GAME PREVIEW
#17 Missouri Western (8-0, 3-0) vs. Missouri Southern (8-1, 2-1)
Saturday, Dec. 12, 3 p.m. | MWSU Fieldhouse
 
LINKS
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MWSU Season Stats | MIAA Standings
 
ST. JOSEPH – A tough week of home MIAA games continues for the 17^th ranked Griffon Women's Basketball team when Missouri Southern visits the MWSU Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.
 
Missouri Western sits 8-0 on the season and 3-0 in MIAA play after knocking off previously unbeaten Pittsburg State on Thursday in St. Joseph. Now, the Griffons face their second MIAA top-5 team in three days. Missouri Southern is coming off a 48-43 win over Northwest Missouri State this past Wednesday. Southern's only loss of the season came last week, 81-79 to Central Oklahoma in overtime.
 
THE SERIES
Missouri Western holds a 49-32 advantage all-time. The teams split two games last season with the home team winning each game. The Griffons snapped an eight-game losing streak to Missouri Southern with a 61-56 win in St. Joseph on Jan. 24, 2015. Both teams have enjoyed a major home-court advantage in the series. Missouri Western has won all but eight games in the series played in St. Joseph. Southern is 23-17, including the last seven, in Joplin.
 
THE COACHES
Missouri Western head coach Rob Edmisson is 49-40 in his fourth season at Missouri Western. Edmisson is 438-148 in his career as a head coach. Ronda Hubbard is 47-16 in her third season at Missouri Southern.
 
MISSOURI WESTERN

• Team off to 8-0 start for first time since 2006-07* season (*all wins that season were later vacated)
• National ranking is first since 2007
• Team leads MIAA, averaging 92.1 points per game
• One of 2 undefeated teams in MIAA (#1 Fort Hays); first to 3-0 in MIAA
• Missouri Western leads MIAA in field goal pct. (52.1), FT pct. (79.2), opponent 3-pt. pct. (25.3), assists/game (18.38) and steals/game 13.25)
• Griffons entered week 2^nd in nation in field-goal pct., scoring margin and scoring offense
• LaQuinta Jefferson leads MIAA, scoring 21.7 points/game; entered week 10^th in nation
• Jefferson 12^th in MIAA, averaging 6.2 rebounds/game; Miliakere Koyamainavure and Julia Torres 14^th (5.9)
• Jefferson 2^nd in MIAA (60% field goal)
• Sarafina Handy leads MIAA in free throw pct. (96.3/26-27)
• Handy 6^th in MIAA in 3-pt pct. (36/18-50)
• Chelsea Dewey 6^th in MIAA in assists/game (3.9); Koyamainavure 9^th (3.6)
• Three players in top-10 in MIAA steals: Koyamainavure (4^th-2.4/game), Handy (8^th-2.1), Jefferson (9^th-2)

 
MISSOURI SOUTHERN

• Led by Sharese Jones' 17.6 points per game (3^rd MIAA)
• Deb Holcomb averaging 14 points per game (11^th MIAA)
• Jones also leads team in rebounds (7/game-8^th MIAA)
• Jones shooting 49.5% from the field (5^th MIAA) AND 85.5% from free throw line (7^th MIAA)
• Kenya Wilson-Brown leads MIAA with 5.3 assists per game and 2.2 assist/turnover ratio
• Team averaging 67.1 points/game (11^th MIAA) and giving up 56.2 (2^nd MIAA)
• Shooting 41.9% from field as a team (7^th MIAA), 36.1 from three (3^rd MIAA) and 72.6 at the line (10^th MIAA)
• Rank 3^rd (one spot ahead of MWSU) in rebounding margin (+7.6)