Women's Basketball | 1/6/2012 12:56:00 PM
TOP 20 SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN
The #19 Lady Hornets return to White Auditorium for a top 20 showdown with #13 Pittsburg State. This will be ESU's third game against a top 20 team this season and the second in White Auditorium. The Lady Hornets are 2-0 against Top 25 teams this season. ESU has ended an MIAA team's undefeated start of ten or more games five times since 2003.
LAST TIME OUT
Kelsey Balcom was eight for eight from the field for 21 points to lead four Lady Hornets in double figures as #19 Emporia State defeated Missouri Southern 74-55 on Wednesday night in Joplin, Mo. The Lady Hornets jumped out to a 17-4 lead and never trailed in the contest. ESU shot a blistering .583 in the first half while holding MSSU to just .273 shooting from the field. Balcom was joined in double figures by Merissa Quick and Jocelyn Cummings with 11 points and Rachel Hanf with ten points. Sarah Wood had a team high seven rebounds while Heather Robben bettered her career high for assists in the third straight game, finishing with seven assists.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 30-10 in his second year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets and is 4-2 vs. Top 25 teams. This is his 11th season on the Lady Hornet coaching staff and ESU has advanced to the NCAA tournament in eight of his ten previous seasons. He is 0-2 against PSU.
Lane Lord is 73-52 in his fifth year at PSU and is 3-5 against ESU.
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 13-0, 7-0 in the MIAA and ranked #13 in the WBCA National Poll. It is the best start in school history and the longest winning streak in school history. Larissa Reichards leads four Gorillas in double figures at 14.1 points per game and adds 8.8 rebounds as well.
THE SERIES
The Lady Hornets lead the all-time series 48-21, but have lost three straight for the first time since dropping three in a row from 1995-97. ESU has won 13 of the last 15 meetings in White Auditorium.
LAST TIME VS. PITTSBURG STATE
The #25 Lady Hornets rallied from a seven point deficit with 6:07 left in the game but could not complete the comeback in a 73-71 loss to Pittsburg State. ESU trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half but used a 14-0 run that spanned halftime to take a 47-44 lead with 17:57 left. From that point there were five ties and three lead changes until Kylee Baldetti missed a free throw with :23.3 left and Jocelyn Cummings went coast to coast to give the Lady Hornets a 71-70 lead with :15 left. Courtney Tate was fouled with :09.9 remaining and hit one to tie the game at 71. After an ESU turnover, Roberts was fouled in the back court and hit two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to give the Gorillas the win. Alli Volkens tied her career high with 28 points for ESU.
UP NEXT
The #19 Lady Hornets play host to Lincoln on Jan.11 in White Auditorium. Tip-off Wednesday is set for 5:30 p.m.
