MSSU women enter Emporia State Classic

Sports

Discussion

November 19, 2009

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Thu Nov 19, 2009, 11:20 PM CST

By Jim Henry

jhenry@joplinglobe.com

Missouri Southern has spent big portions of its women’s basketball practices this week working on little things.

Little things like passing, catching, shooting layups and other fundamentals that can be the difference between victory and defeat.

“It’s the importance of being fundamentally sound and disciplined,” Lions head coach Maryann Mitts said. “There is no doubt that Sunday’s game revealed it wasn’t the big things that hurt us. The fundamental things caught up with us.

“Something as simple as finishing a layup. Most of the time when you’re shooting a layup, it’s going to be contested, and you have to go up strong, not fade away off one foot, which is difficult to finish.

“Things like blocking out ... making sure we initiate the contact on a blockout. Catching and passing ... setting and waiting on screens, which is all timing. We ran by each other instead of helping each other get open. It’s simple, fundamental things that under pressure we need to improve on.”

The Lions, looking to bounce back from Sunday’s 67-50 season-opening loss at Northeastern State (Okla.), are in Emporia, Kan., this weekend for the Emporia State Lady Hornet Tipoff Classic.

The Lions meet Evangel University (4-0) tonight at 5:30 and Eastern New Mexico at 5:30 Saturday night. The Zias are 0-1 entering tonight’s game against No. 7 Emporia State.

The Crusaders, coached by Leon Neal, topped John Brown 65-57 on Tuesday night. Evangel’s balanced scoring attack has four players averaging in double figures — 5-foot-10 sophomore Kara Blankenship at 14.8, 5-10 junior Kelsie Hargus at 13.8, 5-6 junior Ashlee Luko at 13.3 and 5-10 junior Caitlin Russell at 12.8.

“Evangel plays hard, they play physical,” Mitts said. “This is the second game in a row we’ll play a team that won’t make very many mistakes. They made 10-of-10 free throws to beat John Brown.”

Senior guard Jolea Apon hit four 3-point goals and scored 14 points to lead the Lions against NSU. Forward LaTice Jones grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and point guard Randi Henderson had eight points, seven rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes.

The Lions still aren’t at full strength. Tercya Ferreira, 5-9 junior transfer from Labette Community College, did not play in the opener and continues to be sidelined with a foot infection. Brittany Vavao-Huggins, who played her final volleyball match last Saturday, will start practicing with the basketball team on Monday, Mitts said.

This weekend provides the Lions’ newcomers an introduction to White Auditorium — one of the best venues in the MIAA.

“To play in White Auditorium and not have to play Emporia State, that will be a nice relief,” Mitts said with a laugh. “With this inexperienced of a team, it’s going to be beneficial to go on the road to an MIAA opponent’s floor and get acclimated to the atmosphere. I’m sure they will have a great crowd, and to go on the road and win at an MIAA school could prove to be beneficial come the end of the year.”

Text Only

Sports

Colgan's Cichon wins No. 500
The 500-win plateau is an achievement that does not come without some winning formula.

February 11, 2012 5 Photos
Prep Roundup: Joplin's Wood breaks school record
Joplin’s Madi Wood broke a school record, Michelle Barchak and Genny Richards posted the fastest qualifying times Friday during preliminaries of the Southwest Missouri Championships at the Natatorium.

February 11, 2012
Hester, Lions prep for Emporia State
Patrick Hester, one of Missouri Southern’s best free-throw shooters, stepped to the line Wednesday night with 13.5 seconds left in the second overtime, looking to push the Lions’ three-point lead to a two-possession game.

February 11, 2012
MSSU's Gibson sets career highs in consecutive games
In Missouri Southern’s first 20 games this season, guard Larrita Gipson scored in double figures once — 10 points on Jan. 21 at Truman State.

February 11, 2012
PSU women seek record-tying 22nd win
Among Pittsburg State’s four football national championships, three came during seasons that ended in the number 1 — 1961, 1991 and 2011.

February 11, 2012
Kickapoo girls race past Joplin
Annie Armstrong poured in 21 points to lead the Kickapoo girls to a 65-28 victory over Joplin on Thursday night in an Ozark Conference basketball game at Missouri Southern’s Young Gymnasium.

February 10, 2012 3 Photos
Hillsdale women stop OCC
Visiting Hillsdale Free Will Baptist handed Ozark Christian a 68-47 loss in women’s college basketball on Thursday night.

February 10, 2012
Quapaw completes 12-0 run through Lucky '7' Conference
Quapaw High School girls basketball coach Rod Graves expected the 2011-12 Wildcats to compile another successful season.
They haven’t been a disappointment.

February 10, 2012
Pitching holds key for softball Lions
Pitching is the main question Missouri Southern must answer as the Lions open their softball season today in Abilene, Texas.

February 10, 2012
NCAA denies UConn waiver request
The NCAA has turned down the University of Connecticut’s request for a waiver that would allow its men’s basketball team to play in the 2013 national championship tournament.

February 10, 2012
More Sports Headlines

Water company cites reconnections

Sports

Search Results

Discussion

MSSU women enter Emporia State Classic

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Site Map

Contact Us