Setting the Scene:
The Griffons have lost their last two games by a total of six points which includes a 100-99 overtime loss in Bolivar, Mo. on Tuesday evening. The Griffons won their first three games of the 2012 year by defeating Northwest Missouri 62-51 followed by a 74-66 win over Lincoln and a 65-64 come from behind victory over Truman, all of which were played in the fieldhouse. The Griffons are led by the MIAA's top scorer in
Jessica Koch, who is averaging 22.6 points per game. Koch scored a career high 38 against Southwest baptist and had 29 against Central Missouri. She has scored in double figures in 25 consecutive games. The Gorillas have lost just two games this season which includes their last game against the 8th ranked Northeastern State River Hawks on Wednesday night in Talequah by a score of 61-48. Their only other loss on the season came against Washburn University by a score of 65-51. They have lost two of their last three with the lone win coming in overtime against Fort Hays State. They are 6-1 on the road and 5-0 on the road in MIAA play.
Koch Climbing the Record Books:
Jessica Koch is climbing the record books as she currently sits in second in MWSU history in scoring 1,520 points which is 230 points from tying the record set by Lisa Hughes with 1,750. Koch is T6th all-time in three pointers made with 130. She is also 3rd all-time in free throws attempted with 441 and 2nd all-time in free throws made with 334. Koch has scored in double figures in 25 straight games dating back to last season while scoring 20 or more points in 12 of those games. She has scored in double figures in 42 of her last 43 games. She has also recorded three double-doubles this season which includes the against Northwest when she had 12 points and 12 rebounds. She has recorded 14 double-doubles in her career.
The Coaches vs. Each Program:
Griffon head coach Lynn Plett is 3-5 overall against the Gorillas since coming to Missouri Western. He is 0-4 on the road and 3-1 in the fieldhouse. Last season Plett was out due to appendices and coach Cory O'Dell took over the squad. He is 0-1 on the road against Pittsburg State. Lane Lord is currently 6-3 against the Griffons since being at PSU. Lord is 5-0 in Pittsburg and 1-3 in St. Joseph. Western has won two of the last four games with both of those contest being at home.
The Series:
Pitt State and Missouri Western have met almost regularly twice a year since the 1976-77 season. Missouri Western leads the overall series 44-20, including a 17-15 record in Pittsburg, a 24-5 mark in St. Joseph and a 2-0 record a neutral sites. The largest margin of victory in the series was a 29-point win (94-65) by the Griffons on Feb. 23, 1985 in St. Joseph. Pitt State's biggest win was a 82-57 win in Pittsburg on Nov. 30, 2011. The most points scored by a team in the series was 101 by the Gorillas in a 101-82 win on Jan. 24, 1996 in Pittsburg. The last time the Griffons defeated the Gorillas on the road was on 1/17/07 but it was negated due to NCAA violations. The last time that it counted was on December 10, 2005 when they defeated the Gorillas 65-57. The last victory at home was last season by a score of 73-55 on December 1, 2010.
The Return of Curry:
In Curry's first two games back she has scored 25 points in both contest shooting 45.9-percent (17-37) from teh floor and 33.3-percent (5-15) from long range. She has made 11-of-12 free throw attempst and snared 5.5 rebounds per game. She had dished out tow assists per game and had 1.5 steals per game.
Griffon three game home winning streak:
The Griffons have opened the new year winning their first three games. The Griffons are out scoring their opponents by 6.7 per game and shooting 39.5-percent (73-185) to their opponents 35.2-percent (64-182). The Griffons also have 13 more assists, three more blocks and four more steals than its opponents. Western has been led by
Jessica Koch and
Brittany Griswold through those three games. Koch has averaged 18 points and 9.3 rebounds while recording 10 assists and 13 steals. Griswold has dumped in 16.3 points in the three games making 38.5-percent (20-52) of her shots.
Curry Stats from 2006-2007:
Curry has scored in double digits in 12 straight games including scoring 22 in her last two games in 2006-2007. She scored in double figures in 22-of-26 games including scoring 40 in her second game as a Griffon against BYU-Hawaii. She made 16-of-20 field goal attempts and had 10 or more field goals in a game three times. She also made at least one three in 25 out of 26 games.
Curry against PSU in 2006-2007:
Against PSU Curry dumped in 16 and 20 points in the 2006-2007 season. Curry made 4-of-9 shots and 7-of-12 shots. She also made 1-of-3 three pointers in Pittsburg and 3-of-4 in St. Joseph. In Pittsburg she made 7-of-8 free throws while she made 1-of-2 in St. Joseph. She had seven assists against PSU in St. Joseph. Western won both of those games. The won in Pittsburg 8-67 on January 17, 2007 and 77-69 on February 7, 2007.
Koch against Pittsburg State in her career:
Koch has scored in double figures in six of the seven games in her career against the Gorillas. Koch has dumped in 19 twice against PSU at home and 13 once and have dumped in 11, 8 and 13 respectively in Pittsburg. She has 24 earlier this season against the Gorillas.
Points in the paint success:
Since the turn of the new year the Griffons are 3-2 in MIAA play. Western has had a lot of success going inside outscoring their opponents 168-118 in the paint. Western outscored Northwest Missouri State 24-12, Lincoln 44-30, Truman State 28-24 and Southwest Baptist 40-20. In four of their five wins this season the Griffons have outscored their opponents in the paint.
Western on the road this season:
Western is 2-6 this season on the road this season with both their victories coming against non-conference opponents. They defeated Colorado School of Mines 65-57 on November 18 and Rockhurst University 57-50 on November 22. They have fell to Pittsburg State 82-57, Fort Hays State 70-48, #21 Washburn 87-63, Division I opponent Nebraska-Omaha, 64-62, Central Missouri 72-67 and to Southwest Baptist by a score of 100-99 in overtime. Western is getting outscored by 8.0 per game and out rebounded by 6.7 per game. They are shooting just 35.2-percent from the field and 27.8-percent from long range.
Jessica Koch leads the charge averaging 26.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on the road. She has dished out 29 assists and come away with 18 steals. Curry is averaging 25 points in her two road games.
