Women's Basketball | 12/4/2013 5:38:00 PM
Game #8
#3 Emporia State Lady Hornets (7-0, 0-0 MIAA)
at Northwest Missouri Bearcats (2-5, 0-1 MIAA)
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013 • 5:30 p.m. • Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Arena (2,500)
Series Record: ESU leads 34-14 Last Meeting: ESU 72, at NWMSU 58 (Feb. 2, 2013)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (5:10 p.m.) Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Television: None Internet Video: americaonesports.com ($8)
Up Next: vs. West Texas A&M • Dec. 15, 2013 • 1:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • Slaymaker Court/White Aud. (5,000)
MIAA OPENER
The #3 Lady Hornets open their 23rd season of MIAA play at Northwest Missouri. Emporia State is 19-3 all-time in MIAA openers. This is the ninth time the Lady Hornets and Bearcats have opened MIAA play against each other with Emporia State holding a 6-2 advantage in the previous eight conference openers.
LAST TIMEOUT
The #3 Lady Hornets had four players in double figures to post an 81-63 victory over Southwestern on Saturday night on Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium. The Builders were ranked #14 in the NAIA. Laura Patrick led Emporia State with 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots. She was joined in double figures by Wylie with 14 points and a game high 14 rebounds while Kionna Kellogg scored 11 points and Amber Vandiver added ten points.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 73-27 in his fourth year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets. He has 12 career wins against Top 25 teams seven wins in the last eight match-ups. This is his 13th season on the Lady Hornet coaching staff and Emporia State has advanced to the NCAA tournament in 11 of those seasons. He is 4-2 against NWMSU and was 5-2 against Michael Smith while he was at Truman.
Michael Smith is 2-5 in his first year at NWMSU and 70-72 in his sixth year overall. He was 2-9 against Emporia State while at Truman.
ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 7-0 with three wins over teams that were in the NCAA Tournament last year and received votes in this year's WBCA Preseason Poll. They lead the MIAA in rebounding and rebound margin. Laura Patrick is averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 boards per game while Merissa Quick is averaging 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. All nine active players have scored in double figures in a game this season.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 2-5 on the season with both wins against NAIA schools. Ariel Easton is the leading scorer for the Bearcats at 16.3 points per game with 15 three-pointers in seven games.
THE SERIES
This will be the 49th meeting between the two squads with ESU leading the overall series 34-14. The Lady Hornets have won 17 of the last 20 games in the series overall.
LAST TIME VS. NORTHWEST MO.
Rachel Hanf had 20 points and nine rebounds as Emporia State picked up their fifth straight win with a 72-58 victory at Northwest Missouri. She was joined in double figures by Laura Patrick with 11 points and Merissa Quick with ten. Hanf finished with a game high nine rebounds.
UP NEXT
The #3 Lady Hornets return to White Auditorium for a Sunday matinee against #22 West Texas A&M. Tip-off on December 15 against the Lady Buffs is set for 1:00 p.m. It will be the first game of a doubleheader with the Hornet men.
ROAD WARRIORS
Emporia State is 202-79 (.719) away from home, 70-24 (.745) in neutral site games and 44-11 (.800) against non-MIAA teams at neutral sites since 1997-98 with four of the losses in the Elite Eight. The Lady Hornets have gone on the road to defeat the #1 ranked team in the nation twice in regional tournaments and have eliminated the host team in five regional tournaments. The win over Gannon in the 2010 Final Four was Emporia State's fourth against a #1 team in the nation since 2005. The Lady Hornets are 104-40 (.722) on the road in MIAA league play since 1997-98.
BRING IT ON
The Lady Hornets are 58-41 against Top 25 teams since 1997-98. Emporia State is 22-9 at home against Top 25 teams since 1997. The Lady Hornets have 21 wins against Top 10 teams, including four against #1 teams in the last six seasons. Emporia State is 21-14 in neutral site games with top 25 foes since 1997.
THE BIG SHOW
Laura Patrick (Sr./Hutchinson, Kan.) is ranked fourth in the MIAA in made three-pointers, is seventh in blocked shots, ninth in three-point percentage and 12th in scoring. She scored 21 points with eight rebounds, six assists and four blocks against Southwestern. She had 20 points and a career high 14 rebounds at Newman. She averaged 12.0 points and hit eight of 19 three pointers in California. She scored 11 points at Kansas. She was a third-team All-MIAA selection and was named to the MIAA and Central Regional All-Tournament Team. She scored 14 points in the regional final against Augustana to move into fourth on the Lady Hornets single season list with 83 made three pointers. She connected on four three-pointers to rank sixth on the Emporia State single game list in the NCAA Tournament play and finished with 18 points with nine rebounds against Minnesota State. She scored a team high 20 points on six of 12 shooting against Washburn in the first round NCAA game. She scored 14 points and was four of five from behind the three-point line against Washburn in the MIAA semifinals. She scored 18 points with five boards, three assists and two blocks against Truman in the quarterfinals. She scored 20 points with eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals against Washburn in White. She scored 25 points on nine of 13 shooting from the field and was five of six from the three-point arc against Lincoln. She scored 22 points on six of eight shooting from the field and six of six from the free throw line against Missouri Southern. She had 17 points and a career high six assists against Missouri Western. She had her first double-double with 13 points and a career high ten rebounds at Southwest Baptist. She scored a team high 18 points with four rebounds and four assists against Ft. Hays State. She scored a career high 29 points with seven made threes against Abilene Christian. She earned second-team NJCAA All-American honors for Hutchinson CC. She averaged 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game and was named Jayhawk Conference West MVP. She began her collegiate career at Sterling College and was named first-team All-KCAC and was the KCAC Freshman of the Year.
QUICKEN
Merissa Quick (Jr./Cheney, Kan.) is third in the MIAA in blocked shots, seventh in free throw percentage, ninth in field goal percentage, 16th in rebounding and 21st in scoring. She scored eight points in 13 minutes against Southwestern before fouling out. She had 22 points and eight boards against Tabor. She was the leading scorer for Emporia State in California with 13.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She opened the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds against Indianapolis. She had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds at Kansas. She was an honorable mention All-MIAA selection and was named Most Outstanding Player at the MIAA Tournament. She scored 18 points with eight rebounds against Augustana in the Regional Championship game. She had 17 points on six of eight shooting and nine rebounds against Washburn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. She scored 22 points on nine of 14 shooting in the MIAA Championship game against Central Missouri. She scored 11 points and had a career best 20 rebounds against Washburn in White Auditorium, the most by a Lady Hornet since 2005. She scored a career high 31 points on 13 of 20 shooting against Pittsburg State and added eight rebounds. She scored 15 points on a career best nine of 11 effort from the free throw line against Lincoln. She scored 14 points on seven of ten shooting at Southwest Baptist. She scored 11 points, all in the second half, at West Texas A&M. She scored 19 points on nine of 12 shooting with three blocks in just 17 minutes at Central Missouri. She scored 21 points on seven of nine shooting with eight rebounds against Newman. She is sixth in career blocked shots with 127 in 71 games. She scored eight points with nine rebounds and two blocks against Kansas in 2011. She had 222 rebounds as a freshman, the most by a Lady Hornet freshmen since Emporia State joined the MIAA. She is sixth in all-time freshman scoring at ESU with 341 points and ranks fourth since Emporia State joined the MIAA.
EGG HER ON
Rheanna Egli (Sr./Ankeny, Iowa) is eighth in the MIAA in assists and 11th in assist to turnover ratio. She scored a season high 15 points against Midwestern State. She was six of nine from the field for 13 points with eight assists against Tabor. She scored 11 points against Concordia-St. Paul. She scored a game high 15 points and was four of four from behind the three point line against Central Methodist. She scored 17 points in the regional final against Augustana. She scored 13 points, all in the second half, against Minnesota State. She had 16 points against Washburn in the NCAA Tournament. She scored in double figures in six straight games and averaged 13.5 points and 3.0 assists per game in tournament games in March. She scored 10 points with seven assists against Central Missouri in the MIAA Championship Game. She scored 11 points against Washburn in the semifinals. She had 14 points, three assists and three blocks against Truman. She scored ten points with four assists against Washburn in White Auditorium. She tied her career high with nine assists with no turnovers and 11 points against Central Oklahoma. She had nine assists with two turnovers against Abilene Christian. She scored 14 points at West Texas and had a career high five steals. She had 17 points with a career record 11 of 14 effort at the free throw line at Central Missouri. She scored a career high 20 points on eight of 12 shooting from the field, including a four of five effort from the three-point arc against Kansas Wesleyan. She scored her season high ten points against Washburn in the MIAA Championship game as a sophomore. Her 245 points in 2010-11 rank 12th all-time among freshmen at Emporia State.
ACME PRODUCTS
Desiree Wylie (Sr./Killeen, Texas) is ranked eighth in the MIAA in rebounding. She scored 14 points and tied her career high 14 rebounds against Southwestern. She had 13 points and nine rebounds against Midwestern State. She reached double figures for the first time this year against Tabor with ten points. She had 11 rebounds against Indianapolis. She had 11 points and eight rebounds against Central Methodist. She had ten points with six rebounds at Pittsburg State. She shot .617 from the field during the Lady Hornets season long nine game winning streak. She scored a career high 16 points with nine rebounds against Lindenwood. She scored 11 points on four of six shooting and pulled down eight rebounds against Lincoln. She scored 12 points on five of eight shooting at Neb.-Kearney. She scored 15 points, including a pair of three-pointers, against Central Oklahoma and added nine rebounds. She scored ten points with eight rebounds in 13 minutes against Ft. Hays State. She had eight points and a career high 14 rebounds against Central Methodist. She had 12 rebounds against Abilene Christian. She had a team high seven rebounds at West Texas A&M. She scored 14 points with nine rebounds against Kansas Wesleyan. She had nine rebounds at Colorado State-Pueblo. She recorded a double-double in her first game with the Lady Hornets, getting 12 points and 11 rebounds against Newman. She was the third leading scorer and sixth leading rebounder in NJCAA Division I as a sophomore for Ranger College. She averaged 20.7 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. She was a two-time all-conference performer and named first-team All-Region V as a sophomore.
SHE'S GRRRREEEAATT!
Kionna Kellogg (Sr./Ames, Iowa) is 13th in the MIAA in field goal percentage and is ranked 19th in rebounding and 28th in scoring. She had 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists against Southwestern. She scored 11 points on five of seven shooting against Midwestern State. She had 16 points and ten rebounds against Tabor for her first double-double as a Lady Hornet. She scored 16 points with a pair of three-pointers at Newman. She had 12 points against Indianapolis. She scored six points with five rebounds at Kansas. She scored 11 points and was five of six from inside the three-point line against Central Methodist. She comes to Emporia State after three seasons at the University of Minnesota. In three years with the Gophers, she played in 96 games with 64 starts and averaged 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. She started all 32 games last season and averaged 6.5 points and 5.4 rebounds for the 18-14 Gophers.
I BELIEVE I CAN FLY
Kelly Moten (Fr.-RS/Gary, Ind.) is 12th in the MIAA in assists. She had five assists against Midwestern State. She dished a career high seven assists with seven rebounds and no turnovers against Tabor. She was held scoreless for the only time in her young career at Newman, but dished four assists. She had 12 points against Concordia-St. Paul and pulled seven rebounds against CSU-East Bay. She had seven points and five rebounds off the bench at Kansas. She scored 14 points with eight boards and two steals against Central Methodist in her first action for the Lady Hornets after redshirting last season. She was an honorable mention Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State selection for Roosevelt HS. She averaged close to 20 points per game on her way to first-team All-Region honors for the Panthers.
NOTHING GOOD COMES EASILY
Amber Vandiver (Jr./Westminster, Colo.) is eighth in the MIAA in rebounding, 13th in blocked shots and is second in offensive rebounds. She had ten points and nine rebounds against Southwestern. She is shooting .611 from the field on the year and averaging 9.2 boards over her last five games. She had nine points and 11 rebounds against Midwestern State. She had 11 boards at Newman. She had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds against Concordia-St. Paul. She had four points and five rebounds in nine minutes at Kansas. She scored 12 points with nine rebounds against Central Methodist. She transferred to Emporia State at semester from Boise State. She averaged 6.8 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore in 11 games for the Broncos before transferring. She was an All-State selection in both Idaho and Wyoming for Boise Capital HS as a senior and Laramie HS as a junior.
DO IT AGAIN
Haley Parker (Sr./Lawrence, Kan.) is ranked sixth in the MIAA in free throw percentage and 13th in assist to turnover ratio. She had six points, four rebounds and four assists against Southwestern. She scored a career high 15 points including a four of four effort from behind the three-point line against Tabor. She had 11 points, three assists, and two steals against Central Methodist. She scored four point with an assist and a steal against Washburn in the MIAA Tournament Game. She hit six of six free throws in the final 1:32 at Central Oklahoma. She had a career high five assists against Lindenwood. She scored a season high 11 points at Washburn, including a seven of seven effort from the free throw line. She hit two free throws with 1.2 seconds to ice the win at West Texas A&M. She scored nine points against Kansas Wesleyan with two assists. She went six for six from the free throw line and scored eight points against Kansas as a sophomore. She scored a then career high 14 points on six of ten shooting from the field at Missouri Southern as a freshman.
HOLLOWAY WITH THE FALL AWAY
Megan Holloway (Fr./Salina, Kan.) scored 11 points in her Lady Hornet regular season debut against Indianapolis. She was a first-team All-Class 5A selection as a senior after earning second-team honors as a junior. She was a two-time first-team All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail league pick. She averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Cougars as a senior.
SAWING WOOD
Sarah Wood (So./Superior, Neb.) is out indefinitely with an injury and is not expected back until the semester break. She scored seven points with four rebounds off the bench against Minnesota State. She had ten rebounds against Washburn in the MIAA Tournament Championship Game. She scored a season high 12 points on three of five shooting from the field and six of seven from the free throw line with eight rebounds at Central Oklahoma. She had 11 points on three of three shooting from the field and a five of six effort at the free throw line against Lincoln. She reached double figures with 11 points at Neb.-Kearney. She scored eight points on three of three shooting against Missouri Western. She scored seven points on two of two shooting from the field and a three of five effort from the free throw line with eight rebounds in ten minutes against Central Methodist. She pulled down a career high 11 rebounds at CSU-Pueblo. She had eight points and six rebounds against Tarleton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a freshman.
SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
Emporia State won their first national championship in 2010, 12 years after making their first appearance in the national title game. The Lady Hornets were ranked 5th in this year's preseason USA Today Sports/WBCA Coaches Poll, the 17th straight year the Lady Hornets have received votes in the preseason poll. It is the highest preseason ranking for the Lady Hornets since opening #3 in the 2006-07 poll. The Lady Hornets have opened the season in the top 15 nationally in 12 of the last 17 years. Emporia State has been ranked in the WBCA Top 25 at some point in each of the last 17 seasons. The Lady Hornets have 17 straight winning seasons, the longest active streak in the MIAA. They have been in the MIAA Tournament for 17 straight years, the second longest active streak in the MIAA. The Lady Hornets have won seven MIAA regular season championships in the last 16 years. They have made the NCAA Tournament 15 times in the last 17 years and their 30-14 record in the tourney is ranked fourth all-time among active Division II schools in total wins. Emporia State has made five Elite Eight trips, tied with Delta State, Northern Kentucky and North Dakota for the most since 1997.
LET'S HANG SOME MORE
Aneta Kausaite, Jurgita Kausaite, Tara Holloway-Churchill, Emily Bloss-Carpenter, Michelle Stueve-Corpening, Cassondra Boston and Alli Volkens have had their jerseys retired in White Auditorium for earning All-American honors at Emporia State, graduating and playing at least two years for the Lady Hornets.
ALL-TIME ALL-MIAA TOURNAMENT TEAM
Lady Hornets Emily Bloss, Tara Holloway and Jurgita Kausaite were named to the ten person All-Time All-MIAA Tournament Team by a panel of past and current sports information directors and media members prior to the 2007 Tournament. Bloss averaged 17 points in her twelve tournament games, including a tournament record 76 points as a senior. Holloway scored 151 points in her career. Kausaite scored 120 points in six tournament games. Emporia State's is 26-12 all-time in MIAA Tournament play and the Lady Hornets are the last team to win four straight MIAA titles.
MIAA TOURNEY EXCELLENCE
Emporia State appeared in their third straight MIAA Tournament Championship Game last season and became the first team to have two different streaks of at least three straight championship game appearances. The Lady Hornets won four straight championships from 1998-2001 and have been in the last three title games.
SPEAKING OF THE MIAA TOURNAMENT
For the first 10 years in Kansas City the MIAA Championships had been an eight-team tournament for both the men and women. Beginning last season 12 teams qualified for the tournament. The top four seeds automatically advanced to Kansas City, and seeds 5-12 played an opening round of games on campus sites on March 5. Emporia State is the only school to have both their men's and women's teams qualify for the MIAA tournament since it moved to Kansas City in 2003.
RANKINGS
Emporia State is ranked #3 in this week's WBCA Coaches Poll and were the coaches favorites to win the MIAA. The Lady Hornets ended last season ranked #18 in the USA Today Sports/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Lady Hornets have been in the Coaches Top 25 211 weeks since first appearing in the 1997-98 preseason poll. Emporia State ended the 2009-10 season ranked #1 after winning the national championship. The Lady Hornets were first ranked #1 in the Jan. 11, 2005 poll. Emporia State was last ranked #1 in the regular season in the Nov. 28, 2006 poll after opening at #3 in the 2006-07 Preseason Poll.
LADY HORNETS NCAA HISTORY
The Lady Hornets have made the NCAA Tournament for 15 times in the last 17 years and their 30-14 record in the tourney is ranked fourth all-time among active Division II schools in total wins. Emporia State won the 2010 National Championship, were national runners-up in 1998, advanced to the Final Four in 1999 and were in the Elite Eight in 2000 and 2006. Last year was their tenth Sweet 16.
NOT SUCH A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Emporia State's win over Washburn last season means the host team for the NCAA Regional the Lady Hornets compete in has won the tournament only once in the last nine years. The first eight years of the streak were in the South Central Region. In that same time, the host team has advanced to the regional final only twice with Emporia State defeating Washburn in 2006 in Lee Arena and West Texas A&M defeating Central Oklahoma in 2009 in Canyon, Texas.
HOME COOKIN'
The Lady Hornets have won 216 of the last 236 games at home. They have only lost 11 games to unranked NCAA teams in White Auditorium since 1997. The Lady Hornets are 368-89 (.805) overall since 1979 at home and hold the MIAA record for consecutive home wins with 62 set from 1997-2001. Emporia State is 9-4 against teams ranked in the top ten in White Auditorium.
HERE THEY COME
Emporia State has played in front of at least 1,000 fans in White Auditorium in every home game since January 2, 1999 - a span of 210 games. Last season, the Lady Hornets averaged 1,942 per game to rank fourth nationally. The Lady Hornets averaged 2,118 per game and ranked third in the nation in 2009-10. The Lady Hornets national championship game drew a standing room only crowd of 3,405 to the St. Joseph Civic Arena in 2010. The Lady Hornets averaged a school record 2,684 fans over 13 home dates in 2005-06 to finish third in the nation and led the nation with an average attendance of 2,348 fans for their 15 home dates in 2004-05. Emporia State has been in the top six of the nation in attendance in each of the last 16 years.
ON THE AIR
The Lady Hornets have been seen on national television four times in the last 14 years and are 3-1 in those games following their 65-53 national championship win over Ft. Lewis on ESPN2 in 2010. ESU's 97-94 overtime victory over then #1 Gannon was shown on ESPNU. The Lady Hornets 74-67 victory over Washburn in 2007 was televised nation wide on CSTV. It was the first time a basketball game was televised nationally from White Auditorium and the first time an MIAA regular season basketball game, men or women, had been telecast nationwide. The Lady Hornets national championship game against North Dakota in 1998 was seen on ESPN. The Turnpike Tussle game against Washburn in White Auditorium on Jan. 15, 2011 was available across Mid-America on the MIAA Broadcasting Network as were the Lady Hornets appearances in the last three MIAA Tournament Championship Games have all been televised by the MIAA Network.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Lady Hornets have topped the 100-point barrier 66 times and have eclipsed the 110 point mark 27 times in their history. Since 1997-98, the Lady Hornets are 232-2 (.991) when scoring at least 80 points. The first loss was to North Dakota, 87-81 in the 1999 Final Four and the second came at West Texas A&M, 86-83 in the 2009 NCAA South Central Regional Semifinals. Emporia State was 167-22 (.884) in the previous 23 seasons when scoring at least 80 points. Conversely Emporia State is 129-2 (.985) all-time when holding opponents to 50 points or less.
LOCK DOWN
Emporia State led the nation in scoring defense during the 2000-01 season, allowing just 50.6 points per game to rank 20th all-time in single season defense in NCAA Division II. The Lady Hornets have not allowed a team to score 100 points against them since a 106-75 loss to West Texas A&M on Nov. 29, 1991 a streak of 674 games.
TOUGH ENOUGH
The MIAA is 59-30 in non-league action this season and was 87-33 (.725) against outside competition last season. The MIAA has produced two of the last eight National Champions and four different schools have been to the Elite Eight since 2008. The MIAA has had a team in the Elite Eight in 20 of the last 29 seasons.
WINNING
With last year's MIAA Tournament Championship, every four year player at Emporia State since the incoming freshman class of 1994-95 has won at least a share of an MIAA regular season championship, a regional championship, or MIAA Tournament Championship. The Lady Hornets ended 2009-10 ranked #1 in the ESPN/USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll after winning the national championship. The Lady Hornets have spent 146 polls in the top ten since 1997-98. After advancing to the Elite Eight for the fourth time in eight years in 2006, Emporia State opened the 2006-07 season with a #3 preseason ranking in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. It was the highest preseason ranking ever for the Lady Hornets by the WBCA. The Lady Hornets have been ranked in the WBCA Top 25 in each of the last 17 seasons.
ABOUT LAST SEASON
Emporia State went 23-9 last year and were 13-5 in the MIAA before winning the MIAA Tournament. The Lady Hornets won seven straight games including six against nationally ranked teams before falling in the regional final 75-74 to Augustana. It was the Lady Hornets tenth trip to the Sweet 16.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The Lady Hornets national championship in 2010 came in the school's second trip to the title game. Last year was Emporia State's 15th trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last 17 years and they have reached the Sweet 16 ten times. They have won five NCAA South Central Regional Championships to advance to the Elite Eight and have been to three Final Fours. The Lady Hornets have opened NCAA Tournament play with a win in 13 of their 15 tourneys. They have won seven MIAA regular season championships, five MIAA tournament championships and five NCAA South Central Regional championships since 1997. The Lady Hornets have played in ten NCAA Regional Championship Games and ten MIAA Tournament Championship Games in the last 15 years. Emporia State is an MIAA best 16-2 in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Championship Tournament and has been to ten title games in the last 16 years.
LADY HORNET SUCCESS ON THE COURT...
The Lady Hornets have one of the best records in MIAA play in the 21st century. ESU is 200-60 (.770) in MIAA play since the 2000 season and 350-96 (.785) overall in that time. The Lady Hornets have the best record in the MIAA if you add two more years to the equation. Since the 1997-98 season, Emporia State is 231-61 (.791) in MIAA play and 413-100 (.805) overall. The Lady Hornets have been ranked in the top ten of the ESPN/USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll 146 times, the most of any current NCAA Division II school. Emporia State has been to 15 NCAA Tournaments, made the Regional Championship or "Sweet 16" ten times, has made five trips to the Elite Eight, three to the Final Four, two national title game appearances and won the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship. The Lady Hornets have won seven MIAA Championships and are the only team to win four straight undisputed (untied regular season and tournament) MIAA Championships pulling the trick from 1998-2001. They have been in three straight MIAA Tournament Championships games, been to ten of the last 16 MIAA Tournament Title Games and won five tourney titles.
...AND IN THE CLASSROOM
Lady Hornets have been honored as Academic All-Americans three times since joining the NCAA. Michelle Stueve was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second-team in 2008-09 and was a three-time Academic All-District VII performer. Emily Bloss was a three-time Academic All-American and was named the Academic All-American of the Year in 2001.
END GAME
The Lady Hornets are 222-4 (.982) when leading at the 5:00 mark since the start of the 2004-05 season and are 389-10 (.975) since 1997 with a lead at the 5:00 mark.
ABOUT THE CENTRAL REGION
The MIAA moved to the Central Region last year with the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and the Great American Conference. The Regional tournament was stacked with tradition with four former national champions in the field and five of the eight teams have played for a national title at some point. Emporia State is one of three MIAA teams to win National Championship, capturing the most recent title in 2010 and playing for the national title in 1998. Washburn won the 2005 National Championship while Central Missouri captured the 1984 National Championship and were runners-up in 1985. The NSIC's Minnesota State-Mankato won the 2009 National Championship. Arkansas Tech, currently in the GAC, played for the national championship in 1999 as a member of the Gulf South Conference. They lost to North Dakota, who had eliminated Emporia State in the Final Four.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Three of the Lady Hornets first seven opponents received votes in the WBCA Preseason Top 25 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. Two of them played in their regional championship game last year. Emporia State's opponents combined record last season was 384-270 (.587) with 24 of their 32 opponents with a winning record. The Lady Hornets nine losses on the season were all to teams that went a combined 170-58 (.746), received votes at some point in the WBCA USA Today Sports Coaches poll last year and were ranked in the top ten of their respective regions in the final three weeks.
STREAKS AND SUCH
•The Lady Hornets have hit a three pointer in 237 straight games dating back to a zero for 14 effort at Washburn on Feb. 15, 2006.
•The Lady Hornets have held their last 674 opponents to under 100 points dating back to a 106-75 loss to West Texas A&M in Hays, Kan. on Nov. 29, 1991.
•The Lady Hornets ended the longest winning streak in NCAA Division II history (51 games) with their 61-59 overtime victory over Washburn on March 13, 2006 in the South Central Regional final and the longest single season winning streak (37 games) with their 97-94 overtime victory over Gannon on March 24, 2010 in the national semifinals.
•The Lady Hornets have defeated the host team in the last three regional tournaments they have played in (at Washburn 65-58 in 2013; at Washburn 71-65 in 2012; at West Texas A&M 76-69 in 2010).
•The Lady Hornets won six straight games against nationally ranked teams prior to falling in the regional championship game last year, the longest streak since winning seven straight over the 1999-2000 through 2000-01 seasons and the longest single season streak since winning seven straight on the way to the 1998 national championship game.
TIP-INS
• The Lady Hornets have won 20 games in 11 straight seasons, 16 times in the last 17 years and 21 times in the program's 37 year history.
• The Lady Hornets have won 25 games nine times in school history.
• The Lady Hornets have won 30 games three times in school history.
• The Lady Hornets are 775-361 (.682) overall in 38 years of action.
• The Lady Hornets are the only team to appear in the NCAA top twenty season records for scoring offense (17th - 90.0 in 1998; 8th - 91.3 in 1999; 18th - 89.9 in 2000) and scoring defense (18th - 50.6 in 2001).
• The Lady Hornets have had nine of the last 15 MIAA MVPs, five of the last 11 Freshmen of the Year and won their first MIAA Defensive Player of the Year award last season.
