 rebounds, 13 points) and Amaya Johns (10 rebounds, 10 points) came off the bench and achieved a double-doubles.
December Recap
The last month of 2022 started off with a defensive battle in Week 1 against Northwest Missouri with the Lions prevailing 52-37 to begin MIAA play and saw Layne Skiles set a new program record for career games played making her 120th appearance. Game two of December had the Griffons come to town with the Lions able to complete a comeback and roar out 75-69 winners in the first MIAA weekend as Lacy Stokes (18), Kryslyn Jones (15) and Hailey Grant (13) fueled the win and provided key moments in the Lions 30 point fourth quarter. Week 2 saw the Lions pick up road wins over Central Missouri and Newman with Lacy Stokes being named MIAA A.O.W for the week after averaging 16.5 points, 6.5 assists, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals and had a 13.00 assist-turnover ratio. Week 3 had just one game on the schedule for the Lions in #17 Central Missouri with Lacy Stokes going for 31 points, six assists, six rebounds and no turnovers in 38 minutes with a late comeback attempt falling just short and saw the teams 19 game MIAA,13 game home and 11 season opening game winning streaks get snapped with the MIAA streak being the longest in program history and the home and season opening winning streaks being the second longest in program history. Week 4 saw the Lions get back to winning ways with a 93-47 blowout against Illinois Springfield inside L&P where Lacy Stokes went for 14 points and seven steals to tie a career high mark in the category.
January Recap
Week 1 of the month started with a rivalry game against Pittsburg State in Joplin that saw Lacy Stokes go for 28 points while adding four steals and three assists. Layne Skiles added 13 points and a career-high tying three blocks with Amaya Johns adding 13 points and six rebounds off the bench. The Lions made a trip to Fort Hays where Kryslyn Jones came away with five made threes against the Tigers. Lacy Stokes had a 16 point, four assist and three steal performance against #22 Nebraska - Kearney. Week 2 saw the Lions pick up 61-45 and 86-69 wins over Washburn and Emporia State in Joplin as Kaitlin Hunnicutt went for a career-high 20 points against the Lady Hornets. Week 3 saw the Lions pick up 63-51 and 72-53 wins over Northeastern State and Rogers State. Week 4 had the Lions beating Lincoln, Newman and Central Oklahoma at home with Lacy Stokes averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 assists and 3.0 steals a game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from three and had a 5.33 assist-turnover ratio for the week.
February Recap So Far
Week 1 of the month saw the Lions pick up two road wins over Lincoln and #7 Central Missouri, the win over the Jennies was the first they suffered at home this season and the win in Jefferson City had Ronnie Ressel accomplish his 100th career win on his birthday and Lacy Stokes eclipsing 1,000 career points. Week 2 saw the Lions play against Pittsburg State with Lacy Stokes setting a sophomore class record for points in a single-season, passing Katie (Gariss) Marsh (99-00). Week 3 saw Kryslyn Jones score her 1,500th collegiate point against #10 Nebraska -Kearney and the senior class picking up the win on Senior Day against Fort Hays State.
The Missouri Southern women's basketball season is presented by People's Bank of Seneca, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.
