TOP 15 BATTLE ON SENIOR NIGHT FOR #12 LADY HORNETS

Game #26
#12 Emporia State Lady Hornets (21-4, 14-4 MIAA)
vs. #11 Pittsburg State Gorillas (24-4, 14-3 MIAA)
Series Record: ESU leads 51-26 Last Meeting: ESU 65, at PSU 61 OT (Jan. 14, 2015)
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 • 5:30 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • White Auditorium (5,000)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (5:10 p.m.) Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Television: None Internet Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/esu
Live Stats  Complete Release in pdf
Up Next: MIAA Quarterfinals  • March 6, 2015 • 6/8:30 p.m. • Kansas City, Mo. • Municipal Auditorium (9,987)

SENIOR DAY   
The #12 Lady Hornets take on #11 Pittsburg State in the final home game for seniors Merissa Quick and Amber Vandiver. The winner will lock in the #2 seed in the MIAA Tournament.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The #13 Lady Hornets started the game with a 19-0 run on the way to a 73-54 win at Washburn. Addie Lackey got things started for the Lady Hornets with a three-pointer 22 seconds into the game.  A Kelly Moten layup made it 12-0 with 16:59 left and forced a Washburn timeout.  A Moten three-pointer 1:50 later made it 19-0 and made the Ichabods burn another time out. Washburn finally got on the board with 14:51 left in the half. Back to back three pointers from Lackey and Kathryn Flott gave Emporia State the biggest lead of the half at 25 with 4:41 left before settling in for a 43-23 lead at the break. Emporia State led 64-48 with 5:18 remaining when Moten, Quick and Lackey all scored in a 7-2 run to put the back over 20. Moten had 18 points while Merissa Quick added 17 points, six rebounds and five blocks for the Lady Hornets. They were joined in double figures by Flott with 13 and Lackey with 11 points.

THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 117-35 in his fifth year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets. He has 20 career wins against Top 25 teams with 14 wins in the last 18 match-ups. This is his 14th season on the Lady Hornet coaching staff and Emporia State has advanced to the NCAA tournament in 12 of those seasons.  He is 3-7 against Pittsburg State.
Lane Lord is 151-80 in his eighth year at Pitt State and is 8-8 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 21-4, 14-4 in the MIAA and ranked #12 in the latest WBCA/USA TODAY Sports Top 25. The Lady Hornets lead the nation in blocks and field goal percentage defense. Emporia State is 2-2 against ranked teams and all four losses have come to teams that have received votes in multiple weeks of the national poll.

ABOUT THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 24-4, 14-3 in the MIAA and ranked #11 in the WBCA/USA TODAY Sports Top 25.  They are led by Lizzy Jeronimus at 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. The Gorillas have played 18 of their 28 games away from home.

THE SERIES    
The Lady Hornets lead the all-time series 51-26.  The last two meetings have gone to overtime and four of the last five games have been decided by three points or less or in overtime.  

LAST TIME VS. PITTSBURG STATE
The #3 Lady Hornets overcame a four point deficit with 1:32 left to force overtime and get a 65-61 win at #2 Pittsburg State. Merissa Quick had 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for Emporia State in the win.  Quick scored with 30.8 left to tie the score at 56. Addie Lackey scored with 3:43 left in the extra frame to give Emporia State a lead they would not give up. Quick was joined in double figures by Kelly Moten with 15 and Lackey with 14 points.

UP NEXT
The #12 Lady Hornets will play in the evening session of the MIAA Tournament on Friday, March 6 in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.

HOME COOKIN'
The Lady Hornets have won 240 of the last 263 (.913) games at home. The Lady Hornets have not lost a non-conference home game since a 58-51 defeat by Harris-Stowe on Dec, 8, 2007.  Emporia State has only lost 11 games to unranked NCAA teams in White Auditorium since 1997. The Lady Hornets are 390-91 (.811) overall since 1979 at home and hold the MIAA record for consecutive home wins with 62 set from 1997-2001. Their recent 23 game winning streak was the second longest in school history. Emporia State is 10-5 against top ten teams in White Auditorium, with a 5-4 record in top ten match ups.

ROAD WARRIORS
Emporia State is 224-85 (.725) away from home, 76-25 (.752) in neutral site games and 47-12 (.797) 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. Emporia State is 37-33 (.529) away from White Auditorium against Top 25 teams. The Lady Hornets are 118-45 (.724) on the road in MIAA league play since 1997-98.

RANKINGS
Emporia State is ranked #12 in the latest USA Today Sports/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Lady Hornets ended the 2009-10 season ranked #1 after winning the national championship. Emporia State was also ranked #1 in the regular season in the Nov. 28, 2006 poll after opening at #3 in the 2006-07 Preseason Poll. The Lady Hornets were first ranked #1 in the Jan. 11, 2005 poll. The Lady Hornets have been in the Coaches Top 25 a total of 236 weeks since first appearing in the 1997-98 preseason poll and have been in the top ten for 168 weeks. There are three MIAA teams, all from the state of Kansas, in the WBCA Top 15 and two more receiving votes. All four Kansas schools in the MIAA are receiving votes this week. In other polls, the Lady Hornets are ranked #4 in the Bennett Basketball Rankings  and #5 in the Massey Ratings.

QUICKEN
Merissa Quick (Sr./Cheney, Kan.) was a Second-Team All-MIAA pick and member of the All-Defensive Team. She was on the NCAA Division II Central Region All-Tournament team and Most Outstanding Player at the MIAA Tournament. She is ranked fourth in the nation in blocked shots per game. She was named MIAA Player of the Week after going for 17 points, six rebounds and five blocks at Washburn and 20 points with three blocks at Neb.-Kearney. She scored 17 points with nine rebounds and eight blocks against Northeastern State. She had 14 points and seven blocked shots against Washburn. She had 14 points and a season high 14 rebounds with three blocked shots against Ft. Hays State. She was named MIAA Player of the Week after scoring 17 points with seven rebounds and three blocks at Pittsburg State. She had 11 points and six rebounds at Central Missouri. She scored 19 points with seven rebounds against Lindenwood. She had 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks at Mo. Southern. She recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds with six blocked shots against Southwestern Oklahoma State. She had a near triple double with 23 points, nine rebounds and eight blocked shots against Texas Woman's in the first game of the season. She scored 12 points with nine rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals at Kansas State. She had 18 points and six rebounds against Central Missouri and became the first player to earn back to back Most Outstanding Player honors at the MIAA Tournament. She had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds at Kansas last year. She was an honorable mention All-MIAA selection in 2012-13. She scored 11 points and had a career best 20 rebounds against Washburn as a sophomore. She scored a career high 31 points on 13 of 20 shooting against Pittsburg State as a sophomore. She had 222 rebounds as a freshman, the most by a Lady Hornet freshmen since Emporia State joined the MIAA. She was sixth in freshman scoring at ESU with 341 points and ranks fourth since joining the MIAA. Her 123 games played rank first among active players in NCAA Division II and she is ranked third in blocked shots among active D-II players and 11th among all NCAA active players. She is record holder in career blocks with 295 and has two of the top three single season marks. She has 92 blocks this year to rank second in single season blocks. She is tenth on the Lady Hornet career scoring list with 1,442 points. She is sixth on the Emporia State career list with 851 rebounds and is ranked 18th among active Division II players. She is also ranked eighth in career free throws made with 384 in 550 attempts for the Lady Hornets. She is the only Lady Hornet with at least 1,400 points, 850 rebounds, 250 blocked shots and 75 steals in a career and the only active NCAA Division II player to reach those marks.

I BELIEVE I CAN FLY
Kelly Moten (So./Gary, Ind.) is ninth in the MIAA in scoring a 14.6 points per game and sixth in conference only games at 15.0 points per game. She had 18 points at Washburn and scored 16 points with four steals at Neb.-Kearney. She had 14 points and six rebounds against Central Oklahoma. She had her second career double-double with 19 points and ten rebounds against Northeastern State. She scored 15 points with seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals against Washburn. She had 19 points against Neb.-Kearney on eight of 12 shooting. She scored ten points with nine rebounds and five assists against Ft. Hays State. She had her first career double-double with 15 points, ten rebounds, five assists and three steals at Central Oklahoma. She scored 20 points on a six of eight shooting with a career best four three-pointers at Northeastern State. She had 15 points and seven rebounds at Pittsburg State. She had 17 points and eight rebounds at Missouri Western. She scored 22 points with six rebounds, five steals and three assists against Lincoln. She scored a career high 24 points at Southwest Baptist. She scored 18 points on five of seven shooting from the field against Northwest Missouri. She had 21 points against Southwestern Oklahoma State. She opened the season with 14 points and six assists against Texas Woman's. She had seven rebounds and six assists with two blocks and two steals at Kansas State. She scored then career highs in back to back games in the MIAA Tournament as she became the fourth freshman to earn All-Tournament honors. She had 17 points, five rebounds and five steals against Central Missouri in the MIAA Championship game. She scored 15 points with six rebounds and five assists against Southwest Baptist in the semifinals. She scored 262 points to rank 12th on the Lady Hornets all-time freshman scoring list and ninth since moving to the NCAA.

LEGACY
Addie Lackey (Fr./Hillsboro, Kan.) was three for three from the three-point arc and finished with 11 points at Washburn. She scored 15 points at Neb. Kearney. She had 11 points and five rebounds against Central Oklahoma. She had 12 points against Washburn. She was six of nine from the field and scored 15 points against Neb.-Kearney. She scored ten points against Ft. Hays State. She had 11 points on four of five shooting at Central Oklahoma. She scored 14 points at Pittsburg State. She had seven assists against Lindenwood. She scored 12 points with seven assists, three steals and two blocks against Lincoln. She had a career high 21 points on six of eight shooting from the field at Mo. Southern. She had 13 points and seven assists at Southern Arkansas.  She scored 15 points against Newman. She scored 11 points with three assists at Midwestern State. She had 17 points at Kansas State and hit three three-pointers. She is ranked eighth in Lady Hornet freshman scoring since joining the MIAA with 265 points and needs two assists to get into the top five for assists. Her mother Kristi Nelson had 500 assists for the Lady Hornets from 1986-90 and her father Mark Lackey was a member of the Hornets from 1984-88.  

FLOTTASTIC
Kathryn Flott (So./Olpe, Kan.) is back after sitting out the last two years with knee injuries. She scored 13 points with three three-pointers at Washburn. She had six rebounds off the bench at Neb.-Kearney. She scored 12 points on five of seven shooting against Central Oklahoma. She had seven points and six rebounds at Ft. Hay State after scoring 11 points with three three-pointers and six rebounds against the Tigers in White Auditorium. She had ten points and nine rebounds at Central Oklahoma. She had a game high ten rebounds to go with eight points at Northeastern State. She had a team high eight rebounds at Pittsburg State. She scored nine points with eight rebounds against Lindenwood. She had eight points with two of three made three-pointers and seven rebounds against Lincoln. She scored seven points with a team high ten rebounds at Mo. Southern. She scored ten points with six rebounds in her first start of the year against Northwest Missouri. She had a career high 21 points against Pittsburg State in the 2012 NCAA Central Regional Championship game. She had her first career double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds against Mo. Southern as a freshman.
 
FROM KANSAS TO KANSAS CITY TO EMPORIA
Kelsey Barnwell (Jr./Kansas, Okla.) scored nine points with four assists at Neb.-Kearney. She scored 17 points with a career high three steals at Ft. Hays State. She scored nine points with a key three-pointer late against Washburn. She had ten points and four assists against Neb.-Kearney. She scored 12 points with three rebounds in her return to the starting line-up at Northeastern State. She had a career high 25 points on six of eight shooting from the field, going four of five from the three-point arc and hitting nine of ten free throws against Lincoln.  She scored 16 points on six of nine shooting at Mo. Southern. She was four of five from behind the three-point line at Southern Arkansas. She scored 14 points against Northwest Missouri on three of five shooting. She hit three of four three-pointers for nine points at Midwestern State. She scored 12 points on five of eight shooting with a pair of three-pointers against Texas Woman's. She is in her first year with the Lady Hornets after two years at UMKC. She played in 26 games with 14 starts for the Kangaroos, averaging 5.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. She was a three-time All-State selection for Kansas (Okla.) HS by the Tulsa World and the Daily Oklahoman.

MILLER'S CROSSING
Kyrstie Miller (Fr./Holton, Kan.) is second on the team in steals, third in blocks and fourth in assists and made three-pointers while averaging just 18.0 minutes per game. She had eight rebounds, five steals and three blocks against Central Oklahoma. She had nine points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block against Northeastern State. She had a career high four steals against Ft. Hays State. She missed all six shots against Pittsburg State put did pull five rebounds. She had her first start against Central Missouri and tied her career high with 11 points and had career highs of eight rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes. She scored five points with four rebounds and three steals at Mo. Western. She reached double figures for the first time as a Lady Hornet with 11 points on four of seven shooting against Newman. She was three of five from the three-point arc and dished three assists against the Jets. She had four rebounds against Southwestern Oklahoma. She scored six points with five assists, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal against Henderson State. She was perfect from the field including a two of two effort from behind the three-point line for eight points at Midwestern State. She scored eight points with four rebounds and two assists at Kansas State. Her three-pointer with 1:06 left gave Emporia State a 50-49 lead. She was named honorable mention All-State for Holton HS as a freshman and sophomore before earning first-team All-Class 4A honors as a junior and senior. She scored 1,060 points and had 440 steals in 100 career varsity games.  
 
KRAMER!
Jacee Kramer (Fr./Winchester, Kan.) has reached double figures in three of her last seven games. She scored seven points with three rebounds at Washburn. She had ten points against Central Oklahoma. She was eight for eight from the free throw line on her way to ten points at Ft. Hays State. She scored ten points with two assists and two steals against Neb.-Kearney. She scored 11 points and went three of six from behind the three-point line at Southern Arkansas. She dished four assists against Newman. She had six points and four rebounds against Southwestern Oklahoma State. She had career highs of 17 points and six assists against Southwestern. She scored six points on a pair of three-pointers at Midwestern State. She had three rebounds and two steals at Kansas State. She averaged 26.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.3 steals per game last year for the Jefferson County North HS. She was a first-team All-Class by KansasSports.com as a senior. She earned first-team All-Class 2A honors last year and led JCNHS to the state championship game three times.  
 
A BURNER NAMED BRUNER
Ashton Bruner (Jr./McPherson, Kan.) scored five points with five rebounds against Central Oklahoma. She had six rebounds against Washburn. She scored six points with four rebounds and three steals against Neb.-Kearney. She had six points and seven rebounds at Pittsburg State. She scored eight points on four of six shooting at Central Missouri. She had five points, five rebounds and three assists against Lindenwood. She had six points, four rebounds and two assists at Mo. Southern. She scored seven points and was three of four from the field at Southern Arkansas. She had seven points and seven rebounds at Southwest Baptist. She scored a career high ten points in just eight minutes against Newman. She had six points and seven rebounds against Northwest Missouri. She had seven rebounds against Henderson State. She scored six points and pulled seven rebounds against Southwestern. She four points and six rebounds with four assists in 19 minutes against Texas Woman's. She had six rebounds and two steals at Kansas State. She averaged 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game at Barton CC as the Cougars went 20-13 last season. She earned second-team All-Class 4A honors from the KBCA and led McPherson HS to a 24-1 State Championship season her senior year.  
 
NOTHING GOOD COMES EASILY
Amber Vandiver (Sr./Westminster, Colo.) has missed the last three games and is doubtful for Senior Night with concussion like symptoms. She has led Emporia State in rebounding in seven games this year. She is averaging 7.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 18.1 minutes of action on the season. She had six points at Ft. Hays State. She returned to the line up in White Auditorium against Washburn after missing two games with concussion like symptoms and had six points and five rebounds. She scored eight points and pulled nine rebounds at Northeastern State. She had seven rebounds at Pittsburg State. She had 24 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in 20 minutes against Lindenwood. She had 12 rebounds and three blocks at Southern Arkansas. She had ten points and eight rebounds at Southwest Baptist. She pulled a career high 14 rebounds against Southwestern Oklahoma State. She had career highs of 24 points and eight blocked shots in 22 minutes against Henderson State. She had 13 points with eight rebounds and four blocks in 16 minutes against Southwestern. She scored 11 points and had five rebounds against Midwestern State. She scored a then career high 20 points with seven rebounds against Ft. Hays State in White Auditorium last season. She had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds against Concordia-St. Paul during the regular season. She transferred from Boise State where she averaged 6.8 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore in 11 games. She was an All-State selection in both Idaho and Wyoming.

HOLLOWAY WITH THE FALL AWAY
Megan Holloway (So./Salina, Kan.) scored five points at Northeastern State. She grabbed three rebounds at Missouri Western. She scored a season high 11 points on five of eight shooting against Lincoln. She had four points and two assists at Southern Arkansas. She scored a season high ten points and was perfect from the field and free throw line against Henderson State. She started and scored eight points at Neb.-Kearney last year. She 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.

ALWAYS BE THERE
Whitney Gordon (Jr./Marion, Kan.) is averaging 2.8 rebounds per game in MIAA action, grabbing a team best 18.9% of the available rebounds while she is on the floor in conference action. She pulled four rebounds and had two blocked shots against Central Oklahoma. She had three rebounds and a block in five minutes against Neb.-Kearney. She had three rebounds and a blocked shot against Ft. Hays State. She hit a three-pointer and finished with four points and two rebounds against Lindenwood. She scored a career high six points with seven rebounds against Lincoln. She had five rebounds in nine minutes at Southwest Baptist. She pulled five rebounds in 11 minutes against Newman. She had eight rebounds and two steals against Northwest Missouri. She had four rebounds and three assists against Henderson State. She had a career high nine rebounds in 14 minutes against Southwestern. She had four rebounds in eight minutes at Kansas State. She is in her first year at Emporia State after transferring from the University of Wyoming. She played in 26 games during her two years with the Cowgirls. She was a three-time Honorable Mention KBCA All-State selection at Marion HS. She was a two-time First Team All-League honoree during her career. She averaged a double-double her last two years for the Lady Warriors at 12 points and 11 rebounds as a senior and 14 points and 11 rebounds as a junior.

COSTLEY RETURN
Brooke Costley (Fr.-RS/Mexico, Mo.) injured her knee at Neb.-Kearney and is out for the rest of the year. She had three points and two assists against Central Oklahoma. She made her regular season debut in the first half against Northeastern State. She suited up for the first time this regular season against Washburn after missing the first 19 games with a knee injury. She made her Lady Hornet debut at Kansas State after she red-shirted her first year with a knee injury. She averaged 10.3 points and 3.5 assists per game and holds the Mexico HS single season records for assists and free throw percentage. She has earned All-North Central Missouri Conference honors all four years.

TOUGH ENOUGH    
The MIAA has gone 87-23 (.791) in non-conference action this year with a 68-22 (.756) record against NCAA Division II schools. The 87 wins are the most non-conference wins by any NCAA Division II league this year.  In the Central Region, the Northern Sun was 53-26 (.671) overall and 26-24 (.520) against D-II competition while the Great American Conference was 37-31 (.544) overall and 24-30 (.444) against Division II opponents.

BRING IT ON    
The Lady Hornets are 65-44 (.596) against Top 25 teams since 1997-98.  Emporia State is 25-10 (.714) at home against Top 25 teams since 1997. The Lady Hornets have 24 wins against Top 10 teams, including four against #1 teams in the last six seasons. Emporia State is 23-14 (.622) in neutral site games with top 25 foes since 1997.  

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 are ranked #12 in the latest USA Today Sports/WBCA Coaches Poll. This is the third season Emporia State has earned a #1 ranking, first in 2004-05, again in 2006-07 and then after winning the 2009-10 national championship. The Lady Hornets are 10-4 all-time when playing as the #1 team in the nation. This was the 18th straight year the Lady Hornets received votes in the preseason poll and it is the 13th time they have been ranked in the top 15 nationally in that span. The Lady Hornets have assured themselves of 19 straight winning seasons, the longest active streak in the MIAA. They have clinched a spot in their 19th straight MIAA tournaments, 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 16 times in the last 18 years and their 32-15 record in the tourney is ranked fourth 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 has won the last two MIAA Tournament Championships and are the first team to have two different streaks of at least four straight championship games.  The Lady Hornets won four straight championships from 1998-2001 and have been in the last four title games.  

NEWBIES
Kelly Moten became just the fourth freshman to earn All-Tournament honors at the MIAA Tournament.  All four freshmen were Lady Hornets and Moten is the first to earn the honors coming off the bench.

LADY HORNETS NCAA HISTORY
The Lady Hornets have made the NCAA Tournament for 16 times in the last 18 years and their 32-15 record in the tourney is ranked fourth all-time among active Division II schools in total tourney wins. Emporia State won the 2010 National Championship, were national runners-up in 1998, advanced to the Final Four in 1999 and were also in the Elite Eight in 2000 and 2006.   
 
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 253-2 (.992) 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 138-2 (.986) all-time when holding opponents to 50 points or less. The 80-49 win over Neb.-Kearney was the 84th time in school history the Lady Hornets scored 80 or more and held their opponent to 50 or less.

LOCK DOWN
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 726 games. They are leading the nation in blocked shots and are second in field goal percentage defense and scoring defense. 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 history.  
 
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 235 games. The Lady Hornets are second in the MIAA in average attendance this season at 2,033 through 12 games. They are the best road and overall draw in the MIAA this season, averaging 1,724 in 12 road games and 1,811 in 25 total games this season. Emporia State's road average is better than 12 of the other 13 teams in the MIAA home average for attendance. Last season, the Lady Hornets averaged 1,847 per game to rank fourth nationally. 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 17 years.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Lady Hornets are in the top 25 nationally in six categories. They lead the nation in blocked shots at 8.2 per game, are ranked second in field goal percentage defense at 33.2% and scoring defense at 54.6 points per game, are seventh in rebounding margin at +10.6 rebounds per game and scoring margin at +18.8 points per game, and are 22nd in three point field goal percentage defense at 27.6%.  

NOT SUCH A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Concordia-St. Paul's victory over Harding last year meant the host team for the NCAA Regional the Lady Hornets compete in has won the tournament only once in the last ten 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.

LADY HORNET SUCCESS ON THE COURT...
The Lady Hornets have the best record in MIAA play in the 21st century. ESU is 230-67 (.774) in MIAA play since the 2000 season and 394-104 (.791) overall in that time. The Lady Hornets are even better if you add two more years to the equation. Since the 1997-98 season, Emporia State is 262-68 (.794) in MIAA play and 457-108 (.809) overall. The Lady Hornets have been ranked in the top ten of the ESPN/USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll 168 times, the most of any current NCAA Division II school.  Emporia State has been to 16 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 Regular season and six Tournament 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 four straight MIAA Tournament Championships games, been to 11 of the last 17 MIAA Tournament Title Games and won six 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 2007-08 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.

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 while the Lady Hornets appearances in the last four MIAA Tournament Championship Games have all been televised by the MIAA Network.

END GAME
The Lady Hornets are 265-6 (.978) when leading at the 5:00 mark since the start of the 2004-05 season and are 432-12 (.973) since 1997 with a lead at the 5:00 mark.  

STREAKS AND SUCH
•The Lady Hornets have hit a three pointer in 289 straight games dating back to a zero for 14 effort at Washburn on Feb. 15, 2006.
•The Lady Hornets have held their last 726 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 have won 24 straight non-conference games in White Auditorium dating back to a 58-51 loss to Harris-Stowe on December 8, 2007.
•The Lady Hornets have won at least ten home games in 19 straight seasons.
•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 three of the last four 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 2013 regional championship game, 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 13 straight seasons, 18 times in the last 19 years and 23 times in the program's 38 year history.
• The Lady Hornets have won 25 games ten times in school history.
• The Lady Hornets have won 30 games four times in school history.
• The Lady Hornets are 819-369 (.689) overall in 41 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 16 MIAA MVPs, five of the last 12 Freshmen of the Year and won the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2011-12.