Lady Hornet Basketball closes out first semester at Northwest Missouri

Women's Basketball | 12/15/2023 1:20:00 PM

Game #10
Emporia State Lady Hornets (5-4, 3-1 MIAA)
at Northwest Missouri Bearcats (8-2, 3-2 MIAA)
Saturday, December 16, 2023 • 1:30 p.m. • Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Arena
Series Record: ESU leads 47-16 Last Meeting: ESU 52, at NWMSU 42 (2/2/2023)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Television: None Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/esuhornets
Live Stats | Ticket Info | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: vs. Bethel • Saturday, December 30, 2023 • 1:30 p.m.
Emporia, Kan. • WL White Auditorium

BACK AT CIVIC ARENA       
The Lady Hornets wrap up the first semester with a road trip to Northwest Missouri.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Hornets shot over 51% from the field in the first half but  just 31% in the second half of an 80-60 loss at Missouri Western in the Civic Arena on Thursday. Emporia State started out in a 5-0 deficit but then score eight straight to take their first lead with 7:32 left in the first quarter. With the game tied at 16 the Griffons ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 23-16 lead into the second. With the Griffons leading 36-32, Faith Paramore scored seven straight points, including her fourth three of the first half, to give the Lady Hornets a 39-36 lead entering halftime. Following the break, Emporia State struggled offensively with Missouri Western outscoring the Lady Hornets 24-9 in the third period to take a 60-48 lead into the fourth. Emporia State scored the first two points of the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 10, but were unable to work their way any closer Paramore had a game-high 21 points with five rebounds while Queen Ulabo added 11 points and six boards.

THE COACHES
Brian Ostermann is 5-4 in his first season as the head coach of the Lady Hornets. This is his first women's basketball head coaching position but he will be entering his 35th season as a collegiate coach with a history record of success at all levels of the collegiate game.  He has 15 years of NCAA Division I experience, with the last nine years at K-State, to go with 20 years at the NCAA Division II and junior college levels. He was 178-107 in nine years as a junior college men's head coach prior to transitioning to the women's game. This will be his first meeting with Northwest Missouri.
Austin Meyer is 67-82 in his sixth year at NWMSU. He is 2-7 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 5-4, 3-1 in the MIAA and have won five of seven games. Faith Paramore is eighth in the MIAA in scoring and fifth in rebounding. Queen Ulabo is fourth in the association in rebounding. Gracie Gilpin is third in the league in made three-pointers.

ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 8-2, 3-2 in the MIAA. The Bearcats are leading the league in made three-pointers and Lindsey Kelderman is leading the MIAA in three-point percentage.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 64th meeting with Emporia State leading the series 47-16. The Lady Hornets have won 16 of 18 dating back to the 2011 MIAA Tournament Championship game.

LAST MEETING VS. NORTHWEST MO.
After a sluggish start, the Lady Hornets used a 20 point second quarter to take control in a 52-42 win at Northwest Missouri. The Bearcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead and held Emporia State scoreless for the first 3:21 of the game. After Tre'Zure Jobe broke the drought the Lady Hornets would outscore Northwest 30-14 the rest of the half to take a 30-21 lead into the break.  Northwest closed to within 44-42 with 4:59 left on a Linsey Kelderman three-pointer but it would be the last points for the Bearcats as they went scoreless during the final 4:59 of the game. For the game Northwest Missouri shot just 14 of 65 (.215) from the field and three of 25 (.120) from the three-point line. Tre'Zure Jobe scored a game high 21 points while Ehlaina Hartman had ten rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Hornets return to action on Saturday, December 30 when they play host to Bethel. Tip-off in White Auditorium is at 1:30 p.m.

O YEAH
Brian Ostermann was formally introduced as the eighth head coach in Lady Hornet history on May 2, 2023. Ostermann is in his 35th season as a collegiate coach with a record of success at all levels of the collegiate game.  As the Associate Head Coach at Kansas State, Ostermann was responsible for scheduling, academic mentoring, recruiting evaluation and game plan preparation and development.  K-State made seven post season appearances in his nine years, including four NCAA Tournament appearances. Prior to his time at K-State, Ostermann served as the Associate Head Coach at Texas Christian University from 2008-14.  The Horned Frogs went 107-81 during his six seasons in Fort Worth with two NCAA and two WNIT berths. He made the transition to the women's game at TCU following a nine year career as a head men's basketball coach at the junior college level.  He was 83-46 in four seasons from 2004-08 at Missouri State-West Plains.  His first head coaching position was at Jayhawk Conference member Colby CC from 1999-2004. He was 95-61 in his five seasons in western Kansas with a 50-14 record over his final two years and were ranked as high as #2 in the nation in 2004. Ostermann's coaching roots are in the MIAA.  He started out as a graduate assistant at Northwest Missouri from 1989-91. After a season at PSAC member Mercyhurst College he returned to the MIAA as an assistant coach for both the men and women at Missouri Western.  He was in St. Joseph from 1992-96 before moving to UMKC for three seasons.

HOME COOKIN'
The Lady Hornets have won 333 of the last 379 (.879) games in White Auditorium. They are undefeated in postseason games in White Auditorium with a 15-0 record in MIAA Tournament play and a 6-0 record in the NCAA Tournament.  Emporia State has only lost 21 games to unranked NCAA teams in White Auditorium since 1997. The Lady Hornets are 480-114 (.808) overall since 1979 at home and hold the MIAA record for consecutive home wins with 62 set from 1997-2001. Emporia State is 13-10 (.565) against top ten teams in White Auditorium since 1995.

GAME OF RUNS
The Lady Hornets have recorded six 10-0 or bettern runs this year. ESU had three runs of at least 10-0 against Avila including a 23-0 run in the second quarter. They had 14 scoring runs of 10-0 or better last year. Emporia State had 18 runs of 10-0 or greater in 2021-22, including a 24-0 run against Bethel. In 2020-21 they had 21 runs of 10-0 or greater.

BY THE NUMBERS
The Lady Hornets have topped the 100-point mark 76 times and have eclipsed the 110 point mark 30 times in their history. Since 1997-98, the Lady Hornets are 327-5 (.985) when scoring at least 80 points after going 167-22 (.884) in the previous 23 seasons when scoring at least 80 points. Conversely Emporia State is 174-2 (.989) all-time when holding opponents to 50 points or less.

HERE THEY COME
The Lady Hornets drew 1,863 to their home opener against Northwest Missouri last season. It was the largest home opening crowd since the 2014-15 season.  For the season they averaged 1,090 fans per game, the 25th straight year (not counting COVID) they have ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance with at least 1,000 fans per game.
The Lady Hornets drew an average of 1,108 fans to their 14 home games on Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium during the 2021-22 season to rank fourth nationally. Emporia State had a season high 2,007 for their game against Washburn on February 26 on Senior Day. Emporia State outdrew 249 NCAA Division I schools, including six from the "Power 5" conferences - three each from the ACC and PAC-12. They also outdrew 19 teams that made the NCAA Tournament four of which won a game including Elite Eight participant Creighton.  Within the Division II ranks, the Hornets outdrew 62 of the 64 teams that were selected for the NCAA Tournament, including seven of the eight #1 seeds and every team that made the Elite Eight.
The Lady Hornets drew an average of 1,442 fans to their 15 home games on Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium during the 2019-20 season to rank sixth nationally.  Emporia State played in front of an NCAA Division II season high 6,455 in the 2020 MIAA Tournament Championship game in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.  Prior to the pandemic the Lady Hornets had played in front of at least 1,000 fans in White Auditorium in 305 of their previous 306 games.  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 in 2005-06 to finish third in the nation and led the nation with an average attendance of 2,348 fans in 2004-05.

MARCH MEANS SOMETHING
The Lady Hornets are 43-17 (.717) in their last 60 March post season games. Emporia State has made it to the championship game in 16 of the last 24 post season tournaments they have played in under three different coaches, appearing in eight MIAA Tournament, seven NCAA Regional Tournament Championship games and the 2010 National Championship game, while making the semifinals at the Elite Eight in 2015. Emporia State is 87-39 (.690) all-time in MIAA and NCAA Tournament games with a 40-20 (.667) record in the NCAA Tourney.
 
MIAA TOURNEY EXCELLENCE
Emporia State won an unprecedented five straight MIAA Tournament Championships and an MIAA record 16 straight games in tournament play from 2013-2018. They are the first team to have two different streaks of at least four straight tournament championships. The Lady Hornets won four straight championships from 1998-2001 and were in seven straight title games between 2011 and 2017 with championships in the final five tournaments of that run. Emporia State is 47-18 all-time in MIAA Tournament play with a 15-0 record in White Auditorium.

MARCH MADNESS
The Lady Hornets qualified for 22 NCAA Tournaments since first becoming eligible for it in 1992. They rank eighth all-time in NCAA Division II tournament appearances and their 19 trips are the most in the 21st century.  Emporia State has won 40 NCAA Tournament games to rank fifth all-time and fourth among active Division II schools.

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.

NEWBIES
A total of seven Lady Hornets have been named MIAA Freshman of the Year. Tre'Zure Jobe became just the sixth freshman to earn All-Tournament honors at the 2020 MIAA Tournament.  Five of the six freshmen honorees have been Lady Hornets as she joins Lindenwood's Lindsay Medlen (2017) and Lady Hornets Kelly Moten (2014), Kelsey Balcom (2011), Michelle Stueve (2005), and Casey Henningsen (2004) in earning all-tourney honors in their first year.

RANKINGS
Emporia State was ranked #25 in the February 9, 2021 poll, marking the 24th consecutive season the Lady Hornets had been in ranked in the Top 25 of the WBCA Poll during a season. The Lady Hornets have been in the Coaches Top 25 a total of 284 weeks since first appearing in the 1997-98 preseason poll and have been in the top ten for a WBCA Division II record 190 weeks.  

BRING IT ON    
The Lady Hornets are 87-67 (.565) against WBCA Top 25 teams since 1997-98.  Emporia State is 35-18 (.660) in neutral site games with top 25 foes since 1997. The Lady Hornets are 31-18 (.633) in White Auditorium against Top 25 teams since 1997. Emporia State has 36 wins against Top 10 teams, including four victories against #1 ranked teams in the last eight seasons.

TAKING ON THE BEST
In their history the Lady Hornets have won three contests against teams that were defending national champions at the time.  Emporia State defeated the 2018 national champion Jennies 65-62 on Feb. 9, 2019; they defeated the 2016 national champions Lubbock Christian 60-50 on Dec. 3, 2016 in the first ever regular season match-up between a #1 ranked team and a defending national champion in White Auditorium history; and they ended then #1 ranked and 2005 national champion Washburn's 51 game winning streak with a 61-59 win in overtime of the regional championship game on March 13, 2006 in Topeka.

SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
The Lady Hornets are 20-6 all-time when playing as the #1 team in the nation. Emporia State first earned a #1 national ranking by the WBCA in 2004-05, next in 2006-07, again after winning the 2009-10 national championship, they opened 2015-16 and held onto the spot through their first seven games and they were in the top spot for four games in 2016-17. The Lady Hornets have won 20 games in 22 of the last 25 seasons. Emporia State has made the NCAA Tournament 22 times in the last 25 years and their 40-20 record in the tourney is ranked fourth among active Division II schools in total tournament wins. Emporia State has made six Elite Eight trips, the most of any team since 1997. The Lady Hornets won their first national championship in 2010, 12 years after making their first appearance in the national title game and they have advanced to four Final Fours since 1998.
The Lady Hornets have won seven MIAA regular season championships and nine MIAA Tournament titles. Emporia State has appeared in 15 of the last 25 MIAA Tournament Championship games and have made it to the semifinals in 22 of the last 26 seasons.

LADY HORNETS NCAA HISTORY
The Lady Hornets have made the NCAA Tournament 22 times in the last 26 years and their 40-20 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 2015, and were also in the Elite Eight in 2000 and 2006. They have been to the regional final 14 times.

ON THE AIR
The Lady Hornets have been on national television five times in the last 20 years. They are 3-2 after their loss in the Final Four on the CBS Sports Network in 2015. They defeated Ft. Lewis 65-53 in the national championship game on ESPN2 in 2010. Emporia State'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 the featured game on MIAA Broadcasting Network.

LADY HORNET SUCCESS ON THE COURT...
The Lady Hornets have the best record in MIAA play in the 21st century. Emporia State is 341-124 (.733) in MIAA play since the 2000 season and 574-183 (.758) 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 404-125 (.764) in MIAA play and 637-187 (.773) overall. The Lady Hornets have been ranked in the top ten of the ESPN/USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll 190 times, the most of any NCAA Division II school.  Emporia State has been to 22 NCAA Tournaments, made the Regional Championship or "Sweet 16" 14 times, has made six trips to the Elite Eight, four 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 nine 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 15 of the last 26 MIAA Tournament championship games, made it to the semifinals in 22 of the last 27 MIAA Tournaments and won nine tourney titles.

...AND IN THE CLASSROOM
The Lady Hornets had a combined GPA of 3.43 last spring. Tre'Zure Jobe and Kylee Scheer were named CSC Academic All-District performers last season. Emporia State sat atop the 2016-17 Women's Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Academic Top 25 list. The Lady Hornets had a school record 3.744 team GPA during the 2016-17 academic year. Lady Hornets have been honored as Academic All-Americans four 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. As a team the Lady Hornets had a 3.23 team GPA in the fall of 2019.

TRIFECTA
Emporia State is the first program in NCAA Division II history to lead the nation in attendance (2005), win a national championship (2010), and be honored with the top GPA in the nation (2017) in the WBCA Academic Top 25 list.

LET'S HANG SOME MORE
Aneta Kausaite, Jurgita Kausaite, Tara Holloway-Churchill, Emily Bloss-Carpenter, Michelle Stueve-Corpening, Cassondra Boston and Alli Volkens have their jerseys retired in White Auditorium for earning first or second team All-American honors, graduating and playing at least two years at ESU.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Lady Hornets are 309-137 (.693) away from home, 106-33 (.763) in neutral site games and 64-16 (.800) against non-MIAA teams at neutral sites since 1997-98 with five 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 six regionals. Emporia State is 52-48 (.520) away from White Auditorium against Top 25 teams. The Lady Hornets are 164-81 (.669) on the road in MIAA league play since 1997-98. Emporia State is 37-17 (.685) in NCAA Tournament games away from White Auditorium.

NOT SUCH A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The host team for the NCAA Regional the Lady Hornets compete in has won the tournament only four times in the last 16 tries. The first eight years of the streak were in the South Central Region. Last year was just the ninth time the host team has advanced to the regional final in the last 14 years with Washburn falling to Emporia State in 2006 in Lee Arena, West Texas A&M defeating Central Oklahoma in 2009 in Canyon, Texas, Ft. Hays State falling to Emporia State in 2014 in Hays, Pittsburg State defeating Emporia State in 2017 in Pittsburg, Central Missouri defeating Augustana in 2018 in Sioux Falls, S.D., Ft. Hays State losing to Southwestern Oklahoma in Hays in 2019, Central Missouri defeating Neb.-Kearney in 2021, and Fort Hays State losing 70-69 to Missouri Western in 2022. The Lady Hornets have eliminated the host school six times since 2004.

TOUGH ENOUGH
The NCAA Central Region is made up of teams in the MIAA, Northern Sun and Great American Conferences. Last year half of the eight team field in the regional tournament was made up of MIAA teams while the NSIC had three and the GAC one.
The MIAA is 22-16 against the rest of the region this season, going 13-4 against the NSIC and 9-11 against the GAC
The MIAA went 22-14 (.611) against the rest of the region last year, going 12-4 (.750) against the GAC and 10-10 (.500) against the NSIC. The NSIC won all five matchups with the GAC. In all games played the MIAA went 63-25 (.716) against non-conference competition while playing the toughest combined schedule in the nation.

TIP-INS
• The Lady Hornets have won 20 games 22 times in the last 26 years and 27 times in school history.
• The Lady Hornets have won 25 games 13 times in school history.
• The Lady Hornets have won 30 games four times in school history.
• The Lady Hornets are 999-447 (.691) overall in their 50th year of action and were the eighth NCAA Division II program to reach 900 wins.
• 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 (20th - 50.6 in 2001).
• The Lady Hornets have had 11 of the last 22 MIAA MVPs, seven of the last 19 Freshmen of the Year and have won four MIAA Defensive Player of the Year awards since 2011-12.

STREAKS AND SUCH
• The Lady Hornets 62 game home court winning streak from Feb. 27, 1997 through Jan. 13, 2001 is an MIAA record and the fifth longest in NCAA Division II history.
• The Lady Hornets ended the then 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 their regional six times in the last 17 years (at Ft. Hays State 66-61 in 2015; at Washburn 65-58 in 2013; at Washburn 71-65 in 2012; at West Texas A&M 76-69 in 2010; at Washburn in 2006; and at Drury in 2005).
• Emporia State is 2-1 against teams on a 30 game winning streak in the NCAA Tournament. They snapped Gannon's 37 game winning streak in the 2010 national semifinals and Washburn's 32 game in-season streak in the 2006 South Central Regional finals. ESU lost to eventual national runner-up Southwestern Oklahoma 71-65 in the first round of the 2019 Central Regional.
• The Lady Hornets have made 27 straight trips to the MIAA Tournament.

END GAME
The Lady Hornets are 604-22 (.965) since 1997 when leading at the 5:00 mark.