Women's Basketball | 11/13/2012 3:33:00 PM
LET'S GET THINGS STARTED
For the second straight year, #19 Emporia State will open the regular season against Newman, this time in White Auditorium. Emporia State is 32-6 all-time in season openers. The Lady Hornets have won 15 straight home openers in White Auditorium and are 30-3 in home openers since 1979.
LAST TIME OUT
The #19 Emporia State Lady Hornets used a 24-2 run to start the second half and take command in a 79-50 exhibition win over Evangel in White Auditorium. Rachel Hanf led four Lady Hornets in double figures with 14 points. Hanf was joined in double figures by Laura Patrick and Merissa Quick with 13 points and Rheanna Egli with 12 points. Desiree Wylie led Emporia State with eight rebounds and scored nine points with three steals. Haley Parker had a game high five of Emporia State’s 18 assists as all nine players that suited up scored.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 43-18 in his third year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets and has guided them to the MIAA Tournament Championship Game in each of his first two seasons. He is 6-3 in the month of March. He has six wins against Top 25 teams. This is his 12th season on the Lady Hornet coaching staff and ESU has advanced to the NCAA tournament in ten of those seasons. He is 0-1 against Newman.
Darin Spence is 1-0 in his first season at Newman. He is 139-143 in his tenth year as a head coach at four year schools and was 294-73 in 11 years as a women's coach in the Jayhawk Conference. He is 0-1 against ESU.
LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR
The Lady Hornets went 23-9 last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 for the ninth time in school history.
SCOUTING THE JETS
Newman is 1-0 on the season after a 64-59 win over Rockhurst. Kianna Flannagan led the Jets with 20 points and five assists against the Hawks.
THE SERIES
The Lady Hornets lead the all-time series 12-1 over Newman and have never lost to the Jets in White Auditorium.
LAST TIME VS. NEWMAN
Emporia State jumped out to an 11-0 lead on five of six shooting but shot just .339 from the field for the game as they fell to Newman 65-58 in Wichita. The Lady Hornets led 11-0 with 16:49 left in the first half before the Jets broke the string with a free throw at the 16:22 mark. The free throw would spark a 15-3 run to take the lead at 15-14 lead with 6:20 left in the half. NU hit 12 of 15 free throws in the final 1:50 to seal the victory. ESU was led by Robben with 21 points and four assists, but she was the only Lady Hornet in double figures. Sarah Wood had a team high seven rebounds off the bench.
UP NEXT
The Lady Hornets hit the road for a pair of games at the Al Kaly Classic in Pueblo, Colo. Emporia State will play Western State on Friday and host CSU-Pueblo on Saturday.
