ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Women's Basketball team host the Drury Inn Tip-Off Tournament as they start the defense of their MIAA Championship this weekend.  Missouri Western returns eight players from last year's team that qualified for the NCAA Central Region and set the conference record for most MIAA wins in a season.

Chelsea Dewey returns to run the point for MWSU, who was selected fifth in the MIAA preseason poll.  Dewey, All-MIAA a year ago, averaged 3.9 assists per game and finished the year with a 2.5 assist to turnover ratio.  Also back for the Griffons is Dwanisha Tate who averaged 6.3 points per game and shot 46% from the three point line. 

Scouting the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State
Southwest Minnesota State is the first team Missouri Western will play.  The Mustangs will be under new direction this season, as Tom Webb begins his first season as head coach.  SMSU returns eight players, with only two of those players playing in all of its 29 games last season.  One of those players is Lauren Hedlund, who averaged 12 points per game with 6.8 rebounds.

Scouting the Peacocks of Upper Iowa
Upper Iowa will be the Saturday afternoon opponent for the Griffons.  The Peacocks were picked to finish sixteenth in the preseason North Sun Intercollegiate Conference poll.  Back this season for UIU is Carly Pagel, who recorded 9.3 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game.  She was named the NSIC Freshman of the Year back in 2013.

Scouting the Tigers of Fort Hays State
Fort Hays and the Griffons will not meet up in the Drury Inn Tip-Off Tournament but will play conference games against each other later in the season.  The Tigers were selected fourth in the preseason MIAA polls after making the NCAA Central Region last year.  Jill Faxon returns for FHSU, finishing as a third team All-MIAA selection with 12 points and 6 rebounds per game last season.