Warrensburg, Mo. - The 24th ranked Missouri Southern women's basketball program picked up a 72-69 win over No. 7 Central Missouri tonight inside the Multipurpose Building.

This is the second year in a row that the Lions (21-4, 13-4 MIAA) have beaten the Jennies (18-2, 14-2 MIAA) in Warrensburg. 

The Lions were led by Layne Skiles with 19 points going 5-of-8 from three with two blocks as well. Lacy Stokes stuffed the stat sheet once again with 18 points, nine assists, six rebounds, four steals and a block. Madi Stokes came away with a 14 point, 13 rebound double-double while swatting away three shots as well. Cameron Call and Amaya Johns got points off the bench with Hailey Grant coming away with a bench high three rebounds and two assists.

The Jennies were led by Olivia Nelson with 23 points, four rebounds and three assists.

As a team the Lions held the advantage over Central Missouri in field goal percentage 44.8-42.9, rebounds 40-31, offensive rebounds 12-8, defensive rebounds 28-23, assists 17-13, steals 7-6, blocks 7-4, points in the paint 30-24 and second chance points 12-4.

In the first quarter the Lions had an early 8-4 advantage thanks to a pair of free throws by Lacy with 7:56 remaining before an 11-2 run later in the quarter made it 19-11 in favor of Southern following a Skiles three with 2:06 left. UCM would get a layup with 39 seconds left to make it a 19-13 advantage for the Lions at the end of the first quarter.

Central Missouri began the second quarter off with a 15-5 run to claim a 28-24 lead with 4:29 left in the quarter with a layup by Madi Stokes on the following possession cutting the lead down to two. The Jennies would close out the half with an 11-2 run for a 39-28 lead at the half as Lacy Stokes had 13 points and four assists during the first twenty minutes of action.

Southern would respond out of the halftime break with an 16-5 run capped off by a Kryslyn Jones jumper from Lacy Stokes at 2:58 to tie it up 44-44. The two teams traded three's on the ensuing possession before a pair of Jones free throws with 1:54 remaining in the third quarter put the Lions ahead 49-47.

Madi Stokes would get the fourth quarter off with a jumper from Hailey Grant  and score the first eight points in the quarter for the Lions with her last bucket at 7:26 making it a one point deficit 58-57. Layne Skiles would score the next eight points for the Lions with two threes and a layup with 3:11 left to make it a three point game, 68-65. 

The last three minutes of the game for Southern paved the way for the eventual win as a pair of Jones free throws at 2:20 made it a one point game, Central Missouri would not score until 35 seconds left with a free throw to make it 69-67. Kaitlin Hunnicutt knocked down the pivotal three from the top of the arch with 9.7 seconds left as she got away from her defender and Lacy Stokes found the open shot for her ninth and final assist of the game. The Jennies on the ensuing possession would turn the ball over with Jones coming away with the steal and getting into the front court before being fouled and Skiles converting the two free throws after being fouled before the inbound with 2.7 seconds left for the 71-69 comeback victory.

Up next for the Lions will be rival Pittsburg State on Feb. 11th from John Lance Arena with tip off set for 1:30pm.


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