ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western Women's Basketball team heads to Topeka to take on Washburn, then to Emporia to take on Emporia State in a pair of MIAA tests in the final two games before the Christmas break.

KEEPING UP WITH THE GRIFFONS
Both games will be broadcast live on KFEQ radio on 680 AM, 95.3 FM, with Tommy Rezac, "The Voice of the Griffons" bringing the games to you. MIAA Network subscribers can watch both games live as well.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
Last time the Griffons (7-4, 2-2 MIAA) took the floor, a new face led the team in points. Cleao Murray was the high scorer for the Griffons last time out in a close contest against Fort Hays State. Murray was 7 of 11 from the field, shooting 2 of 4 from three. 

A HELPING HAND
Missouri Western leads the MIAA with 17.18 assists per game. No Griffon cracks the top 15 in the MIAA individually for assists per game, but four different players have 20 or more assists on the season, led by Connie Clarke with 31.

SCOUTING WASHBURN - DEC. 17 - 1:00 PM
The Ichabods (4-4, 1-2 MIAA) are the owners of the MIAA's second ranked scoring defense, but also are scoring the second lowest points per game in the league. Washburn is giving up 53.4 points per game, but only scoring 54.8. The Ichabods fantastic defensive record will be put to the test when the league's second highest scoring offense comes to Lee Arena in Topeka. 

Head Coach
Lora Westling is in her first season with Washburn after running the show at Western Colorado for the past six seasons. Westling took Western Colorado to back-to-back NCAA tournaments, a first in program history. Westling was a player at Washburn when the Ichabods won the 2005 national championship.

Who to Watch
Junior Aubree Dewey is Washburn's leader in points per game with 10.3 and assists per game with 3.4. Natalia Figueroa is second on the team with 9.1 points per game, while Macy Doebele leads Washburn with 6.3 rebounds per game. Figueroa also leads the Ichabods from beyond the arc, leading the team in threes made and attempted.

Record Rabbit Hole
Missouri Western is 43-57 all time against the Ichabods and are 28-16 in Topeka. The last ten games have been split fairly evenly, with the Griffs winning four and Washburn winning six. The Griffons won both games last season, holding the Ichabods to under 50 points both times. 

Last Time Out
The two teams last met in February of last season in St. Joseph, a game that saw the Griffons win big, 67-44. Clarke led the Griffons with 20 points and 17 rebounds. 14 different Griffons played in that contest. 

SCOUTING EMPORIA STATE - DEC. 19 - 1:30 PM
The Hornets (7-1, 3-0 MIAA) are off to a hot start, only falling on the road to then-No. 10 Drury. Emporia State sits in the middle of the pack in the MIAA in both scoring offense and defene, scoring 68.5 points per game and giving up 60.9.

Head Coach
Toby Wynn is in his fifth season at the helm of the ESU Women's basketball program. He is 86-38 in his time in charge, going 58-27 in MIAA play. Under his direction, the Hornets have qualified for the NCAA Tournament three times. 

Who to Watch
Tre'Zure Jobe leads the Hornets in points per game and assists, putting up 18.1 points and two assists per game. She is second in the MIAA in pointer per game and ninth in total points. Maary Lakes is averaging five rebounds per game to lead ESU. 

Record Rabbit Hole
The Griffons are 36-57 all time against Emporia State and are 2-7 since 2009 in Emporia. In the last ten games, Missouri Western is 4-6 against the Hornets.

Last Time Out
Missouri Western fell to the Hornets last time out by a score of 84-67. Jobe scored 22 points against the Griffons, one of four Hornets in double figures. Corbyn Cunningham led Missouri Western with 15 points, and Clarke grabbed 12 rebounds. 

Weekend Notables

• Clarke needs 13 rebounds to get to 400 all-time as a Griffon. She is also two points away from 600 total points as a Griffon.
• The Griffons are shooting 44.9% from the floor, good for second in the MIAA. 
• Only Missouri Southern has shot more threes than the Griffons, with Missouri Western putting up 7.4 shots from beyond the arc per game.
• Clarke is second in the MIAA in rebounds with 90, only behind Missouri Southern's Madi Stokes, who has 104 through 12 games.
• Trinity Knapp's 10 blocks puts her in ninth in the conference. 

ON THIS DAY IN GRIFFON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY: DEC 17-19

December 17, 2007 saw the Griffons take down Southern Arkansas  in Arkadelphia, Arkansas as they participated in the 2007 Lady Reddie Classic at Henderson State. Yanique Javois led Missouri Western with 22 points. Jill Johnson scored 18 points and added 12 rebounds.

December 19, 2016 saw a total team effort for the Griffons, as Missouri Western took down Haskell Indian Nation 99-40. Five different Griffs scored in double digits with Erin Anderson leading all scorers with 14.