GAME PREVIEW
MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL
#7 Missouri Western (27-2) vs. #20 Emporia State (24-5)
Saturday, March 5 – 2:15 p.m.
Municipal Auditorium – Kansas City, Mo.  
 
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
MWSU Game Notes | ESU Game Notes | Tournament Web Page
 
ST. JOSEPH – The No. 7 Missouri Western women's basketball team looks to add another memorable moment to an already unforgettable season when the team faces No. 20 Emporia State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament.
 
The top-seeded Griffons already have one win over Emporia State this season when the teams met as top-10 opponents on Jan. 16 at Emporia State. The Lady Hornets ended Missouri Western's season last year in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament. The programs have met nine times in the MIAA Championships, with Emporia State holding a 6-3 advantage in those games. Missouri Western's last win over Emporia State in the MIAA Tournament came in the 2003 semifinals.
 
Missouri Western set a program record for regular season wins this season with 26 and broke and MIAA record when the team won its 19^th conference game. That record now stands at 20. The Griffons survived a quarterfinal with seventh-seeded Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday. Nebraska-Kearney held Missouri Western to its second lowest scoring total of the season in a 64-53 win for Missouri Western. The Griffons won despite limited minutes from MIAA Player of the Year LaQuinta Jefferson. The senior guard scored just six points, but still leads the MIAA with a 21.3 point per game average. Picking up the slack Tuesday were Mhykeah Baez, Miliakere Koymainavure, Dwanisha Tate and Sarafina Handy. Handy averages 14.2 points per game and leads the team with a 48.9 three-point percentage. Koyamainavure scored 15 against UNK and is averaging 12.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Baez picked up her third double-double of the year against UNK and now averages eight points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
 
Fourth-seeded Emporia State advanced to the semifinals by way of a 65-54 win over Central Oklahoma in the MIAA quarterfinals. Emporia State leads the MIAA in rebounds, scoring defense and made three-point field goals. Kelly Moten was selected first team All-MIAA and averages 16 points per game. Sandra Ngoie averages 12.7, Kelsey Barnwell 10.2 and Kathryn Flott 10.
 
Emporia State holds a 54-31 advantage in the all-time series. It's the 13^th time the programs have met as top-25 opponents. The winner advances to play in Sunday's MIAA Championship game to be played at 1 p.m., against the winner of Pittsburg State-Fort Hays State.