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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western Women's Basketball team will take on the 10^th ranked Emporia State Lady Hornets, Friday in the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Championships. The Griffons will have a chance to avenge a one-point loss to Emporia State earlier this season and break a streak of season ending losses in Kansas City when the two teams face off at 6 p.m. inside Municpal Auditorium.
 
THE GRIFFONS
Seventh seeded Missouri Western is coming off their first MIAA Tournament win inside the MWSU Fieldhouse since winning the tournament championship in 2002 against Washburn. The Griffons dominated Lincoln, 80-56, in their first round game Tuesday.
Watch: Kansas City, here we come; Griffon women roll in first round of MIAA tournament
 
MWSU is led by All-MIAA first team selection, LaQuinta Jefferson. The junior guard leads the MIAA in scoring with 20.5 points per game. Jefferson is one of two Griffs shooting 50 percent or better from the field (.501). All-MIAA honorable mention pick, Sarafina Handy averages 13 points per game and leads the MIAA with 70 made three-pointers. On the glass, MWSU is led by Miliakere Koyamainavure's 5.6 rebounds per game. The Griffon offense goes through Chelsea Dewey, who leads the team with 104 assists on the season.
 
THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State earned the second seed and a first round bye in this year's tournament. A perennial MIAA power, the Lady Hornets are ranked 10^th in the nation with a 22-4 overall record and a 15-4 mark in MIAA play.
 
Kelly Moten leads three players averaging double-digits. Moten's 15 points per game are the most on the team, followed by Merissa Quick (11.4) and Addie Lackey (10.5). Quick's 6.7 rebounds are the most on the team. Emporia State averages 73 points per game, while allowing 54.8. The Lady Hornets rank second in the MIAA in scoring defense and third in scoring offense. Emporia State is third in the MIAA, shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and 36.2 percent from three-point range. On the glass, ESU ranks second in the MIAA, outrebounding opponents by more than 10.
 
THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series, 52-32, after a 57-56 win in St. Joseph on Jan. 8 this season. The two teams have faced off eight times in the MIAA Championships. The Griffons have only faced Washburn (11) more times in the postseason conference tournament. Emporia State is 5-3 in tournament games between the two and won four-straight MIAA Championship games over MWSU between 1998 and 2001.
 
THIS SEASON'S MEETING
1/8/15: No. 1 Emporia State 57, Missouri Western 56
Watch: Women fall one point short of knocking off #1
Despite the Griffons starting the second half 0-14 from the field, they managed to pull within one of the Lady Hornets with 1.2 seconds left in the game after Sarafina Handy hit a contested three-pointer. MWSU trailed by 14 with five minutes remaining, then outscored Emporia State 16-7 over the final five minutes. It was too little too late, though, as Emporia State successfully inbounded the ball and let the clock run out. 

MEANING IN THE MARGINS
In their 15 wins this season, MWSU has outscored the opposition by 20.8 points. Only five of their wins have come by single-digits and eight have come by 21 or more points. On the flip side, the average margin in the Griffons' 11 losses is 8.9 points. Six losses have come by single-digit margins and only one was by more than 15. 

HIGH PERCENTAGE SHOOTERS
Whether in tight games or blowing out opponents, the Griffons have been hot from the floor most of the season. Their 45 percent field goal percentage ranks first in the MIAA. The team's top seven players all shoot above 40 percent, with Tiara Hall (.574) and LaQuinta Jefferson (.501) both shooting 50 percent or better.  

BEAT THE STREAK
The Griffons have dropped five-straight MIAA Tournament games played in Kansas City. Their last win came in a semifinal win over Northwest Missouri State in 2007. Overall, the team is 7-9 in MIAA Tournament games played in Kansas City.