ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Western women's basketball will open it season this weekend at the SMSU Classic in Marshall, Minnesota. The Griffons will take on Southwest Minnesota State on Friday at 6 p.m. and Upper Iowa on Saturday afternoon starting at 3 p.m.
 
Previewing Missouri Western State University

• Missouri Western finished the 2014-15 season with a 15-12 overall record and 9-10 record in the MIAA
• The Griffon season ended last year in the second round of the MIAA tournament against Emporia St.
• MWSU finished 7^th in the MIAA with their 9-10 record
• The Griffons were tabbed to finish fifth in the MIAA in the 2015-16 season
• MWSU returns five letter winner and four starters from last year's squad
• The Griffons return the MIAA leading scorer LaQuinta Jefferson, she averaged 20.2 points per game while shooting 48% from the field
• Senior Sarafina Handy averaged 2.7 made three point field goals last season, making 72 total three-pointers last year
• Missouri Western averaged 72.4 points per game last season
• Point guard Chelsea Dewey started all 27 games last season
• Dewey lead the Griffons with 34.3 minutes played, 105 assist, and 37 steals
• Mhykeah Baez and Miliakere Koyamainavure averaged 4.4 and 5.5 rebounds per game last year, respectively
• The Griffons added six new players to this year's roster

 
Previewing Southwest Minnesota State University

• SMSU finished the 2014-15 season with an overall record of 3-24and a 3-19 mark in the NSIC
• Southwest Minnesota finished tied for 15^th in the NSIC last season
• SMSU was picked to finish 16^th in the conference standings for the 2015-16 season
• The Mustangs will have to replace top rebounder and two of their top five scorers from last year
• Southwest Minnesota has three seniors including Hope Bonlander, Annessa Rosch, and Brianna VonWahlde
• Bonlander started 25 games last season and averaged 7.7 points per game and 3.6 rebounds per game
• Rosch started every game last year, leading the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game
• VonWahlde appeared in 11 games last season for the Mustangs
• The roster also has four juniors, three sophomores, and three true freshman

 
Previewing Upper Iowa University

• The Peacocks finished the 2014-15 season 7-20 overall and 5-17 in conference
• Upper Iowa finished 14^th in the Northern Sun standings last season
• UIU was tabbed to finish 14^th in the NSIC during the 2015-16 season
• Upper Iowa will return Whitney Kieffer who missed the 2014-15 season due to injury
• Kieffer averaged 16.2 points per game and was a All-NSIC Second Team selection following the 2013-14 season
• Carly Pagel also returns for the Peacocks as she earned All-NSIC recognition
• Senior Aleesha Cleaver played in 26 games for the Peacocks, she averaged 7.2 points per game
• Sarah Benson and Ashley Rosenstiel both played in 20 games or more last season
• The current roster has two seniors, one junior, four sophomore and six freshman