Site: Jason Gym (2,400) - Jefferson City, Mo.
Tickets: Adults - $5.00; Non-LU Students - $3.00; LU Students &Kids 12 and Under - Free

THE TIP OFF:  After winning its first four games of the season for the first time since the 2004-2005 the Missouri Western women's basketball team hits the road to participate in the Lincoln University Thanksgiving Classic held in Jefferson City, Mo. Jason Gym will play host to four games in two days, with Missouri Western taking on Truman State on Friday (Nov. 23) at 5:00 p.m. CST and Lincoln on Saturday (Nov. 24) at 4:00 p.m. CST. Harris-Stowe will also be playing this weekend, taking Lincoln on Friday at 7:00 p.m. CST and Truman State on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. CST.

Griffon Notes
• This marks the 37th season of Griffons women's basketball
• The Griffons are under first year head coach Rob Edmisson who became the eighth head coach in Griffons history on March 29, 2012
• Edmisson is coming off of an NAIA National Championship at Oklahoma State University.
• These are two non-conference games against MIAA opponents.
• The Griffons have opened up 4-0 for the first time since the 2004-2005. They finished that season 20-9.
• The Griffons beat a Division I team for just the second time in history when they beat UMKC last weeknd. The Griffons only victory against a Division I opponent was on November 21, 1997 when they defeated IUPU-Indianpolis, 70-49.
• The Griffons victory against #7 Metro State was their first over a top-25 team since January 26, 2011 when MWSU defeated 14th ranked Emporia State 78-71 in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons also defeated Maryville University who was receiving votes by a score of 74-68. Three of the Griffons first four victories have come on the road.
• MWSU will have to try and replace the Griffons all-time leading scorer in Jessica Koch. She left the program scoring with 1,776 points.
• The Griffons were picked to finish 11th in the MIAA coaches preseason poll and 12th in the MIAA media preseason poll.

Coaches vs. Each Program - TSU:
This marks the first meeting for MWSU Head Coach Rob Edmisson with the Truman State Bulldogs. In the last five years the Griffons wree 6-4 against the Bulldgos. MWSU is 2-3 in Kirksville and 4-1 in St. Joseph. Truman Head Coach Mike Smith is 4-5 against the Griffons. He is 3-2 in Kirksville and 1-3 in St. Joseph.

Series vs. the Bulldogs:
Missouri Western leads the overall series 47-17 and has a 26-5 advantage in games played in St. Joseph. Truman won last season victory in Kirksville by a score of 80-64 on February 18, 2012. MWSU won 65-64 on January 11, 2012 in St. Joseph. MWSU 1-1 at a nuetral site against the Bulldogs.

Coaches vs. Each Program - LU:
This marks the first meeting for head coach Rob Edmisson and the Lincoln Blue Tigers. In the last five years the Griffons were 3-2 against Lincoln. The Griffons are 2-0 in St. Joseph and 1-2 in Jefferson City. This also marks the first meeting for former Griffon women's basketball player Nicole Collier. This is her first head coaching job as she was an assistant at UCM and LU before getting the head job at LU.  She was an assistant under Katie Vaughn who was 2-3 against the Griffons.

Series vs. the Blue Tigers:
The Griffons and the Blue Tigers first met in 1980 in the NAIA women's basketball national tournament. The Blue Tigers got the best of the Griffons 65-62. The Griffons have controlled the series the rest of the way winning 24 straight the loss last year in Jefferson City. Western won the first home game in 1987, 55-46 and the first road game 59-55 on January 17, 1990. The Griffons are 13-0 in St. Joseph and 10-1 in Jefferson City. Western is 2-1 on a neutral floor and had to vacate one neutral site victory in 2006 due to NCAA violations.

Bulldog Tip-Ins:
Truman is 17-10 in non-conference games since Coach Michael Smith took over the program in 2008. Truman averaged 70.9 points and shot 41% from the field, 37% from the arc and 71% from the line last season. In 2010-11 the team averaged 62.7 points shooting 39% from the field, 33% from beyond the arc and 66% from the free throw line. The Bulldogs finished 10-4 in Pershing Arena last season. Over the past two years, Truman is 10-11 on the road in conference play. From 2000-2010, the Bulldogs were just 15 and 75 (.200) in league road tilts. Truman led at the half in 18 games last year and won 14. They have trailed the other eight games and won three of them. The Bulldogs won the battle of the boards in 15 games last season with the largest margin of 19 against Lincoln. They had a double-digit advantage in rebounds in nine games. Three Bulldogs topped 20 points 11 times last season. Becka McHenry scored 24 points in three games and had six last year. Nicole Gloor also had 24 points in the win against Lincoln and had two games over 20 points. Conway had three over 20 last season. Truman had six different lead them in scoring. McHenry had 10 games while Conway (5), Gloor (5), Daniels (5), Jenny Dorman and Allie Norton led in one game. Six Bulldogs recorded double-doubles last season. Jennifer Conway had three while Breanna Daniels had two, Allie Norton, Nicole Gloor, Megan Sharpe and Becka McHenry had one apiece.  Becka McHenry recorded the first triple-double for the Bulldogs since December 1, 1998 when she scored 14 and had 10 assists and 10 rebounds. It was first in the MIAA since Missouri Western's Tiffany Davis recorded on in 2006 against Washburn (18p, 14,r, 11a).

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:
Arriana Walker, last season's MIAA steals leader, is one of five seniors who will lead the Blue Tigers in 2012-13. Walker is off to a good start, averaging a team-best 17.3, 5.3 assists and 4.3 steals through three games. She is also one of four Blue Tigers averaging double figures in scoring, joining Freddie Sims (15.7 points per game), Jackeya Mitchell (11.0 ppg.) and Dahlia Booker (10.7 ppg.) while Alicia Johnson is just on the outside of that group with 9.7 points per contest. Johnson has been the team's top rebounder, grabbing 8.7 boards per game, the sixth-most in the MIAA this season. Roni Jefferson has come off the bench to score 6.0 ppg. 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Up Next
The Griffons final return home on November 27 with a non-conference match-up against the Quincy Univeristy Hawks. Game time is set for 7:00 pm in St. Joseph, Mo. The Griffons will then take on the Rockhurst Hawks on Saturday, December 1 at 5:30 pm against Rockhurst University in St. Joseph, Mo.